Staff Support and Development Policy
The continuous support and development of Academic Staff (Faculty members) is a cornerstone for the implementation of the Department of Maritime Studies’ (DMS) strategic planning and the implementation of its quality policy. The staff support policy is aligned with the Quality Policy and Strategy of the University of Piraeus. In this context, the Department’s policy recognizes that investing in human resources is of crucial importance for the quality of the education provided and the production of innovative research. Consequently, the Department strives to create an environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and excellence by providing Faculty members with the necessary tools and resources to fully develop their teaching and research activities.
Support and Development of Academic Staff
In this framework, the Department is committed to the continuous training and professional development of Faculty members through:
- Enhancing their participation in scientific conferences, seminars, and mobility programs such as Erasmus+,
- Granting sabbatical/educational leaves for research or collaborations abroad,
- Student evaluations of teaching staff,
- Providing modern equipment and infrastructure that facilitate educational work,
- Encouraging Faculty participation in international research networks,
- Attracting visiting professors and organizing international conferences and workshops,
- Promoting partnerships with organizations and businesses, thereby strengthening the connection between the academic community, society, and the labor market.
Support of Research Activity
Promoting research activity is also a central pillar of the Faculty support and development policy, with the Department:
- Supporting and funding publications in international journals and the organization of scientific conferences,
- Encouraging the creation of research partnerships at both national and international levels,
- Evaluating Faculty members through the annual recording of research and teaching performance using key performance indicators (KPIs), such as student evaluations, publications, and citations,
- Granting research leaves to Faculty members for conducting research and building scientific collaboration networks,
- Funding participation in scientific conferences using Departmental resources (from Postgraduate Programs),
- Funding subscriptions to databases, essential for conducting research in the field of shipping and the maritime economy (e.g., Refinitiv and Clarksons),
- Strengthening educational and research collaborations with prestige-recognized educational/research institutions in Greece and abroad.
Training and Development of Administrative Staff
Regarding the promotion of training and development for administrative staff, the Department — within its area of operations and in cooperation with the relevant services of the University of Piraeus — encourages staff participation in training activities, seminars, and mobility programs like Erasmus+, as well as any other educational activity that contributes to the more effective support of the Department’s educational and administrative services.
Staff Support in Distance and Blended Learning
The Department recognizes that the effective implementation of distance and blended learning methods requires continuous training and support for both teaching and administrative staff. Thus, it develops actions adapted to the nature, scope, and specific characteristics of the educational activities of the Undergraduate Program, Postgraduate Programs, and any other organized e-learning initiatives. The Department’s policy on distance and blended learning is aligned with the University of Piraeus’s Strategy and Quality Policy for distance education.
In this context, the Department particularly aims to:
- Encourage staff participation in training programs, seminars, workshops, and other distance and blended learning initiatives—such as training actions by the Center for Continuous Learning, educational programs of other Higher Education Institutions or recognized organizations, as well as relevant workshops or conferences,
- Support the continuous development of staff knowledge and skills regarding the utilization of digital educational tools and technologies, such as synchronous and asynchronous learning platforms, educational content creation and management tools, and online evaluation applications,
- Promote the application of modern pedagogical approaches in the design, organization, and implementation of distance teaching,
- Facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices among teaching and administrative staff,
- Support the effective utilization of the University’s digital infrastructure and services, such as the eClass platform, Microsoft Teams, the student registry system, and available technical support services,
- Capitalize on the knowledge and experience gained by staff through their participation in scientific, academic, and professional activities related to distance learning, aiming at the continuous improvement of the educational process and the provided educational services.
