Greece
IT
Geographics
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The National Technical University
of Athens
The School of Chemical Engineering
Building in Zografou, Greece
(Pioneer of the IT Research
and Development in Greece)
Currently, there is
no cluster of IT research in Greece. Most effort is done by universities
and private companies on a rather isolated basis. Yet, indications of consolidations
are present, together with a trend towards better coordination of efforts
of the universities and the private sector.
The need to establish
a hub of research and development dedicated to IT was not felt in Greece,
since the country was always lagging behind the most developed nations
in this subject and was merely adopting foreign technology. As local companies
managed to provide IT products, this need was obvious and resulted in the
announcement of the establishment of an IT development hub. It has to be
noted though that in the course of the previous two decades the firms that
had to do with new technologies established their facilities around the
Athens area, driving "traditional" industries to the northern regions (Macedonia
and Thraki). This trend is estimated to become more obvious in the coming
decades
Currently, there is
but an industrial park at Lavrio, while it is the universities (all state-run)
that function as major centres for R&D in IT. Among them the most notable
is the National Tecnhical University of Athens (N.T.U.A., also known with
its Greek initials, E.M.P.). While it is the School of Electronics and
Computers Engineers taht undertakes most of the research and development
in IT now, it was the School of Chemical Engineers that was the pioneer
of IT in Greece.
Private companies too
have quite advanced R&D centres, with the one of Intracom S.A. being
a very comprehensive and advanced one.
A notable recent development
has been the announcement by the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Development
that an actual IT R&D park is to be created, as part of the overall
"Information Society" plan. Details are not known thus far. We have to
anticipate fast developments, given the overall increased effort in this
subject.