OPEN DAY on 5th November

CERTH/HIT is the most important Greek research entity in the field of Transport, and one of the most important and renowned research entities at a European level. It is under the authority of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology, and is mainly funded by private entities and research funds.

At the press conference organized on Tuesday the 31st October, the important activities of HIT and its research achievements were presented, launching a route of extroversion and information of the citizens. The intense interest of the media and the presence of Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, governor of the Region of Central Macedonia, Mr. Konstantinos Abatzas, president of Transport Authority of Thessaloniki, Mr. Dimitrios Makris, Chief Executive Officer of Thessaloniki Port Authority, Mrs. Ria Kalfakakou, Chief Executive Officer of EGNATIA ODOS S.A., Mr. Periklis Mitkas, Rector of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as the presence of representatives of the Municipality of Thessaloniki and of the University of Macedonia, gave the stigma of the high-profile and of the highly innovative and development-oriented HIT profile.

In his presentation, the Director of HIT, Dr. Evangelos Bekiaris, referred to data relating to HIT activities, stressing the impressively high expertise of the scientific staff of the institute (with the remarkable almost 1:1 male to female ratio), to the really important collaboration with entities and educational organizations, to its resilient “route” during the period of economic recession and the excellent future prospects, based on the HIT orientation to excellence, to the partnerships with important entities and to the expansion of HIT to Piraeus and – soon – to other regions of the country, as well as to the development in the field of transport and to the position that HIT holds in the research arena.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Mr. Bekiaris emphasized that extroversion is necessary for exiting the crisis, while he highlighted the necessity for the support of Greek innovation, as well as for the promotion of the existence of HIT and the dissemination of its activities among citizens, aiming at profitability, in the interests of society. Towards this direction, the initiative “OPEN DAY at HIT” was organized by HIT on Sunday 5th November, opening the gates of the Institute to the public of all ages, in Thermi, Thessaloniki.