The University of Crete is a young public educational institution committed to excellence in research and teaching.
Established in 1973, the University accepted its first students in 1977-78. It now has 16 Departments in 5 Schools (Philosophy, Education, Social, Economic & Political Sciences, Sciences & Engineering, and Medicine) as well as a number of affiliated research-oriented institutions, including the Skinakas Observatory, the Natural History Museum, and the University General Hospital. Currently, 18,968 undergraduates and 2914 postgraduate students are registered here. They are educated by an outward-looking academic faculty of around 450 members, supported by adjunct lecturers, post-doctoral researchers, laboratory support staff and instructors, as well as around 300 technical and administrative support staff.
The international orientation of the University is reflected in its track record of collaborations with many of the leading research and educational institutions in Europe and worldwide as well as active promotion of mobility and exchange programmes. Research and research training at all levels benefits also from de facto regional cluster – collaboration with research institutions i.e. the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture (IMBBC), the University General Hospital (PagNi) as well as the other HEIs in Crete.