EMINENT Graduation Ceremony and Welcome Days 2026
September 24 and 25, 2026, were special days for the Embedded Intelligence Nanosystems Engineering (EMINENT) program. On these two days, first-year students at the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) in Crete gathered to celebrate the completion of their studies together with the program coordinators, faculty, and guests. At the same time, the new students of the third EMINENT cohort, who will begin their studies at HMU this winter semester, were welcomed.
First Joint Degree—A Milestone for ATHENA
The graduation ceremony was not only a significant milestone for the EMINENT graduates. EMINENT is the first “joint degree program” of the ATHENA European University Alliance, and with the graduation of the first cohort, a degree certificate jointly issued by several ATHENA partners was awarded for the first time. EMINENT is coordinated by the University of Siegen, under the direction of Prof. Haring Bolívar, in close collaboration with the ATHENA partner universities Hellenic Mediterranean University, Université d’Orléans, and VILNIUS TECH, as well as NOVA University Lisbon as an external partner.
Ten of the nineteen students in the first cohort had traveled to Crete specifically for “Graduation Day.” In addition to HMU and the University of Siegen, which organize the first (HMU) and second (University of Siegen) semesters within the EMINENT program, students were able to choose among the five partner universities for their third and fourth semesters. There, they not only acquired subject-specific skills but also gained international experience and built personal networks.
The graduation ceremony began with a warm welcome from the Rector of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, Prof. Nektarios Papadogiannis. This was followed by remarks from the local EMINENT coordinator at HMU, Prof. Konstantinos Petridis, as well as the administrative program coordinator, Dr. Ilka Kureck, from the University of Siegen. The morning program concluded with an inspiring guest lecture by Prof. Luis Pereira from NOVA University of Lisbon, who also serves as the local EMINENT coordinator at NOVA.
This was followed by the official closing ceremony, during which the graduates received their diplomas, marking the successful completion of their two-year international study program.
Congratulations to our first EMINENT cohort!
Welcome to the Third Cohort
The Welcome Days for the new cohort took place in parallel with the graduation ceremony. In addition to a welcome from the team, short presentations on the individual partner universities and the specializations offered there, introductions to the faculty, and a city tour, the new students had the opportunity to speak directly with the first graduates and learn firsthand what makes studying at EMINENT so special.
The third cohort comprises 26 students from 18 countries, making it the program’s largest cohort to date. Its international composition exemplifies the transnational character of EMINENT and the European cooperation on which the program is based.
A warm welcome to the third cohort!