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 Round-Table Discussion on The Future of US and World Universities
Monday 7 July 2025, at the Athens Institute’s Downtown Office
On Monday, 7 July 2025, the Athens Institute successfully hosted a round-table discussion on“The Future of US and World Universities“ at its downtown venue in Athens.
Moderated by Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute, the event brought together prominent academics from around the world.
Featured speakers included Dr. Leah Hollis (The Pennsylvania State University, USA), Dr. Monika Thadhani (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA), Dr. John Liontas (University of South Florida, USA),
Dr. Burcu Ates (Sam Houston State University, USA), and Dr. Clara Germana Gonçalves (University of Lisbon, Portugal), who addressed pressing issues in global higher education—from political pressures and academic freedom to the integration of AI in teacher education.
Brief interventions further enriched the discussion, with contributions from Dr. Ke Yu (University of Johannesburg South Africa); Dr. Hemmat Safwat (Director of Energy Development Services Consultancy, Greece); Dr. Marija Liudvika Drazdauskiene (Professor at Wszechnica Polska Academy of Applied Sciences in Warsaw, Poland); Mr. Junpeng Fan (Keio University, Japan); and Ms. Eman H.E. Touliabah (PhD Candidate at Hokkaido University, Japan).
The roundtable highlighted the urgent need for innovation, inclusivity, and resilience in the evolving landscape of global academia.
