Insights into Athens' innovation centres
As a prelude to team building and networking, the visit began with a traditional dinner together in a Greek taverna.
On Tuesday, 6 May, the participants explored the historic capital. HNU student assistant Sarah Bruder, who is currently spending her semester abroad in Athens, showed them around the city. The programme then included a visit to the Athens Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEin) at the Athens University of Economics and Business. Vasiliki Chronaki offered exciting insights into the dynamic Greek start-up ecosystem.
On Wednesday, 7 May, the programme included a visit to the Archimedes Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - the oldest university in Greece. There, Dr Antonis Livieratos' team presented current programmes to promote entrepreneurial initiatives. In the afternoon, the group visited the technology company Emphasis DigiWorld SA, which specialises in sensor-based solutions and data-driven technologies. Managing Director Giorgos Papapanagiotakis presented the company's innovative projects. The day ended with a cultural highlight: a visit to the famous Acropolis.
Focus on German-Greek exchange
Thursday began with a tour of the central market in Athens, followed by lunch together. In the afternoon, visits to the Goethe-Institut Athens and the DAAD Information Centre Greece were on the agenda. Regina Frentzou explained the diverse activities of the DAAD in Greece and highlighted current opportunities for cooperation in the field of academic exchange.
A special item on the programme was the personal story and start-up presentation by DAAD alumnus Konstantinos Lampou, who impressed the audience with his innovative project.
Internationality as lived practice
The study trip to Athens was part of HNU's international education concept and underlines the practical and global orientation of the Master's programme Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurship. The experience and contacts gained not only strengthen the students' entrepreneurial skills, but also promote intercultural dialogue and international cooperation.
