University of York Announces Application to Establish its Europe Branch Campus CITY University L.E. in Greece

In accordance with the recent Greek legislation on the establishment of non-state and not-for-profit universities in Greece (Law 5094/2024)

“I welcome the Greek government’s decision to support the establishment of foreign university branch campuses in Greece. I am pleased to announce that the University of York is applying to establish its Europe branch campus, CITY, in Thessaloniki and Athens, aiming to contribute to the advancement of higher education and to establish Greece as an international education hub”, stated by Prof. Charlie Jeffery, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of York.

The University of York stands as the best ranked university operating in the region. It consistently ranks among the best in UK, Europe and the world. It is positioned 146th globally according to The Times Higher Education 2025 ranking. It is a distinguished member of the Russell Group—the elite network of 24 leading British research universities—and excels in research (Top 10, REF 2021) and teaching (Gold TEF, 2023).

Official announcement by the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of York, 
Prof. Charlie Jeffery

CITY College, based in Thessaloniki, has been a dynamic integral part of the University of York’s international presence for the last couple of years, with students and alumni from more than 60 countries. CITY's South-East European Research Centre (SEERC), operating for over 20 years, has conducted more than 100 research projects, while the Neuroscience Research Centre, with its new state-of-the-art neuro labs, enables top-notch research in the field. CITY College is set to transition into the University of York Europe Campus, CITY U.L.E. The new institution "University of York Europe Campus, CITY U.L.E" will operate as a non-state, non-for-profit University Legal Entity with its central offices and campuses in Thessaloniki and additional premises in Athens.

The new branch campus "University of York Europe Campus, CITY U.L.E" will be housed in modern facilities designed to foster a dynamic academic environment. In its main campuses in Thessaloniki, CITY will operate from two centrally located buildings on Leontos Sofou and Proxenou Koromila in the centre of Thessaloniki, and it has incorporated a third site, a comprehensive university campus in Oraikastro Thessaloniki—a 14,000‑sqm facility featuring lecture halls, laboratories, a conference centre, and both indoor and outdoor sports amenities.

As part of its strategic expansion, the new Europe branch campus will establish a leading hub for Computer Science studies in Athens, incorporating modern facilities specifically designed for technology-driven education and innovation.

In its initial phase, the branch campus will offer a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across three Schools. All schools and departments will be based at the main Thessaloniki branch campus, with the Department of Computer Science also operating in Athens. The three schools are:

1) School of Business Studies (focused on Business Studies),
2) School of Sciences (comprising the Departments of Computer Science and Psychology), and
3) School of Law and Humanities (comprising the Departments of Law and Humanities)

The establishment of the University of York Europe Campus, CITY U.L.E. is poised to offer Greek and international students access to world-class higher education, and to establish Greece as a premier international education hub.

The University of York

About the University of York

The University of York is one of only four UK universities to be rated both Gold for teaching and top ten for research in the latest national assessment exercises. It achieved an overall rating of Gold in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and was awarded joint 10th in the Times Higher Education (THE) ranking of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. See why York is gold-rated for teaching and explore York’s research performance.