Columbia Global Center Athens is uniquely positioned to enhance student visits to Greece and support students in myriad ways. We look forward to hosting future student groups, providing tailored programs, and creating meaningful academic and cultural experiences.
The center will offer a diverse set of student programs, from immersive study abroad opportunities to internships, both for graduate and undergraduate students. The Center will also develop collaborative field courses involving students and faculty from Columbia University and partner universities in Greece. Through such courses, students will have the opportunity to visit related research centers, governmental and nongovernmental agencies and other relevant institutions. Courses may also begin at Columbia, with site visits to key institutions in New York City.
Undergraduate Programs
We are thrilled to be hosting two Columbia Summer Global Core student programs in 2026 – Curatorial Project and Ancient and Modern Olympics. These programs offer undergraduate students a unique opportunity to get Global Core curriculum credits in accelerated, three-week courses at the Athens Center.
Beyond the Columbia Summer Global Core course, the Athens Center is hosting two courses in 2026:
- Social Work Practice with Refugees and Displaced Persons (Spring 2026): Students will work directly with agencies serving refugee populations while learning about humanitarian policies and practices. The program will also include collaboration with on-the-ground local organizations on the island of Lesvos, offering students firsthand field experience.
- Venice and Byzantium: A Tale of Two Cities (Spring 2026): This seminar trip to Greece presents a unique opportunity for students to engage with the cultural and artistic interactions between Venice and the Eastern Mediterranean. Students will explore the art, architecture, and religious life of Venice and Venetian Greece through close engagement with primary sources and material culture.
- GSAPP Advanced Architectural Design Program (Spring 2025): GSAPP Architecture students traveled to Athens for their Advanced Studio work led by Professor Lydia Kallipoliti. They visited the future building of Columbia Global Center Athens to learn about the building's history, its ongoing renovation project, and its envisioned future.
- Social Work with Refugees and Displaced Persons (Spring 2025): Students worked directly with agencies serving refugee populations while learning about humanitarian policies and practices.
- SIPA Capstone Workshop (Spring 2025): Students partnered with the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy to explore multilateral mechanisms for protection and labor pathways in migration management. (School of International and Public Affairs)
- Epigraphy Seminar Study Trip (Summer 2025): Led by faculty member Paraskevi Martzavou, this specialized study trip offered classics students hands-on experience with primary sources.
Student Stories from Greece
What do Columbia students think about visiting Greece?
Check out some recent stories about how they explored Athens, connected with local culture, and immersed themselves in the region’s vibrant history and dynamic energy.
"Being surrounded by individuals who were eager to learn and experience the culture was infectious, so that even I, who was not foreign to it the way others were, discovered a newfound appreciation." - Danae Kosta CC '27
"Not only was I a student of this historical city, frequenting sights from antiquity, but I was an observer of modern Athens, witnessing its graffitied walls, political ephemera, and complicated relationship with tourists." - Olivia Franklin GSAS'25
“In Athens, I formed connections with professors and researchers who have helped shape my applications to research fellowships and edit my graduate school research proposal. I was also able to present at a student research conference and have my work published.” - Alyssa Mendez CC '18