‘Establishing a Global Center in Athens builds on the long-standing connection between Columbia and Greece. Our program in Hellenic studies is one of the oldest and most active in the United States,’ Wafaa El-Sadr, executive vice president of Columbia Global, told Kathimerini.
Columbia University launched a Global Center in Athens, the 11th center of its kind worldwide, aiming to promote knowledge exchange and address global challenges. The inaugural event focused on AI’s role in climate change solutions and future programs will explore climate change, migration, public health, innovation, entrepreneurship, and classics. The Center intends to collaborate with local partners to develop practical solutions to regional challenges, like the refugee mental health roadmap in Greece.
With an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and research, the Center seeks to engage deeply with Greek culture and history. Future plans include projects to address health issues among displaced populations in Armenia and Greece. The vision for the Columbia Global Center Athens in five years is to become a vibrant hub for scholarly and practical exchange, fostering strong partnerships and contributing to both local and global society.
The Center’s approach prioritizes flexibility through Global Centers rather than establishing a branch of the university in Greece, to remain responsive to evolving issues and build impactful partnerships.