The strategic planning of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki includes a strategy regarding the development of the members of the academic unit and the development of research and innovation. In this context, the Program ensures the ongoing professional development of its teaching staff and implements a series of procedures aimed at ensuring the quality of teaching and other staff. The following procedures aim, based on the needs of the staff, to improve the scientific work produced and performance, with a view to continuously improving the quality of education and research offered in the Master. The Coordinating Committee encourages faculty members to attend conferences, seminars and workshops related to their field of specialization. Part of the Program’s income is dedicated to financial contributions and the provision of other incentives to participate in scientific professional development events.
Mutual mentoring is also an important objective of the Programme: cooperation and mentoring between faculty members to share their knowledge and experience is facilitated by regular meetings and thematic workshops either for faculty only or open to students. In addition, the Steering Committee provides training opportunities for faculty (taking full advantage of the financial possibilities provided by the Erasmus+ and Epicur training exchange programmes) to familiarise them with new skills and technologies, such as instructional design, online teaching and data analysis. Furthermore, the ERASMUS+ programme (https://eurep.auth.gr/el) provides opportunities for faculty members to teach or receive training in collaboration with European universities.
In addition, the School has concluded bilateral cooperation agreements with foreign Universities within the framework of the above mobility programs, as well as transnational agreements, which offer the possibility of developing close scientific contacts of the staff with the international scientific community and of moving its members abroad for research and teaching. Through the large number of collaborations, the members of the School are in constant contact with the respective research communities, but also with the market and businesses. Both the School and the Postgraduate Program organize/participate in scientific conferences, presentations and other research activities. In this context, they invite both the general public and scientists and professionals from the industry.
The institution supports all mobility as much as possible (granting of educational licenses, etc.). In order to disseminate research results, the faculty members participate in scientific networks (researchgate, linkedin, etc.), through which the connected users are informed. In the Greek and international academic and scientific community, dissemination takes place through scientific publications and speeches, workshops, and conferences.
In addition, the Department supports the organization of scientific excursions and visits for the benefit of both students and teachers, while organizing seminars every year with mandatory attendance for doctoral candidates, with guests from other institutions in the country or abroad, while also organizing conferences and workshops of national or international level, with the involvement of both doctoral candidates and undergraduate and postgraduate students.