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The history of the Department

The History of the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care

The Department of Early Childhood Education and Care belongs to the School of Administration, Economics and Social Sciences of the University of West Attica. The history of the Department is delineated below.

  • In 1955 the “Princess Sophia” School of Nursing was founded, simultaneously with the Infant Centre “ΜΗΤΕΡΑ”. At the time “Princess Sophia” School of Nursing was founded, female students could enroll in it. Admission in the School was given under written and oral examinations and after the completion of the sixth grade of secondary education. Attendance at the school was for three years (continuous on a twelve month basis) and included compulsory theoretical studies and practical training (for children aged 0 to 6 years), while female students lived in the school premises during that period.
  • In 1977, the School was renamed “The higher School of Nursery” while it continued to be under the auspices of “ΜΗΤΕΡΑ” Infant Centre, which was an organization supervised and subsidized by the Greek state.
  • In 1984, “The higher School of Nursery” was incorporated, without any substantial changes, into the School of Health and Welfare Professions (Σ.Ε.Υ.Π.) of the Technological Institution of Athens (Τ.Ε.Ι) according to the provisions of Law 1404/83, Ministerial Decree 7290/31-10-1984.
  • In 2007, “The higher School of Nursery” was renamed “Department of Early Childhood Education”, according to the Decree 226/2006 (Government Gazette 227/19-10-2006.
  • In the 2018, the “Department of Early Childhood Education” was incorporated as an autonomous Department in the School of Administration, Economics and Social Sciences of the University of West Attica, under the name “Department of Early Childhood Education and Care” by Law 4521 (for the establishment of the University of West Attica and other provisions, article 2, paragraph 4, Government Gazette 38/2.3.2018).

 

The development of the academic profile of the Department, over the last decades, is mainly linked to important institutional changes, such as the fourth – year educational study, the augmentation of the academic qualifications of the teaching staff, the updating of the undergraduate program of studies, the exchange Erasmus + program with many Universities in other European countries. The academic profile of the Department has recently been upgraded with the establishment of an interdepartmental Postgraduate program between the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care and the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University of West Attica. An important role towards the upgrading is also taking place through the relocation of the Department to Campus 1, of the University of West Attica, in Aigaleo Municipality.