35th UNICA General Assembly & Rectors’ Seminar | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) | 18-20 June 2025
The UNICA General Assembly is an exclusive event for UNICA member universities.
The UNICA General Assembly & Rectors’ Seminar 2025, which also marked the 35th anniversary of the foundation of the UNICA network, was hosted by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), 18-20 June 2025.
35 years of Sharing, Learning, Adding Value! Watch the UNICA anniversary video!
UNICA Rectors’ Seminar “The key role of the Humanities in our universities”
One must never disregard the
significance of the Humanities.
Progress might drive us forward,
but purpose guides us beyond.
Introduction to the Seminar by Prof. Dimitrios Karadimas, Member of the UNICA Steering Committee, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Curiosity has always been a driving force behind scientific progress. Just as humanity strives to understand the mechanics of the world, it has also been committed to uncovering the deeper meanings behind them.
Today, however, we are regrettably witnessing a growing pattern of disinvestment in the disciplines that critically explore meaning, values, and the broader implications of scientific advancement. In recent years, the closure or significant restructuring of Humanities programmes often reflects wider trends in Higher Education, including financial pressures, a shift in student interest toward STEM fields, and changing institutional priorities.
Yet we must ask: what future can science truly have if we neglect the urgent questions surrounding the significance of human experience? New technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality only heighten this concern, as they curiously defy the boundaries of human experience and consciousness.
It is in response to these crucial questions that the Rectors’ Seminar taking place in the context of the 35th UNICA General Assembly will focus on the importance of the Humanities.
The event will also explore the critical role universities must play in preserving the value, relevance, and vitality of the Humanities, a mission that is of particular relevance for institutions in capital cities, where technology, culture, innovation, and policy meet.
Rectors’ Seminar “The key role of the Humanities in our universities” | Presentations
- Keynote speech “The Democratic University and its Role in Modern Democracy”, by Dimitrios KARADIMAS, former Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Member of the UNICA Steering Committee
- The End of the Humanities? Why Do We Still Need Liberal Arts and Humanistic Education in the Universities?, by Mircea DUMITRU, Professor of Philosophy and former Rector, University of Bucharest, Vice-President of the Romanian Academy
- In Defense of the Humanities: Addressing Contemporary Biases in Research Evaluation and Publishing Norms, by Christina KOULOURI, Rector, Panteion University of Social and Economic Sciences
- The Transformation of the Humanities, by Christopher SMITH, Executive Chair, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Humanities in Greece, by Pericles A. MITKAS, President, Hellenic Authority for Higher Education,
IntegratingHumanities in STEM, by Gabi LOMBARDO, Director, European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH)- Digital Humanities for Open and Ethical Multimodal Language Research, by Aliyah MORGENSTERN, Vice Rector European Affairs, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle–Paris 3
- Ten Years of In Codice Ratio: Reflections on Knowledge Acquisition and Teaching Methodologies, by Serena AMMIRATI, Associate Professor in Palaeography, Roma Tre University and Principal Investigator of the project CLASSICS
- Open Science: A powerful tool for Digital Humanities, by Christos PAPATHEODOROU, Professor, Dept. of History and Philosophy of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- From Metrics to Meaning: How Global Rankings Challenge the Humanities, by Alexander HASGALL, Higher Education and Research Policy Expert, former Head of the EUA Council for Doctoral Education
Documents
- Overall schedule and programme of the Rectors’ Seminar
- Biographies of speakers and chairs and abstracts
- List of in person participants
- List of online participants
18-20 June 2025
Athens
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Contact
laura.brossico@unica-network.eu
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.