New York College Educational Group: Grand Graduation Ceremonies in Prague, Athens, and Thessaloniki

International recognition, an outward-looking mindset, and academic excellence have always been the core values of the New York College Group. Leveraging its prestigious international alliances and its dynamic presence abroad—through its branch campus, the University of New York in Prague (UNYP)—the Group sealed its global footprint with celebratory graduation ceremonies.

June 26, 2026: Graduation Ceremony of the University of New York in Prague (UNYP), branch non-state University of the NYC Group, Municipal House (Obecní Dům), Prague

The University of New York in Prague (UNYP) held its 23rd Graduation Ceremony at the historic Obecní Dům in Prague—the iconic venue where the independence of Czechoslovakia was declared in 1918. The event was attended by UNYP's academic staff, foreign ambassadors and diplomats, as well as representatives of the Czech government, honoring graduates who this year hailed from 44 countries.

The keynote speaker of the ceremony was PhDr. Jindřich Fryč, Director General of the International Cooperation and Supporting Measures in Education Section of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. Welcoming addresses were also delivered by Dr. Lisa Vollendorf, President of the State University of New York - Empire State University, and Cliona O'Beirne, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Dublin Business School.

From left to right: PhDr. Jindřich Fryč, Director General of the International Cooperation and Supporting Measures in Education Section of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic; Dr. Lisa Vollendorf, President of the State University of New York - Empire State University; and Professor Radka Wildová, former Deputy Minister of Education of the Czech Republic, Vice-Rector for Research & Academic Excellence at the University of New York in Prague (UNYP), and distinguished member of the Board of Trustees.

July 01, 2026: Athens Graduation Ceremony, National Gymnastics Society (EGS), near the NYC Athens Campus

Against the backdrop of the Acropolis and the Pillars of Olympian Zeus, the New York College Graduation Ceremony took place at the historic National Gymnastics Society. More than 3,000 parents, relatives, and friends, alongside prominent personalities and representatives of collaborating international universities, celebrated the success and achievements of our Class of 2026!

The graduation address was delivered by Member of Parliament, Professor of International Law, and former Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Angelos Syrigos. A key highlight of the evening was the keynote speech by the Head Coach of the National Water Polo Team and Coast Guard Officer, Theodoros Vlachos. A welcoming address was also given by retired Lieutenant General Manolis Sfakianakis, Special Cybercrime Investigator and Analyst, President of the CSI Institute, and Founder & CEO of Crime Lab. In this context, he announced the establishment of the "AI for All Academy" in strategic partnership with New York College, aiming to combat digital illiteracy by training citizens in the safe and responsible utilization of new technologies in their professional and daily lives.

From left to right: Dr. Angelos Syrigos, Member of Parliament, Professor of International Law, and former Deputy Minister of Education; retired Lieutenant General Manolis Sfakianakis, Special Cybercrime Investigator and Analyst, President of the CSI Institute, and Founder & CEO of Crime Lab; and Elias Foutsis, Hon PhD, President and Founder of the New York College Group.

July 02, 2026: Thessaloniki Graduation Ceremony, Concert Hall 

The keynote speaker of the event was professor and author Dimitris Bourantas, Rector of New York College and Founder of the postgraduate programs in Human Resource Management and the Executive MBA at the Athens University of Economics and Business (formerly ASOEE). He wished the graduates a successful professional career and urged them to make their dreams reality!

Professor and author Dimitris Bourantas, Rector of New York College, Founder of the postgraduate programs in Human Resource Management and the Executive MBA at the Athens University of Economics and Business (formerly ASOEE).

The event was honored by the presence of local government officials, institutional representatives, and consulates of Northern Greece.

At both the Athens and Thessaloniki ceremonies, degrees were conferred by prominent academic representatives of the collaborating foreign universities. Attending and personally congratulating the graduates were: The Earl of St Andrews, Chancellor; Dr. Andrew Roberts, Chair of the Board of Governors & Aris Mattheou, Assistant Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greater Manchester; Professor Peter Griffiths, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Science of the University of Greenwich; Dr. Isabelle Solé, Maître de Conférences, Director of the Bachelor in Management Program at Université Toulouse 1 Capitole; and Francesca Cichello, Senior Executive Director of the Center for International and Extended Education & Dr. Todd Nesbitt, Director of European Programs of the Center for International Education at the State University of New York - Empire State University.

The President and Founder of the New York College Group, Mr. Elias Foutsis, Hon PhD, addressed a warm welcome to the international audience of graduates, urging them to remain "in love" with knowledge, continuous education, and personal growth. Wishing them every success in their new beginnings, Mr. Foutsis underlined the invaluable worth of university education, invoking the words of Aristotle: "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."