The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) was founded in its original form as the “School of Arts” in 1836, nearly simultaneously with the establishment of the modern Greek state. It evolved (in 1887 and 1917) following the model of the Continental European engineering education system, which emphasizes a strong theoretical foundation and a standard five-year duration of studies.
The NTUA diploma is equivalent to a Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in the Anglo-Saxon education system.
The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is, by its legal and structural nature, a Higher Education Institution (HEI). In accordance with Article 16 of the current Constitution, Article 1 of Law 1268/82, as well as its tradition, human resources, and technical infrastructure, NTUA is committed to the inseparable unity of education and research.
Its primary institutional mission is to provide high-quality higher education and to advance science and technology.
NTUA graduates have been the primary scientific driving force behind the country’s pre-war autonomous development and post-war reconstruction. As engineers, they have contributed to both public and private technical services and companies, earning widespread recognition for their expertise, fully matching the capabilities of their European counterparts.
At the same time, many NTUA graduates have held prominent academic and research positions in both the Greek and international university communities.
The Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering was established by decree on May 15, 1969, and began operating in the 1969–70 academic year as part of the then School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The department evolved from the Naval Mechanical Engineering specialization, which previously existed within the same school.
The initiative for the department’s establishment is attributed to the late Professor V. Fragoulis, who served as Rector of NTUA during the 1969–70 academic year and as Vice-Rector for the two preceding years.
By decree on May 15, 1969, three academic chairs were established: Ship Theory, Ship Design and Construction, and Marine Engineering, which were assigned to Professors Th. Loukakis, A. Antoniou, and I. Ioannidis, respectively. Each chair was initially supported by one curator, two assistants, and one laboratory technician.
From its inception, the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) had its own quota of admitted students, starting with ten (10) students in its first academic year. The first graduate engineers completed their studies in 1974.
In the 1975–76 academic year, the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering was divided into two separate schools: Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, with the NAME Department being integrated into the former. Following the enactment of Law 1268/82, the department became independent by decree on August 26, 1982. Around the same period, NTUA’s academic divisions, formerly referred to as “Schools,” were officially renamed Departments. However, in 2002, NTUA reinstated the historical term “School,” and the department has since been known as the School of Naval Architecture and Marine Technology.
At the commencement of its operation as an independent department in 1982, the faculty (D.E.P.) comprised five (5) members: three (3) Professors and two (2) Lecturers. However, the General Assembly of the Department immediately proceeded with new faculty appointments, leading to a current total of 27 faculty members.
With the addition of new faculty, the School’s curriculum has been significantly updated, both in terms of course content and the subjects taught, with the introduction of new courses.
The School also fosters intensive and diverse research activity, a milestone of which was the launch of the Experimental Tank in 1979. The research activities are detailed in a separate informational brochure of the School.
According to Ministerial Decision 131/483, published in the Government Gazette No. 899, Issue 2, on December 13, 1993, the following four (4) divisions have been established and are currently operating within the School:
