On June 19th, ACT celebrated and bid farewell to the graduating Class of 2024. The Commencement Ceremony took place in the outdoor amphitheater on the ACT campus, signifying the end of a challenging yet exciting academic journey. The Class of 2024 was awarded degrees, academic honors, and recognition for their outstanding involvement in extracurricular activities.

Dr. Stamos Karamouzis, ACT Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs emphasized the institution's mission and its societal impact by fostering democratic and civic awareness in students, along with a sense of individual and social responsibility, respect for others, social institutions, and the environment. He expressed gratitude to parents, family members, and faculty for their role in the accomplishments of the graduating class.

Dr. Stamos Karamouzis, ACT Provost

This year's keynote speaker was Mrs. Christina Anagnostopoulou, whose H.R. career has extended to fashion, banking, telecoms, and engineering industries. Since graduating from ACT with a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration in 1999, Mrs. Anagnostopoulou has had a long and successful career in H.R. She has held numerous leadership roles, demonstrating her versatility and expertise across various sectors. Her contributions have not only advanced the organizations she has worked for but also set a benchmark for excellence in the field of human resources. Mrs. Anagnostopoulou's journey is a testament to the robust education and foundational skills she acquired at ACT, and her address inspired the graduates to pursue their ambitions with dedication and resilience.

The ceremony moved on to the segment of awards and distinctions. The first award presented was the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award, which honored Dr. Eleni Godi, Coordinator of the English Program and Assistant Professor, in recognition and appreciation of her outstanding contribution and dedication to excellence in academia.

Dr. Sevasti Kesapidou, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Mrs. Christina Anagnostopoulou, ACT graduate 99', Dr. Eleni Godi, Coordinator of the English Program and Assistant Professor who received the Life-Time Achievement Award, Dr. Panos Vlachos, President of Anatolia College and Dr. Stamos Karamouzis , ACT Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

This year's Teaching Excellence Award recipient was Dr. Anestis Anastasiou, Coordinator of the Hospitality and Tourism Program and Assistant Professor, recognizing his exceptional achievements in teaching. 

Dr. Sevasti Kesapidou, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Anestis Anastasiou, Coordinator of the Hospitality and Tourism Program and Assistant Professor who received the Teaching Excellence Award, and Mr. Evripidis Konstantinidis, President of the ACT Alumni Association.

Daniel Stefani was the valedictorian of the Undergraduate Class of 2024, and Maria Platidou was the valedictorian of the graduate MBA class of 2024.  

Daniel Stefani, valedictorian of the Undergraduate Class of 2024 and Dr. Emmanuel Maou, Head of the Science and Technology Department.

Maria Platidou, valedictorian of the Graduate MBA class of 2024 and Dr. Aimiliza Stefanidou, Coordinator of the Psychology Program.

Michail Doychinov graduated with a 3.89 GPA and received the William McGrew Award for Excellence in History and International Relations. 

Dr. Maria Kyriakidou, Head of the Department of Humanities, Mihail Doychinov who was awarded the William McGrew Award for Excellence in International Relations, and Dr. Roxanne Giampapa, Director of Pinewood - The American International School of Thessaloniki.

The recipient of the Alki Kyriakidou-Nestoros Memorial Prize for Excellence in Liberal Arts for 2023 was Aikaterina Mourmanidou, who earned the highest grade point average within the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Stavros Niarchos Award for Excellence in Computing was presented to Christina Ogreni, a highly involved student who developed an intelligent assistant for learning the Albanian language as part of her dissertation. 

Finally, Vasileia Iliana Gkanatsiou was awarded the Elizabeth Yphantis Demeter Memorial Prize for the most academically proficient female business school graduating student. 

Two of ACT junior students in the Biological Sciences bachelor's program, Panos Doulgeris and Theodora Partsiou, recently completed a prestigious summer research internship at the School of Life, Health & Chemical Sciences at Open University in Milton Keynes, UK. This unique opportunity allowed them to work on cutting-edge research projects and gain invaluable experience in their field. 

Panos Doulgeris had the chance to collaborate with Dr. Calum McMullen on an innovative project aimed at developing 3D culture models of the human heart to study drug-induced cardiotoxicity.

Theodora Partsiou worked alongside Dr. Kayleigh Orchard on a groundbreaking project investigating novel epigenetic therapies for incurable prostate cancers.

Recently, Panos and Theodora presented their initial research findings to the scientific community at the OU research center. Their presentation was met with great enthusiasm, showcasing their impressive laboratory techniques and effective communication skills. The audience was thoroughly engaged, posing numerous questions and expressing strong interest in their work.

Dr. McMullen and Dr. Orchard were highly pleased with the progress made by Panos and Theodora and expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to work with such talented students. Their mentorship and guidance played a crucial role in the students' success.

We are excited about the potential for future collaborations and hope to continue and expand this internship program in the coming years, fostering even more fruitful partnerships between Open University and the American College of Thessaloniki.

Congratulations to Panos and Theodora on their remarkable achievements! We look forward to seeing their continued success in the field of biological sciences.

Kevin Basia, a Political Science and International Relations student at ACT, was invited to participate in the Mediterranean Theological Meetings 2024, organized in Croatia. In an event from 14-20 July, the central theme was the coexistence of Christians and Muslims in the Mediterranean region and Europe and advancing interreligious dialogue. During the program, Kevin had the opportunity to attend lectures by distinguished speakers from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Germany, France, and Sweden. The participants were organized into three workshops on different topics (refugees, Islam and feminism,and the integration of Muslims in Europe). Kevin shared the example of Greece and gained practical knowledge and experience through promising perspectives on interfaith coexistence in Europe and the Mediterranean, leaving him well-informed and prepared for future discussions.

The American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) in cooperation with the University of Jena (Germany) and the Foreign Affairs Institute (www.fainst.eu) is organizing for the third consecutive year its Kavala International Summer School in international relations, reconciliation studies, and diplomacy (Kavala, 25-31 August 2024).

The subject of the academic lectures, seminars and discussions during the Summer 2024 is the pivotal role of the Republic of Cyprus in international relations, energy issues and the geostrategic interests of the Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, especially in the MENA region and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Summer School combines academic theory and the praxis of diplomacy to analyze policies and behaviors at the local, national, and international levels under the guidance of well-known professors, scholars, diplomats, and businessmen. In addition, the participants/students will be able to improve their professional skills as they will work on real cases with academics, leaders, and diplomats. This year, the summer school organizers are happy to welcome doctoral students from Waseda University, Japan as participants and discussants.

For more information on the program and the proceedings, please contact one of the following:

Dr. Maria Kyriakidou. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Christos Aliprantis, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Theodoros Theodorou, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Foreign Affairs Institute, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Kevin Basia, a Political Science and International Relations student at ACT, recently attended a two-day event organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation on May 21-22, 2024, in Brussels. The “Protecting Pluralism and Euro-Mediterranean Societies” event brought together youth, institutional representatives, civil society organizations, practitioners, academics, and community leaders. The discussions aimed to find solutions to enhance the protection and promotion of pluralism and diversity in Euro-Mediterranean societies. Kevin had the unique opportunity to represent religious minorities in Greece, promoting understanding and inclusivity.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, the Entrepreneurial and Corporate Marketing Strategy course (MKT 301) students, under the guidance of Dr. Eirini Tsichla, Assistant Professor of Marketing, had the opportunity to enhance their learning experience using a Market Simulation Game. The ACT students formed three teams that competed internationally.

The Game scenario required students to undertake the roles of Marketing Executives and lead the new marketing division of an international firm. Students were required to practice crucial business concepts, develop strategies, and practice problem-solving in a real-world business environment. Key strategic decisions included the selection of world markets, development of brands, design of advertising campaigns, and recruitment of salespeople. In addition, students were able to monitor and understand the impact of these decisions on the company’s financial performance.

Throughout this hands-on educational journey, this year’s students achieved a remarkable accomplishment: The three ACT teams were ranked among the top 15% of the student teams that ever played the game worldwide while two teams entered the top 10% Hall of Fame!

The students were rewarded for their performance by receiving their certificates and collecting their digital badges that showcase this achievement on their resumés and LinkedIn profiles.

Haris Lalatsis graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration in 2005 and upon completing his obligatory army service, returned to earn an MBA in Marketing in 2008. After finishing his studies, he started working in market research and then in 2019, he launched his own market research company, ierax analytix. Currently, the company has offices in Thessaloniki and Athens, and collaborates with some of the biggest FMCG brands in Greece such as Lidl, Masoutis, Misko, Beyond Meat, Instacar and many more.

Haris also serves as a mentor in various incubators around Greece, a board member of Marketing Club Greece, and a TEDx speaker.

The best memory I have of ACT …

My bachelor’s graduation. You don’t feel it so much then, but you understand why it was so important after it was over. Also, the whole ceremony was beautiful, and I felt like we had achieved something so important.

My favorite professor was...

Well, I can’t name one, so I’ll name four: Vlachos, who made me love statistics with his vast knowledge; Kessapidou, for our epic fights while I was a student but whose teachings were so important in the real world; Kourkoumelis, who believed in me as few people did at that time; and Mousiades, who made me love market research.

My favorite spot on campus was …

all the labs and classrooms in the lower level of the Bissel Library. They were always so serene and calm, and I could concentrate there. It felt more to me like a university than the other buildings. And, it was cool during the hot days!

ACT helped me…

to prepare for the business world. It got me into a schedule, and I learned how to work. I Came in ACT a bit raw and got out a person who knew how to handle responsibilities. I needed some discipline and to be inspired.

The elements that characterize the identity of ACT graduates…

Innovation and a sense of creativity. We rarely like to stay still and we want to change things. I feel that most of us want to become something more.

For me ACT is ….

the place where I learned about my craft. Where I got to love what I do now, here is where I got ready for the business world. And I feel proud about that.

The best part of my job is …

listening to consumers and trying to understand them, and then, actually seeing my effect on some of the biggest brands in Greece, it’s thrilling.

I consider this an important moment in my professional journey…

when I decided to start my own business. A huge risk that almost nobody believed in. But I believed in it so that was enough, I guess. A leap of faith.

In the future, I want …

to try and be happier. It sounds sad, but I think we forget about it as we grow up. We put all these responsibilities on our shoulders, and we don’t remember to be happy.

Click on the links below to see our featured stories across Political Science & International Relations faculty, students, and alumni:

Faculty Highlights

21 February 2023: Dr. Christos Aliprantis, ACT adj., gave a lecture at the Center of Hellenic Studies at Harvard University

27 June 2023: ACT faculty member, Dr. Christos Aliprantis, secures funding for his postdoctoral research

20 March 2024: ACT faculty member Christos Aliprantis wins visiting research fellowship at Princeton University and a Fulbright Grant at George Washington University

28 May 2024: ACT faculty member Christos Aliprantis mentors public high school students

Student Highlights

11 May 2018: ACT student is the recipient of the Newman Civic Fellowship

Alumni Highlights

23 October 2018: Meet Ermal, the International Relations Alumnus

21 November 2018: Meet Valentini, the International Relations Alumna

11 June 2019: Jana Arsovska ACT ’03. Spotlight on this year's Commencement speaker

12 November 2019: Nicole Morgret '07 reaches Capitol Hill!

11 February 2021: Interview with Ilda Zhulali, ACT ’01, Advisor for European Integration of the President of Albania

Four of our outstanding Computer Science students had the opportunity to showcase their research and scholarly work at the Medical Education Informatics 2024 (MEI 2024) International Conference, held in Thessaloniki on June 10-11. Under the expert guidance of Dr. Alexander Astaras, Assistant Professor in Computer Science at the American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) and a distinguished Research Associate in the Lab of Medical Physics, Dept. of Medicine (AUTH), Greece, these students demonstrated exceptional academic prowess and innovation.  

Final year Computer Science student Ariton Veselinoski has been performing research and development in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Informatics to create an automated scoring Computer Vision system for the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). This test is an evaluation measure used to assess upper extremity performance (coordination, dexterity, and functioning) primarily in patients suffering from brain or spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or recovering from stroke. The prototype system uses state-of-the-art Computer Vision algorithms customized with Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence running on an inexpensive personal computer and mobile phone. The automated scoring system enables doctors to follow their patients' rehabilitation or symptom-management progress daily, as opposed to being able to assess them whenever it is convenient for them to visit a healthcare professional. The impact of such a system would be more frequent, objective data available to doctors, who can more accurately optimize their patients' physical rehabilitation and pharmaceutical treatment.

Mr. Veselinoski's research has been performing this research towards his final year thesis at ACT Computer Science, under Dr. Alexander Astaras's supervision and in collaboration with the Medical School at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). The research is described in a scientific paper abstract titled "A prototype automated version of the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) for assessing upper extremity performance using the YOLO computer vision algorithm for real-time object detection," which has been accepted for oral presentation at the Medical Education Informatics 2024 (MEI 2024) international conference to take place in Thessaloniki on June 10-11th.

Third-year students Thomai Chatzidaniil, Tassos Nikiforidis, and Ina Ramo have been performing research in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Electronics to design, test, and calibrate a dermatological scanner prototype device (project DermaSense). This scanner is based on the acquisition of Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy data to help support Dermatological diagnosis and medical decisions, particularly in ambiguous cases of skin cancer. The device injects small amounts of electrical current across various frequencies through the skin. Then, an algorithm obtains the signal absorption spectrum and compares it to known patterns associated with particular types of skin disease.

Ms. Chatzidaniil, Mr. Nikiforidis, and Ms. Ramo have been performing their research under Dr. Alexander Astaras's supervision at ACT Computer Science, in collaboration with the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH).  They are expected to extend and continue their research collaboration towards their capstone thesis next year. Their research and development work is described in a scientific paper abstract titled "Sensor data fusion based on Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy for Dermatological Diagnosis" which has been accepted for oral presentation at the Medical Education Informatics 2024 (MEI 2024) international conference to take place in Thessaloniki on June 10-11th.

• The conference was hosted at the KEDEA Building, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. It was a joint effort between the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) and the School of Health Sciences of the University of Nottingham (UK), two renowned institutions in the field. MEI 2024 brought together researchers and practitioners in the multi-disciplinary areas of Medical/Health Education, patient education and engagement, Open Education educational technology and technology enhanced learning, Medicine/Health 2.0/3.0/4.0, Artificial Intelligence in Health Education, Simulation and new pedagogical approaches in Health Education and to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of their research activities.

Σημείωση

Το παρόν πρόγραμμα διδάσκεται στα ελληνικά. Οι διαφάνειες των παρουσιάσεων και το μάθημα, παρ' όλ' αυτά, περιλαμβάνουν ορολογία στα αγγλικά, γι' αυτό και απαιτείται καλή γνώση της αγγλικής γλώσσας για την παρακολούθησή του.

Training Objectives 

By the end of the program participants will:
• Appreciate the underlying aspects of job interviews 
• Learn interview techniques and tips- best practice interview questions
• Understand what the key interviewing skills are

Who Should Attend

The training program is ideal for job seekers, career changers, and professionals aiming to enhance their interview skills and excel in the job application process. 

Program Details

Program Outline

Introducing Interview Skills

• The importance of the interview process
• Recruitment process 
• The selection and assessment stage

Key Interviewing Skills

• Types of questions
• Probing techniques
• Legal Issues 

Preparation & Structure

• Preparation  
• Gathering information
• Engaging & Closing 

Interview in action

• Roleplaying  
• Videos
• Common mistakes/ Biases

Candidate Assessment

• Reference checks 
• Common evaluation faults
•  Psychometric Tests

Wrap up

• Closing 
• Objectives review
• Q&A

Application Process

Register here

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate from ACT.

After sending the application form, a representative of ACT's Lifelong Learning Center will contact you for your registration and payment process.

More Information

You can contact the ACT Lifelong Learning Center at +302310-398430 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. using "Unlocking Interview Success" as your subject.

Meet the Lecturer