The Department of Psychology of New York College in Athens and Thessaloniki at the Forefront of Science & Research

At a time when mental health and the scientific understanding of human behavior are at the center of international interest, the Department of Psychology at New York College (NYC) continues to trace an impressive path of academic and research excellence. Through strategic partnerships with the public British institution, the University of Greater Manchester, and the largest state university in the United States, the State University of New York – Empire State University, the department offers high-caliber programs that bridge theory, clinical practice, and cutting-edge scientific research.

With an active presence across both the Athens and Thessaloniki campuses, faculty members, students, and alumni form a unified, dynamic scientific community at the forefront of international conferences, prestigious publications, and innovative academic initiatives.

Academic Rigor & Laboratory Infrastructure

• International BPS Accreditation: One of our undergraduate programs is among very few British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited courses internationally. This distinction validates that the program meets the most rigorous European quality standards, paving the way for graduates to obtain the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), ensuring that the requirements for applying to the leading master's programmes in psychology in the UK in particular are met, and securing immediate competitiveness in the international job market.

• Psychology Research Laboratory (Psych Lab): The state-of-the-art Psychology Research Laboratory (Psych Lab) at New York College provides students with an exceptional platform for applied science. Equipped with psychometric instruments (such as the WAIS-IV GR adult intelligence scale and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task), specialized hardware (EEG electroencephalographs, heart rate monitors, biometric tablets), and advanced data analysis software (SPSS, R, PEBL, NVivo), the Psych Lab is supported daily by a dedicated Psychology Technician. Through practical workshops and hands-on projects, students learn to design, implement, and analyze high-precision experimental studies.

• Peer Mentoring Program: One of the department's most innovative initiatives is its established Peer Mentoring program, which pairs senior students with incoming undergraduates. The initiative fosters a sense of belonging, facilitates a smooth transition to university life, and cultivates crucial interpersonal and leadership skills. The impact of the Peer Mentoring program has been so substantial that it was systematically evaluated through scientific research and presented at international academic conferences.

Research Excellence, Publications & International Conferences

• International Research Publications in Leading Peer-Reviewed Journals: The research excellence of NYC's academic faculty is demonstrated through high-impact international scientific contributions:

• • Dr. Daniella Roubini Pylarinou's cross-cultural study—conducted in collaboration with the University of Huddersfield—was published in the prestigious Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling. The research examined victimization and behavioral typologies of stalking in Greece and the United Kingdom, proposing an innovative classification framework based on dimensions of intimacy, aggression, and sexuality.
  • Dr. Elisabeth Julie Vargo's recent article, titled "Political Perspectives and Religiosity Contribute to Homonegative Attitudes Among Sicilian Psychologists", was published in the Journal of Homosexuality (August 2026), providing critical empirical insights into socio-political and ideological factors influencing professional attitudes.
  • Dr. Maria Tziraki, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Manchester, published a systematic review titled "A Systematic Review of Functional Brain Imaging Studies in Neurofibromatosis 1" in Neuropsychology Review (Wild, A., Tziraki, M., Lea-Carnall, C., & Garg, S., 2026; DOI: 10.1007/s11065-026-09695-9), highlighting the department's active engagement with cutting-edge neuroimaging and neuropsychological research.

• Dynamic Presence at the 9th European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI 2026): Faculty members and students of the Department of Psychology maintained a strong presence at the 9th European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI) in Athens through oral presentations and scientific posters. The academic team—led by Dr. Antonia Svensson, Dr. Daniella Pylarinou, and PhD candidate Christina Tsaliki—presented research on mindfulness in the workplace, international students' adaptation in Greece, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into psychotherapy, as well as postgraduate studies exploring post-traumatic resilience following the Beirut port explosion and the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.

• International Presentation at the TIRIAE 2025 Conference in the UK: At the international conference TIRIAE 2025 (Teaching Intensive | Research Informed | Assessment Enabled), hosted at the University of Greater Manchester, Dr. Antonia Svensson and Christina Tsaliki presented a thematic analysis evaluating the outcomes of NYC's Peer Mentoring program. At the same conference, recent graduate Alessia Lulaj presented her undergraduate thesis research on the adaptation experiences of international students in Greece, earning high praise from the international academic community.

• Alumni Success Story: Four recent graduates of the BSc (Hons) in Psychology, Psychotherapy & Counselling program—Evangelia Stylianou, Theodosia Konstantouraki, Ioanna Dragati, and Eleni Pantazara—participated as speakers at the 14th Panhellenic Conference of Social Psychology organized by the Hellenic Psychological Society (ELPSE). Presenting their undergraduate dissertations on timely social phenomena, such as the impact of social media on body image, social anxiety, and gender-based abuse, they tangibly showcased the high caliber of research supervision and mentorship provided by the college.

Career Connections, Webinars & Initiatives in Athens and Thessaloniki

• Annual "Careers in Psychology" Day: The annual Careers in Psychology Day brings together distinguished professionals from across the spectrum of psychological sciences (Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology, Educational Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Counselling, Psychiatry, and Systemic/CBT Psychotherapy). Speakers share real-world career insights with students and alumni, underscoring the critical value of clinical supervision, interdisciplinary collaboration, and lifelong learning.

• Webinars & Thematic Workshops: The department regularly hosts open webinars and interactive workshops addressing contemporary topics, including mental resilience, crisis management, career counseling, and modern developments in psychotherapy. These sessions provide ongoing specialized training to both enrolled students and the broader mental health professional community.

With accredited British and American degrees, state-of-the-art facilities like the Psych Lab, and forward-thinking support initiatives like Peer Mentoring, the Department of Psychology at New York College continues to foster strong ties with clinical practice and society. Through an extensive series of professional networking events and talks—especially across Thessaloniki in collaboration with organizations and specialized centres such as ARSIS, "ElpiZo", "Άκουσε μας", Gestalt Foundation, Κε.Σ.Με.Θ., Novelbrain, and IASIS NGO—our students gain hands-on exposure to critical issues such as youth delinquency, eating disorders and emotional eating, child sexual abuse (CSA), as well as modern therapeutic frameworks (Gestalt, ISTDP, Systemic Psychotherapy) and valuable internship and volunteering opportunities. Above all, New York College demonstrates that meaningful education is defined by its people: educators who generate new knowledge, students who dare to explore, and graduates who excel in the field of mental health.