History of The University of Athens

History of the University of Athens The University of Athens was established on May 3, 1837, and was located in the residence of architect Stamatis Cleanthes on the northeast side of the Acropolis. It was the first university in the newly established Greek State, as well as in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean. The university was initially called the "Othonian University" and consisted of four faculties: Theology, Law, Medicine, and Arts, which included applied sciences and mathematics. It had 33 professors, 52 students, and 75 non-matriculated "auditors." In November 1841, new classes began in a new building designed by Danish architect Christian Hansen. At the same time, work was in progress on the library, scientific collections, laboratories, and annexes essential for teaching and training students. By 1840, fifteen thousand volumes had been donated or purchased for the library. A significant change in the university's structure occurred in 1904 when the Faculty of Arts was split into two separate faculties: Arts and Sciences. The latter consisted of the departments of Physics and Mathematics and the School of Pharmacy. In 1919, a department of Chemistry was added, and in 1922, the School of Pharmacy was renamed a Department. Another change came about when the School of Dentistry, now a department, was added to the Faculty of Medicine. During this first and "heroic" period for Greek education, the university professors made superhuman efforts to bridge the gap between their newly founded institution and equivalent ones in advanced countries with centuries of tradition behind them. Meanwhile, the number of students was rising. From 52 in 1837, enrollment reached 3358 in 1866.