The Law School of the Faculty of Law, Economic and Political Sciences of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with its rich history, important contributions to Greek legal culture and select academic staff, aims to provide young people with a comprehensive education in the science of law and mature researchers with opportunities for further research and specialization in various branches and sectors of this science. In this way it aspires to provide society with reliable interpreters and implementers of the law, responsible professionals in public positions, and, above all, useful and inspired champions of the law. Our aim is not only to educate good lawyers but also to create conscientious citizens, responsible managers of public affairs, men and women who will be called upon to defend the law, to raise their voices and stand up against social injustice, corruption and the exploitation of the weak. We do not therefore wish merely to teach information about the law so that our students will be able to deal with social problems or strike a balance between the conflicting interests that our modern complex society of needs creates; we also seek to provide our students with deeper knowledge and a system of thought and inquiry that will enable them to adopt a critical approach towards legal provisions and rules, to reveal the wealth of social relations and conflicts that lie behind them and the meanings of words and procedures, and to see things ‘from above and in depth'. This, however, requires another important thing: wisdom, the wisdom that is gained through the adventure of learning, through daring, directly or indirectly, to pose the great questions concerning human existence, our ontological destination and our journey through life. Those questions that cause us to ponder, beyond the confines of science, about the nature of truth and, more particularly, beyond the confines of legal science, about the nature of justice. And it is this wisdom that gives us the power of discernment that we need to evaluate and solve social problems and human differences. All this, of course, is a daring challenge for any law school but one that involves the wonderful task of instilling in young people a sense of responsibility, humanity and respect for others, which is such a valuable asset for any scientist or professional and, in particular, any functionary of the law, in these difficult times of apathy, self-interest and power-seeking. This website aims to provide visitors with a comprehensive picture of the educational and research work undertaken by our School. It aims to provide information not only about the content of the individual courses that are taught at the Law School and the aids that are recommended for each course, but also about the facilities that are available for legal education and research, such as the School's rich library, the multimedia room and the Erasmus/Socrates programmes. Finally, it presents all of the School's human resources - the management, academic staff and secretarial and administrative staff - so that anyone with a problem or query knows exactly where to go for help. In our academic community we - teachers, students, researchers and administrative staff - all share a common goal, a weighty responsibility: to ensure a high quality of education and a spirit of free debate and research, to safeguard the plurality of views and guarantee meritocracy and transparency, showing respect for one another and for the society that we are obliged to serve. Head of the Law School Prof. Nikolaos Bitzilekis |
