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Strategic Plan of the Department for the years 2023-2027

Introduction

The Strategic Plan of the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of the Peloponnese for the years 2023 –2027 is implemented based on the guidelines of Law 4957/2022 and is harmonized with the Strategic Plan of the Institution. The Plan is presented below and includes the following sections:

1. Recording of the basic details of the Department. 

2. Reflecting the current situation in key areas such as education, research, infrastructure and services, student welfare, and social responsibility.

3. Mapping the strengths and weaknesses of the Department, as well as opportunities and threats in relation to the wider environment (SWOT analysis).

4. Recording of the Department's strategic objectives. 

Chapter 1: Department Presentation

The Department of Civil Engineering at the University of the Peloponnese covers the classic scientific field of Civil Engineering. It belongs to the internationally established scientific fields of Higher Education, as defined by the UNESCO international classification (ISCED 2013) in field 0732 Building and Civil Engineering, in the subcategory Civil Engineering.

The University of the Peloponnese is the only university in the Peloponnese region. With the integration of the School of Technological Applications of the former Technological Educational Institute of Western Greece into the University of the Peloponnese as the School of Engineering, the University also covered Patras, the largest city in the Peloponnese, thus increasing its appeal to new students.  The Department of Civil Engineering, as an academic unit of the School of Engineering, reinforces the mission and vision of the University of the Peloponnese, as set out in the Institution's Strategic and Operational Development Plan.

The Department offers three courses of study:

(a) Undergraduate Program in Civil Engineering,

(b) Master's Program in "Protection of Structures from Natural Disasters,"

(c) Doctoral Program.

At the same time, it supports the old Civil Engineering Program for former TEI students. 

The academic staff consists of 10 faculty members. There are also 2 members of the Special Teaching Staff. Two faculty positions at the rank of Assistant Professor are currently being filled. Teaching is also supported by temporary teaching staff who are hired either as appointed lecturers (previously under Presidential Decree 470/80) or under the program "Acquisition of Academic Teaching Experience for Young Scientists with Doctorates." The University administration intends to strengthen the Department with new faculty members.

The Department has adequate infrastructure for conducting theoretical and laboratory courses.

The mission of the Department is to provide undergraduate and graduate students with a thorough education in Civil Engineering, to conduct basic and applied research, to connect with the economy and society, and to collaborate with other institutions and research bodies in Greece and abroad.   

The Department of Civil Engineering aspires to be a dynamic member of the University of the Peloponnese in education, research, and its connection with the economy and society. Its main objectives are the accreditation of undergraduate and postgraduate programs and the recognition of the professional rights of graduates, while its future goal is to award a single, integrated master's degree.

The Department recently submitted (May-June 2023) to the external evaluation process for the accreditation of the PPE, has received the report of the External Evaluation and Accreditation Committee with a fairly good score, and is awaiting the final response from the ETHAAE. The Department will take all the comments of the External Evaluation and Certification Committee seriously into account in order to create the appropriate conditions for achieving its basic objectives.

The Department's key strategic axes are aligned with the strategic axes of the Institution:

1. Linking Knowledge and Entrepreneurship
2. Extroversion – Internationalization – EUNICE
3. Improvement of academic activities
4. Upgrading of infrastructure
5. Quality of the university environment

Chapter 2: Presentation of the current situation

Research

Faculty members of the Department have conducted and continue to conduct basic and applied research, independently and/or in collaboration with other researchers. Faculty members of the Department already have scientific collaborations with other Departments of the University of the Peloponnese, as well as with Greek and foreign institutions. These collaborations have led to the publication of papers in scientific journals, peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and collective volumes, and are set to continue, with the Department aiming to explore them further. According to OPESP data (reference year 2022) for the last 5 years, the members of the Department have published 67 papers in international peer-reviewed journals and have 783 citations based on Scopus.

The Department has been assigned an important applied research project funded by the Region of Western Greece. The project concerns the regulation of the hydrodynamic system of the Trichonida and Lysimachia lakes in Western Greece to address flooding and meet irrigation needs. The Department is also participating in the project "Clinical Decision Support System for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Based on Artificial Intelligence Models," funded by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation.

Research activity is expected to be strengthened with the recent addition of two new faculty members with significant research experience, as well as the arrival of two additional faculty members in the near future (the filling of these positions is currently in progress). The operation of the newly established postgraduate program, entitled "Protection of Structures from Natural Disasters" and the Doctoral Studies program, is expected to further strengthen the research conducted in the Department through the participation of graduate students and doctoral candidates. 
 

Education

The Department offers three courses of study:

(a) Undergraduate Program (ΠΠΣ) in Civil Engineering.

(b) Graduate Program (ΠΜΣ) in "Protection of Structures from Natural Disasters."

(c) Doctoral Program.

At the same time, it supports the old Civil Engineering Program for older students (admitted until 2018).

The annual number of admissions to the MSc program is 145, covering all available places. The MSc program began operating in the spring semester of 2021-2022 and currently (September 2023) has 24 students. The Doctoral Program began operating in 2020 and currently has 7 doctoral candidates (data from September 2023).

The program is five years long. To obtain the degree, students must successfully complete 55 courses (including the thesis, worth 30 ECTS credits), corresponding to 300 credits (30 per semester). The Thesis is written during the 9th and 10th semesters. In the 8th or 9th semester, students can choose the Internship instead of a course. A total of 62 courses are offered (51 compulsory + 10 compulsory electives + Thesis).

During the first two semesters, courses mainly cover general knowledge and background, while subsequently there is a gradual increase in courses in the scientific field and skills development. During the 7th to 10th semesters, only scientific and skill development courses are offered. The Department intends to reform the curriculum within the next two years, taking into account the recommendations of the External Evaluation and Accreditation Committee.

The Master's program entitled "Protection of Structures from Natural Disasters" focuses on the protection of structures (such as buildings, bridges, road works, retaining walls, and coastal works) from disasters that may be caused by natural phenomena such as earthquakes, floods, storm winds, fire, landslides, wave action, and meteorological tides. It offers 9 courses (8 compulsory and 1 elective). To obtain the Master's Degree, 90 ECTS credits are required, 60 ECTS from the 8 compulsory courses and 30 ECTS from the Master's Thesis, which is completed during the third semester. 
 

Infrastructure-services

The Department has adequate infrastructure for conducting theoretical and laboratory courses. Specifically, it has a two-story building with an area of approximately 6,500 square meters, with seven (7) large classrooms, two (2) computer centers, ten (10) laboratories for exclusive use, and two (2) for shared use. According to the external evaluation report, there is room for improvement in the research equipment of the laboratories.

Student support services are adequate and include, among others:

(a) Liaison – Career Office.

(b) Teaching and Learning Office.

(c) Internship Office.

(d) Erasmus Office.

(e) Student Counseling and Psychological Support Program.

(f) Professor Advisor Institution.

The use of Information and Communication Technologies to support and facilitate students is also important, such as:

(a) The electronic secretariat.

(b) The electronic issuance of academic ID cards.

(c) Electronic mail.

(d) Asynchronous education (e-class).

 

Student welfare 

The Department utilizes and supports all student welfare activities and services offered by the Institution. The aim is to ensure good living conditions for its students, but also to promote cultural and social development and physical and mental health. A wide range of services and benefits are available to students, such as:

• Student Housing Allowance
• Meals
• Housing
• Medical Care
• Sports Activities
• Scholarships
• Support for Students in Their Studies
• Student Ombudsman's Office  https://synigoros.uop.gr/
• Liaison Office http://career.uop.gr/
• People with Disabilities (Formulation and implementation of equality policies)

 

Social responsibility

The Department's policy is linked to that of the Foundation. All relevant actions of the Institution are adopted and utilized, such as actions to support people with disabilities, improving accessibility for people with disabilities, and the structure for counseling and psychological support for students (WeCare). Special care is taken in the examination and assessment of students with disabilities and special educational needs or specific learning difficulties.

Chapter 3: SWOT Analysis

The following tables present the Strengths (S) and Weaknesses (W) of the Department (Table 1) as well as the Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) arising from the external environment (Table 2). 

Table 1: Strengths (S) and Weaknesses (W) of the Department.

Strengths (S)	Weaknesses (W)
Good geographical location for attracting students and faculty members.	Small number of teching and technical staff  (ΔΕΠ, ΕΤΕΠ)
The city of Patras is a large metropolitan center, providing space for the Department's research and professional activities to flourish.	High teaching and administrative workload for faculty members due to their small number.
High number of active students.	Part of the educational process is covered by non-permanent teaching staff.
Filling of available positions through nationwide examinations.	Insufficient financial resources to support and upgrade the Department's infrastructure and laboratories.
>50% of admitted students have the Department as their first or second choice.	Time-consuming procedures for renewing equipment and infrastructure.
High quality teaching and lab training.	High student/teacher ratio.
Collaborations with foreign institutions for the provision of Erasmus+ mobility.	Low number of research projects attracted.
Cooperation between the Department and social, cultural, and productive (SCP) bodies.	Unregistered professional rights of graduates.
Provision of internships for students.
Relatively large number of lab courses.
The existing building infrastructure in terms of classrooms, laboratories, offices, and auxiliary spaces more than meets the needs of the Department.
Meeting housing needs.
Very good communication between faculty members and students.
Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in teaching and communicating with students in the vast majority of courses.

 

Table 2: Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) arising from the external environment of the Department.

Opportunities (O)	Threats (T)
Consistently high demand for studies in civil engineering.	Limited state funding for the maintenance and improvement of the necessary infrastructure, as well as the upgrading of laboratories and educational materials.
The end of the economic crisis is gradually leading to an increase in private and public projects. This phenomenon is expected to intensify in the coming years, when demand for civil engineering graduates is expected to increase.	Possible reorganization of the academic map.
Strong commitment by the University of the Peloponnese to establish a Polytechnic School.	Failure to determine professional rights in a timely manner.
Synergies with local authorities, the local community, and the local economy.	Failure to promptly fill vacancies left by retired faculty members.
Prospect of graduates of the Department acquiring professional rights equivalent to those of polytechnic departments.	Any reduction in the number of temporary teaching staff may create problems in the Department's educational process, due to the small number of faculty members.
Research collaborations with other departments of the School of Engineering at the University of the Peloponnese, as well as with other civil engineering departments at Greek and foreign institutions.

Chapter 4: Presentation of Department Objectives

The table below shows the Department's key strategic priorities. Each strategic priority is broken down into strategic objectives, annual target achievement plans, and implementation actions. The Department's strategic axes are aligned with the University's strategic axes, which are as follows:

• Linking Knowledge and Entrepreneurship
• Extroversion – Internationalization – EUNICE
• Improvement of academic activities
• Upgrading of infrastructure
• Quality of the university environment

Strategic axis	Strategic Objective	Goal achievement planning	Operational Plan Actions
Connecting Knowledge and Entrepreneurship	Strengthening and promoting the Department's research activities and links with entrepreneurship.	Increase in attracting applied research funding Increase in collaborations with other departments, institutions, businesses, and public bodies (+1 collaboration per year)	Establishing partnerships with national and international bodies with the aim of conducting applied research. Submitting joint research proposals with other universities or research centers.
Extroversion – Internationalization - EUNICE	Increase in the number of teachers participating in the Erasmus program and the European alliance EUNICE.	Participation of at least two faculty members in teaching mobility by the end of 2027.	Encouraging faculty members to participate in the Erasmus program. Expanding international collaborations with other institutions.
Improvement of academic activities	Integration of new knowledge into the Undergraduate Study Program (USP) and the Graduate Study Program (GSP).	Annual small-scale reform of the PPE and at least one large-scale reform within four years. At least one reform of the PME within four years.	Collection and utilization of information from the following sources: (a) Recommendations of the External Evaluation Committee, (b) course inventory sheets, (c) proposals of the Undergraduate Studies Program Committee, (d) best practices from other universities, (e) student evaluation questionnaires, (f) suggestions from graduates.
	Introduction of more elective courses in the curriculum	Introduction to at least three elective courses. Courses (optional) offered by the European alliance EUNICE.	Utilization of the academic expertise of the Department's faculty members (including those expected to join). Collaboration with other departments of the University.
	Increase in published research work	3% annual increase in the average total number of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles and peer-reviewed conference proceedings per faculty member	Co-teaching of core courses with other departments of the University in order to reduce the teaching load of faculty members. Collaboration with other institutions in Greece and abroad for joint research, including opportunities arising from participation in EUNICE.
	Attracting funded research projects and research talent.	Increase in research funding. Increase in the number of external collaborators – researchers in research programs.
Infrastructure upgrade	Modernization of educational and laboratory equipment	Installation of surveillance equipment. Purchase of modern laboratory equipment.	Utilization of regular budget and other funds.