Postgraduate Programme on Science Communication (EEP)

Learning Outcomes:

Expected learning outcomes for students in the Master’s Program include:

• Developing skills in writing credible and documented articles and books for the public image of sciences and technology.
• Developing skills in disseminating the results of scientific research to the general public and communicating with it.
• Managing conflicting opinions and debates on controversial issues from the field of sciences and technology based on sound reasoning and existing data.
• Utilizing the history and philosophy of sciences for shaping the public image of sciences and technology.
• Understanding and managing the ways in which the production framework of techno-scientific knowledge is connected to broader cultural processes.
• Using their education in designing and implementing educational programs in non-formal and informal education settings.
• Creating documentaries and communication programs on science and technology.
• Curating permanent and periodic science and technology exhibitions for museums and other cultural and educational institutions.
• Managing science museums and technology centers, interactive exhibitions, and related non-formal education spaces.
• Participating in expert committees for shaping scientific and technological policy.
• Acting as representatives and public relations officers for scientific laboratories and technology centers.

The Post-graduate programme accepts graduates or higher institution diplomas of related disciplines. The programme is offered in Greek. 

The knowledge of a foreign language and good computer-Internet skills would be useful for the successful participation in the programme.

Note:

Holders of a degree or diploma of higher education means graduates of Greek Universities or Polytechnics or Higher School of Fine Arts or Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education or Higher Technological Educational Institutions (ATEI) or those who hold academically equivalent first cycle degrees from recognized foreign educational institutions with the degrees awarded by the Greek Higher Educational Institutions, in accordance with the provisions of article 304 of Law No. 4957/2022 (Government Gazette 141/21.07.2022, vol.)

Marking:

For the evaluation of the application to the Postgraduate Studies Programme, it will be examined whether the candidate’s institution of study is or may be included in the National Register of Recognised Higher Education Institutions of Foreign Countries and whether the candidate’s degree is or may be included in the National Register of Types of Degrees of Recognised Institutions of Foreign Countries.

The Hellenic Open University, if the degree is included in the list of article 307 of Law No. 4957/2022, must request a “Certificate of Place of Study”, which is issued and sent by the foreign university. If the place of study or part of the studies is confirmed as the Greek territory, the degree is not recognized, unless the part of the studies that took place in the Greek territory is in a public higher education institution or in a recognized foreign educational institution within the meaning of paragraph b) of article 299 of Law No. 4957/2022.

The Postgraduate Programme “Science Communication” is structured in four (4) academic semesters. For the award of the Postgraduate Degree, the successful completion of nine (9) units and the writing of an original Master’s Dissertation is required.

Structure / Units
1st Semester

• EEP11 History of Science
• EEP12 Philosophy of Science
• EEP13 Science, Technology and Society

2nd Semester

• EEP21 Science Communication
  
• EEP22 Museums, science and technology
• EEP23 Scientific Journalism

3rd Semester

• EEP31 Science and Technology in the Public Sphere
• EEP32 Research Design in Public Understanding of Science
• EEP33 Techno-scientific Culture and Contemporary Problems

4th Semester

• EEPPD Masters Dissertation

Instructions for the selection of units.

Students may choose from one (1) to three (3) units per semester.

The units of each semester must be selected according to the prerequisites of each theme in order to avoid learning gaps and to enable students to better meet the requirements of the next theme based on the knowledge acquired from the previous prerequisite(s).

In the first semester, if they wish to choose one (1) unit then they are required to register for EEP11. If they wish to choose two (2) units, then they must compulsorily declare EEP11 and EEP12. If they wish to choose three (3) units, then they must declare EEP11, EEP12 and EEP13.

Then the subsequent semesters’ units must be selected according to the prerequisites of each unit. A prerequisite for the declaration of the 2nd and 3rd semester units is the successful completion of the two subjects EEP11 and EEP12.

Otherwise, the following applies: during the declaration process, the subjects of the previous semester must be exhausted first and then the subjects of the next semester must be declared or the remaining subjects of one semester must be declared together with the subjects of the next semester, until the maximum number of three (3) subjects is reached.

The successful completion of nine (9) units of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd semesters is required for the declaration of the Master’s Dissertation.

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMME OF STUDIES
Georgios Vlachakis, Professor of the Hellenic Open University
e-mail: gvlachakis@eap.gr

Establishment of the MSc EEP Advisory Board

Following the decision taken at the No. 212th/27.02.2024 Meeting of the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Humanities (SAE), which approved the proposal submitted by the Director of the MSc EEP Associate Professor George N. Vlahakis on the subject: Counseling MSc Committee “Science Communication (EEP)”, the Governing Committee of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) at its meeting No. 621th/27.03.2024 unanimously approved the formation of a five-member Advisory Board in the MSc EEP, consisting of the following members:

1. Maria Xanthoudaki, Director of the Center for Research on Non-Formal Education (CREZ) of the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy, (CV)
2. Maria Rentetzi, Professor, Chair of Science, Technology and Gender Studies, Friendlich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany, (CV)
3. Vassiliki (Regina) Frentzou, Director, DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Griechenland, (CV)
4. Efthymios Nicolaidis, Emeritus Director of Research, Historical Research Institute, National Research Foundation, (CV)
5. Panagioti (Pano) Harito, European Organization for Nuclear Physics (CERN) in matters of communication and dissemination of research results, (CV)

Role – Responsibilities

The role of the above Board is exclusively advisory, acting, on the one hand, as a “bridge” of the Program’s communication with society and the labor market, providing the HOU with information, advice and guidance on educational, professional and research matters and, on the other hand, supplementing the information received by the University from other academic institutions and bodies.

In particular, the Board:

• Examines and evaluates the changing needs of the labor market in the areas of the academic/research subjects of the program.
• Proposes action plans so that it successfully copes with the new economic, technological and scientific challenges and
• Supports the achievement of the strategic objectives of the program. Indicative powers of the Commission

Indicative powers of the Board

• Providing advice on policy and strategy adopted by the program to achieve its goals.
• Identification of the changing needs of the labor market in areas of the academic and research objects of the program and identification of ways to meet these new needs.
• Providing recommendations for knowledge and skills that the program should provide and in achieving excellence.
• Providing advice and recommendations to strengthen the program’s extroversion forge partnerships with labor market entities and promote its graduates.
• Taking initiatives to improve the reputation of the program in the Greek and international academic environment.
• Interconnection of the program with external networks in public and private bodies in order to attract scholarships, internships, postgraduate study opportunities and business partnerships.
• Participation in the external evaluation procedures of the program.

Tenure-Meetings-Utilization of proposals

The term of the above Advisory Board is two years, starting on 05-04-2024, its members can be reappointed and the work they provide is voluntary.

The Board meets at the invitation of the Director of the Program twice a year or whenever deemed necessary.

The proposals of the Advisory Board are communicated to the Curriculum Committee (CCU) of the MSc EEP, which takes the final decisions on their possible implementation and utilization.

Financial contribution for admitted students until the academic year 2023-2024:

The financial contribution for students to the Programme is as follows:

The cost of each Module is €350 and the cost of the Master Thesis is €1,050.

The total financial contribution for the Programme is: €4,200.

Financial contribution for students commencing from the academic year 2024-2025:

The financial contribution for students to the Programme is as follows:

The cost of each Module is €400 and the cost of the Master Thesis is €400.

The total financial contribution for the Programme is: €4,000.

For information about the programme contact:

Student Registry Department:
Telephone: 2610367428

E-mail: eep@eap.gr