Learning grinds to halt in row over quality regime

Greek academics and students brought universities to a standstill for three days in protest against the Government's commitment to a Bologna-style quality assessment system and other elements adopted by education ministers in Bergen last month.

Defending her proposals on assessment, which will come into effect from 2005-06, Marietta Giannakou, the Education Secretary, claimed that the new procedure - involving internal and external evaluation - would not be punitive and that students and academics would benefit.

The trade unions have opposed the proposals and have urged members to refuse to implement them when they become law in the next academic year.

They fear that the measures will lead to the commercialisation of knowledge, a devaluation of state higher education and the gradual closure of many departments.

Academics are not opposed to assessment per se, but they are not convinced by the Education Secretary's assurances. They believe that the real motive for the changes is the classification of universities and technological institutes, a step that would make them open to privatisation and subject to market forces.

John Maistros, general secretary of the academics' union, said: "The proposals do not ensure the quality of education. They lead to a policy of assessment within commercial criteria, and so we are against them."