University of Patras rector: around 400 admitted students did not enroll this year, losses even in Medicine

Concerning data for Greek higher education is published by ProtoThema, according to which the rector of the University of Patras, Christos Bouras, has reported that around 400 admitted students did not enroll at the university this year. The losses, as the Greek outlet reports, are not limited to low-demand departments but also affect the institution’s most prestigious faculties.

According to the ProtoThema article, published today (September 28, 2026), nine students did not enroll in the Faculty of Medicine, while around twenty others did not show up in the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering departments, considered among the university’s best schools. Rector Bouras, speaking to ERTnews, described the phenomenon as general: “It is a phenomenon that does not only affect low-demand schools,” he said, warning that the university will investigate its causes.

The causes, according to the rector, are a combination of factors: first, families’ economic hardship, high housing and transport costs, but also the operation of non-public universities. Bouras warned the problem is expected to deepen in the coming years due to demographic decline. According to him, around 70,000 places are offered in Greek higher education today, while the number of enrolled students is around 60,000, and by 2040 new students could fall to 30–32 thousand.

The Patras rector also spoke in favor of a full restructuring of the academic map, leaving open the possibility of university and faculty mergers. As ProtoThema reports, the University of Patras is meanwhile investing in internationalization, with new foreign-language study programs and collaborations abroad, aiming to attract students from other countries and cope with the demographic problem’s consequences. On student welfare, Bouras emphasized housing, noting rents remain very high; students meeting the criteria will be served by existing dormitories and the university will continue to offer free food. He also mentioned accessibility initiatives: a special vehicle transports students with mobility, visual or hearing difficulties every day, as part of the policy for a university without discrimination.