Within the framework of the existing Agreement of Scientific Cooperation between Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) and the University of Alabama, a six-member Delegation of Professors from the University of Alabama, led by Associate Dean for International Relations Prof. Lisa Pawlowski, visited AUTh from May 29th to June 2nd, 2023.

On the second day of their visit, Tuesday, May 30th, 2023, an event/seminar was organized in the Senate Room where the current and future research-academic cooperation between the two universities was presented within the framework of the “Alabama-Greece Initiative” program.

Simultaneously, meetings were held with the Department of International Relations, the Department of European Education Programs of Aristotle University, the UNESCO Chair on Water Resources Management at AUTh, the Center for Integrated Water Resources Management (CIWRM), as well as representatives of the Museum Studies Master’s program. Furthermore, a lecture was given at the Department of Political Sciences, along with collaboration with the students of the Department of Music Studies.

The Memorandum of Cooperation between AUTh and the University of Alabama, signed in April 2013, focuses on faculty and student exchanges, participation in joint research programs, summer programs for students, lectures, and more. The interest shown by the representatives of the University of Alabama in this collaboration is also evident in the official website they have created under the name “Alabama Greece Initiative” (http://greece.as.ua.edu/).

Since the program’s inception in 2013, exchanges have taken place involving 65 professors and over 50 students (the latter participating in excavation programs) in various scientific fields such as philology, archaeology, anthropology, theater and dance, music, religious studies, chemistry, geology, and more. The collaboration has led to long-term research partnerships, publications, conferences, seminars, lectures, exhibitions, and symposia.

The next step to be implemented is the establishment of a framework for student internships, enabling students to gain work experience by spending a certain period of time at the partner university. Additionally, the two universities are discussing the promotion of student exchanges for one semester or shorter periods (summer programs or study abroad programs lasting one month).