The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, within its instructive and broader educational scope, offers its students the possibility of acquiring, during their studies, the knowledge of one or more foreign languages, which constitute necessary tools  for scientific fulfillment.

This important task of foreign language learning is accomplished by the Foreign Language Teaching Centre (‘Didaskaleio’) of the University of Athens.

Didaskaleio is an independent and autonomous academic teaching unit, which offers high-standard foreign language tuition.

At present, 22 foreign languages of all levels of competence, are being taught at Didaskaleio: English, Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, Finnish, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.

In addition, special programs are offered for those wishing to specialize in language skills: language laboratories, translation, law and medical terminology. More analytically:

• IELTS Course (International English Language Testing System) (three-hour sessions three times per week)
• Lab for Written and Spoken English;  Levels B1-B2
• Lab for Spoken English (Debating-Public Speaking);  Levels C1-C2
• English Lab for Academic Writing;  Levels C1-C2
• Medical Terminology in English (Medical School Students -  Doctors - Nursing Staff)
• Law Terminology in English
• Translation in the English and Greek Language; B2 level and above
• Lab for Spoken French; Levels B1-B2
• Law Terminology in French
• Institutions, Terminology and Translation of European Union Documents in French
• Lab for Written and Spoken German; Levels C1-C2
• Lab for Written and Spoken Spanish; Levels B2-C1
• Lab for Written and Spoken Italian (Levels B2-C1)

Lessons are conducted either in the city centre, or at the University Campus in Zografou and can be attended not only by home students but also by students of other Greek Universities or of Technological Institutes as well as by anyone interested since  tuition fees are particularly low.

Upon successful completion of attendance, the Foreign Language Teaching Centre provides students with the following certificates: a Certificate of Attendance and a Certificate of Studies.

Administrative Structure

Didaskaleio was established by the 5147 Act of Parliament in 1931 and initially, it  was a part of the University Club. Since its establishment, the main aim of the Centre has been the teaching of foreign languages, which, for many years, was restricted to  certain widely spoken ones such as English, French, German and Italian and later on, to Spanish and Russian.

By virtue of the 3/3/94 Act of the University Senate, Didaskaleio has become a fully independent and self-contained academic unit, governed by its own Administrative Board. The Board consists of the President - the Rector, who may be substituted by the Deputy Rector of Academic Affairs and International Relations when needed - and five elected permanent members of the Special Teaching Staff of Didaskaleio (from the English, German, French, Italian and Spanish language) with their deputy members. Finally, a student representative might participate in the Board, when student matters are discussed.