est. 1995
The Athens Institute
A World Association of Academics and Researchers: Promoting Global Education & Research
1995-2025: 30 Years of Bringing Academics and Scholars together in Athens
A Symposium on What’s Next for US Universities?
Monday 5 May 2025, at the Athens Institute’s Downtown Office
On Monday, 5 May 2025, the Athens Institute successfully organized a symposium titled “What’s Next for US Universities?” at its downtown office in Athens, Greece. The event took place from 17:00 to 19:00 on the 5th floor of 9 Chalkokondili Street and was moderated by Gregory T. Papanikos (President, Athens Institute).
The symposium featured a series of insightful presentations and discussions on the current challenges and future directions of higher education in the United States. Invited speakers included Mitra Esfandiarei (Professor, Biomedical Sciences Program, Midwestern University), who addressed the future of medical research in the U.S. and Canada;
Jun Qu (Professor and Director, Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, SUNY Buffalo), who spoke on balancing funding pursuits with conducting research; and Steven M. Oberhelman (Professor, Texas A&M University), who explored the place of classical studies in the context of contemporary cultural dynamics. Robert Earle (Assistant Professor, University of Northern Iowa) offered reflections on academic freedom and the right to learn, while Joyce Victor (Associate Professor, Wilkes University) discussed experiential and distance learning.
The symposium also included short interventions from John Spiridakis (Professor, St. John’s University), Sonia Salari (Professor, University of Utah), and Jan Reid (President, Coast Economic Consulting). The event fostered meaningful dialogue among scholars and practitioners, addressing critical issues and opportunities facing U.S. universities today.
The program of the symposium is available here.
