The history of the AUA

The Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) is the third oldest university in Greece, after the University of Athens and the National Technical University of Athens (Metsovio).

It was established by law in 1920 (Law 1844/1920) as an Independent Higher Education Institute with university status under the name of the Highest Agricultural School of Athens (H.A.S.A.).

In 1989, the H.A.S.A. was renamed the Agricultural University of Athens and organized into seven independent academic departments (Presidential Decree 377/1989) and although its Greek title was modified in 1995 (Presidential Decree 226/1995), the English one (AUA) remained unchanged.

According to Article 1 of the Internal Regulations of the AUA, “The AUA provides education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels covering all sectors of agricultural activity. Its educational programmes, combining theoretical teaching with laboratory exercises and practical training, are based on empirical experience and are closely related to the problems and perspectives of Greek agriculture. The AUA programmes aim at equipping its graduates for their role as competent agriculturalists/agronomists, who may provide  instruction and support to the farmer, participate in the planning of the agricultural development of the country, and  through their research  contribute to the solution of problems within the agricultural sector  and to the management of natural resources for the production of agricultural products. The AUA serves as a centre of basic and applied research, aiming at the development of agricultural science and the self-reliance of Greek agriculture for the benefit of the agricultural population and the Greek people”.

According to Presidential Decree 80 /2013,two Schools  were  established within the university, incorporating the previous seven departments: the School of Agricultural Production, Infrastructure and Environment, and the School of Food, Biotechnology and Development.

The AUA Archives

The AUA Archives include documents, books, manuscripts and various other archive material relating to the history and development of the Institution since its establishment in 1920. This material is an important source of information about the role of the University and its contribution to the organization and modernization of Greek agriculture .

In addition, the Documentation Centre of the History of Greek Agriculture aspires to become a broad-based research centre of the agricultural sector of both historical and sociological nature.