Deree’s Student Government surveyed students about college life last month, in the context of efforts to improve students’ experience. It was the first time such a survey has been conducted.

The Student Life Committee started designing the survey last year, by asking students about their concerns. The result was 42 questions that refer to the quality of courses, events and facilities at the Aghia Paraskevi and Downtown campuses. The questions start, “How satisfied are you with…,” and the answers provided include four levels of satisfaction ranging from “very satisfied” to “not satisfied at all,” and the “don’t know” option.

During the month of November more than 600 students filled in the questionnaire, said Gerasimos Papandrikopoulos, president of the Student Government.… Continue reading →

Three American scientists were awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine, for discovering how chromosomes are protected against degradation and for preparing the ground for a potential cancer treatment.

Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak found that telomerase, a DNA sequence located at the ends of DNA strands, forms protective caps called telomeres, which seal the ends of chromosomes, preventing them from sticking together. In addition, they act as a molecular clock for the cells, regulating the ageing process.

In every cell division, the ends of chromosomes get shorter and shorter. If telomeres weren’t there, important genetic material would be lost in every division, causing genetic problems. Instead, telomeres get shorter. When they reach a specific… Continue reading →

The 22nd annual conference of the European Business Ethics Network, hosted by Deree College, discussed ancient Greek moral philosophy in the context of contemporary business environment.

The conference attendees debated “Pathos for Ethics; Leadership, Excellence and the Quest for a Sustainable Future”, a topic closely related to ancient Greek moral philosophy. Every year the EBEN conference takes place in a different European country and since Greece was the host this year, the topic was chosen accordingly, explained Lila Mordochae, associate dean, who brought the conference to Deree.

Dr. Joanna Patsioti, head of the Deree Philosophy Department, was the main speaker at one of the plenaries. Her speech, “Socrates and Business Ethics,” focused on the applicability of Socratic methodology to business… Continue reading →