Important Events in the History of IST College
IST College was established in 1989, by G. Kastrinakis and D. Fountoukakos together with the following team of University Professors:
- Professor Georgios Chiotis (former Professor and Vice – Chancellor of the Athens University of Economics and Business) Vice-Chancellor of IST
- Professor Konstantinos Delis (former Professor at the University of Piraeus)
- Professor Petros Bozonis (former Professor at the University of Ioannina)
- Professor Charalambos Apostolakis (University of Texas, USA)
- Professor Ioannis Valinakis (University of Athens)
- Professor Kosmas Iordanidis (University of Patras)
- Professor Theodoros Kouloumbis (University of Athens)
- Professor Georgios Bitros (Athens University of Economics and Business)
- Professor Georgios Pantelidis (National Technical University of Athens)
- Professor Panagiotis Papakyriazis (Athens University of Economics and Business)
- Professor Dimitrios Papamichail (Athens Agricultural University)
- Professor Ioannis Tzoannos (Athens University of Economics and Business)
1990
- The charter of IST Studies is approved and published
- The Departments of Business Administration, Finance, Computer Science, European and International Studies are established and begin operations offering courses for the first time
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed with the Université de Liége (Belgium)
1991
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed with Mercer University (USA)
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed with Victoria University (Australia)
1992
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed (Master Franchise Agreement) between IST and the state University of Hertfordshire (UH) in Britain
- The first BA programme in Business Administration is offered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed with Florida Atlantic University (USA)
1993
- New Bachelor’s programmes in Business Administration, Economics, Accounting and Management Information Systems, Computer Science and European Studies are franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire
1994
- The first IST/ University of Hertfordshire students graduate and receive their degrees in Saint Alban’s Cathedral together with University of Hertfordshire graduates
- The Bachelor’s programme in Tourism Management is franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire
1996
- The Master’s programme in Computer Science (Conversion course) is franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire
- IST successfully undergoes inspection of its academic quality assurance system by the Higher Education Quality Council of Great Britain
1997
- The MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) is franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire
- The Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Linguistics is franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire
- IST Studies is awarded the International Quality Certificate ISO 9001, for the “design and implementation of university level courses”
- The IST Alumni Association is established
1998
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed with the University of California, Irvine (USA)
1999
- IST Studies’ Computer Science Department runs a 345-hour training programme for officers of the Hellenic Navy
2000
- A scholarship scheme is introduced for the best student in the second year of the Economics Programme. The scholarship is offered in memory of Professor C. Apostolakis, Director of the Department of Economics of IST
2001
- IST receives accreditation and recognition from the British Accreditation Council for Further and Higher Education (BAC), as ‘an institution providing higher education’
2002
- Appointment of the first Vice-Chancellor of IST, Professor George P. Chiotis, Professor and former Vice – Chancellor of the Athens University of Economics and Business
- The Master’s (MA) programme in Applied Linguistics (ELT) is franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire
- The MBA programme is revised, re-validated and offered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire. The programme now allows for specialisation in the fields of Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Logistics, Health Management and Tourism Management
2003
- New Bachelor’s programmes in Business and Economics are franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire. For the first time, Joint Honours programmes are offered in: Accounting & Information Systems, Business Economics & Accounting, Business Economics & Management Science, European Business & Marketing and Human Resource & Marketing
- New Bachelor’s programmes in Computer Science are franchised to IST by the University of Hertfordshire. Modern programmes and new specialisations are offered in: Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Computing and Networks, Interactive Systems (Multimedia), Intelligent Systems, Adaptive Systems (Robotics), Theoretical Computer Science
- New Computer Science Master’s programmes with specialisation are validated and offered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire: MSc in Computer Engineering, MSc in Distributed Systems & Networks, MSc in Multimedia Technology and MSc in Software Engineering
- IST relocates to its purpose-built ultra-modern 9,500 m2 facilities
- Academic Co-operation Agreements are signed with Malaspina University College (Canada) and Schiller International University (USA)
- Υπογράφεται Συμφωνία Ακαδημαϊκής Συνεργασίας με το Kiev National University of Trade and Economics (Oυκρανία)
- Στο πλαίσιο του Επιχειρησιακού Προγράμματος ‘Κοινωνία της Πληροφορίας’, Δράση ‘Επιχειρείτε Ηλεκτρονικά’, το IST αναλαμβάνει την εκπόνηση έργου με τίτλο ‘Δημιουργία Εικονικού Μαθησιοχώρου για E-learning Εφαρμογές’
2005
- New postgraduate programmes in Law are validated and offered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire. The new programmes are: LLM in Maritime Law, LLM in International and Maritime Law, LLM in E-commerce and Maritime Law.
- The Annual Awards Ceremony takes place, for the first time, in Athens, at “Zappeion Megaron”, with the participation of Professor Tim Wilson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire and other distinguished representatives of the University.
- An Academic Co-operation Agreement is signed with “Shenyang International Exchange Centre for Education-“S.I.E.C.E.” (China). The Chinese organisation operates under the Education Office in Shenyang, which belongs to the Chinese Ministry of Education.
2006
- The new postgraduate programmes MA in Marketing, MSc in Health Services Management, and MSc in Organisational Psychology are validated and offered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire, along with the revalidation of the Bachelor’s programme in Tourism Management.
- IST is awarded continuing accreditation by the British Accreditation Council of Further and Higher Education (BAC) as “an independent institution providing higher education”.
- IST successfully undergoes a continuation audit for ISO 9001:2000 and is accredited for the “design and implementation of university level courses”.
- IST successfully undergoes a Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Collaborative Provision audit.
- IST enters into a joint recognition programme agreement with the National Agency Responsible for the Recognition of International Awards (NARIC) to ensure that IST graduates acquire recognised British degrees in Greece.
- The Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, Lord Salisbury, participates in the Annual Awards Ceremony that took place at “Zappeion Megaron” receiving, along with the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Tim Wilson, the IST graduates and awarding them with their Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degrees.
2007
- The Modular programme MSc in Computer Science is revalidated with specializations in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire.
- IST participates in the first Partners Conference organized by the University of Hertfordshire Business School which brought together all the collaborative partners of UH throughout the world.
- IST provides training seminars to the staff of the Private Hospitals “MITERA” and “YGEIA”.
2008
- The Bachelor’s programmes BA in Business Administration, BA in Human Resources and Marketing, BA in Accounting and Economics, BA in Accounting with Finance, BA in Tourism and Marketing, BA in Tourism and Human Recourses Management, BSc in Computer Science, along with MBA and LLM are re-validated in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire.
- The Postgraduate programmes MSc in Health Psychology and MSc in Management are validated in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire.
- A new training programme for the Academic Staff of IST is developed and offered by the University of Hertfordshire. The programme is called Continuous Professional and Academic Development Programme-CPAD and is obligatory for academics who wish to teach in UK Universities. It is the first time that academics in Greece have attended such a programme.
- IST, in cooperation with the British Embassy in Greece, the British Council and the Hellenic Colleges Association, hosts the visit of the British Minister of Education, Bill Rammell.
- IST undergoes an on-sight Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Collaborative Provision audit as well as the University of Hertfordshire Institutional Audit.
2009
- IST is recognised by the Greek Ministry of Education as a Private College (Licence Document Nr.76635/Δ6, Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic Nr. 1532, 27 July 2009, Volume B’, and Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic Nr 2138, 5 October 2009, Volume B’).
2010
- The Presidential decree 38/2010 (Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic Nr. 78, 25 May 2010, Volume A’) is published, according to which all degrees awarded to E.U. citizens by Universities located in E.U. Countries, are recognised, irrespective of the location of studies.
- The Greek Ministry of Education re-news the “College” license of IST for all its academic programmes offered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire (Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic Nr. 1320, 27 August 2010, Volume B’).
- The franchise agreement that IST has entered, since 1992, with the University of Hertfordshire has now further developed. The two parties signed a new formal agreement with an option for the University to participate in IST College’s capital share and organisational structure.
- Commendation of an Interim Board at IST College aiming at mapping out the business strategy and the implementation of measures that will contribute to ensuring the quality of services provided and the safeguarding of internal procedures and rules. The Interim Board consists of 9 members out of which 2 are senior members of the University of Hertfordshire, 4 members from the existing shareholders and three independent members with an international profile, an academic profile and a business profile.
- IST College receives re-accreditation and recognition from the British Accreditation Council for Further and Higher Education (BAC), as ‘an institution providing higher education’.
- New Bachelor’s programmes in Dietetics and Physiotherapy are franchised to IST College by the University of Hertfordshire.
2011
- IST College organizes an Entrepreneurship and Innovation competition titled «CRAZY BUSINESS IDEAS» in order to provide young people with the opportunity to bring forth their ideas for a new product or business and transform them into a rigorous business plan. Following the great appeal of the competition, IST College will run the competition again in 2012. Crazy Business Ideas competition will in 2012 be under the Aegis of the General Secretariat for Youth.
