Category: Events

The International Mobility Week, organized by the Department of Animal Production Science of the University of Thessaly, was successfully completed from March 23 to March 27, 2026, within the framework of the University’s international outreach strategy. The initiative is implemented through the Erasmus+ International Mobility program, managed by the Office of International Educational Programs/Erasmus+ of the University of Thessaly.

The International Mobility Week included a wide range of academic, research, and cultural activities, carried out in collaboration between the Departments of Animal Production Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Veterinary Medicine, together with invited professors from the Agricultural University of Tirana.

The professors who participated in the initiative were:

• Dr. Majlind Sulce, Lecturer at the Department of Morphofunctional Modules, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana.
• Dr. Sonila Cocoli, Associate Professor at the Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana.
• Dr. Xhelil Koleci, Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana.

On behalf of the University of Thessaly, the initiative was organized and coordinated by Associate Professor E. Malissiova of the Department of Animal Production Science, with the support of Professor Ath. Manouras from the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, and Professor E. Valasi from the Department of Veterinary Medicine.

More specifically, the  visiting professors toured the facilities of all participating departments, where faculty members welcomed them and guided them through their premises, while also informing them about ongoing research activities. Lectures by the invited professors were held in all departments, attended by a large number of students.

The visitors’ program also included visits to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meteora and to villages in the Pindus region. The central event of the initiative took place at the Department of Animal Production Science, at the Gaiopolis campus in Larissa, focusing on the activities of the Laboratory of Animal-Origin Foods. The program also included a presentation of the research projects Vital, Frame, and FoodFact by Associate Professor E. Malissiova.

The visiting professors also had the opportunity to visit the Regional Veterinary Laboratory of Larissa and tour its facilities under the coordination of the Laboratory Director, Dr. Ath. Stournara.

The International Mobility Week at the Department of Animal Production Science aimed to strengthen international collaboration, promote the exchange of scientific knowledge, foster new research synergies, and support networking among young scientists in the fields of animal production and food safety, making use of available funding for International Mobility, with administrative support from the Office of International Educational Programs/Erasmus+ of the University of Thessaly.

Our Department, in collaboration with the University of Thessaly and Apivita, was recognized at the Hellenic Responsible Business Awards for its contribution to initiatives with a meaningful social impact, receiving the gold award in the category “Collaboration between Business and Academic Institutions.”

This recognition is not just an award — it is a reminder that when we join forces with shared values, we can bring real change to people’s lives and to our communities.

Through our meaningful collaboration with APIVITA, we have implemented initiatives that touch people’s lives and strengthen social cohesion, always with respect for nature and for our fellow human beings.

We sincerely thank everyone who supported us in this endeavor.

You are invited to attend the lectures that will be held within the framework of International Mobility, Erasmus+, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Room 12 of the Department of Animal Science.

Please see the lecture schedule below:

• Prof I. Dhaskali, Agricultural University of Tirana- Foodborne zoonotic diseases
• Prof J. Mavromati, Agricultural University of Tirana- Toxic Residues in Environment, and the risk of its introduction into the Feed and food chain
• Prof T. Abu Zahra, Al Balqa University, Jordan – The Agriculture sector in Jordan
• Prof I. Habib, United Arab Emirates University – Tracking and Profiling Campylobacter in Poultry Processing: A Case Study from the UAE

With notable success and significant participation from members of the academic community and the wider public, an awareness event on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) was held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the Department of Animal Science at the University of Thessaly.

The keynote speaker was the renowned international basketball player Mr. Dimitris Papanikolaou, who moved and inspired the audience with a deeply human and powerful speech. Drawing from personal experiences, he highlighted both the challenges and the capabilities of individuals with autism, delivering strong messages of acceptance, inclusion, and empowerment.

The event was part of the pilot program BeeAutism, implemented by the Laboratory of Applied Beekeeping of the Department of Animal Science. BeeAutism promotes beekeeping training for five individuals with ASD from the Autism Association of Larissa, offering new prospects for social and professional integration. The program is conducted under the scientific supervision of Assistant Professor of Beekeeping Mr. Alexandros Papachristoforou, who was also the originator of the initiative, in collaboration with special education scientists and a specialized psychologist. The program’s success has been significantly supported by the company APIVITA, which contributes by purchasing the honey produced by the participants and by broadly promoting the initiative.

The event was addressed by the Rector of the University of Thessaly, Professor Mr. Charalampos Billinis, the Chair of the Department of Animal Science, Professor Mr. Dimitrios Kantas, and APIVITA’s representative, Mr. Tasos Tsoukalas. Through initiatives such as BeeAutism and its involvement in the network “Autism-Friendly University Environments,” the University of Thessaly continues to lead and actively contribute to raising awareness, eliminating discrimination, and enhancing the equal participation of individuals with autism in society.

The Department of Animal Science at the University of Thessaly invites members of the academic community to an informative event on autism spectrum disorders. The guest speaker will be the international basketball player Mr. Dimitris Papanikolaou. The event is organized within the framework of the pilot program BeeAutism, which is conducted by the Department of Animal Science and focuses on the vocational training of individuals with autism spectrum disorders in beekeeping.

The event will take place in Room 12 of the Department of Animal Science on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM.

What started as an initiative sparked by the presence of a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Thessaly has grown into an innovative project: training a dedicated five-member team of individuals with ASD in the art of beekeeping.

The goal is to guide participants through every stage of the journey—from novice apprentices to skilled professional beekeepers.

At the Apiculture Laboratory of the Department of Animal Science, they will receive both theoretical instruction and, more importantly, hands-on practical training. With access to 100 productive apiaries and under the guidance of a specialized scientific team with expertise in both beekeeping and special education, the trainees will oversee the entire process, from honey production to bottling.

The final product will be purchased at a predetermined price by APIVITA, a strong supporter of the initiative, and distributed worldwide through its extensive network.

This groundbreaking program, called BeeAutism, is a collaboration between the University of Thessaly, the Autism Association of Larissa, and APIVITA. Initially launched as a one-year pilot, it has the potential to become a long-term initiative, creating meaningful professional opportunities for individuals with ASD.

Innovative digital tools applied to sustainable Meat Science and Technology Higher Education: a link between industry and academia – InnoMeatEdu

The kick off meeting of the competitive European Project InnoMeatEdu (KA220-HED Cooperation Partnerships Erasmus +), was successfully completed in León (Spain), on the 20th to the 21st of March.
InnoMeatEdu refers to the development of innovative, digital training material for students, professors and professionals of the meat sector. The topics of the educational material will be selected based on the evaluation of the current curricula in the participating universities and also taking into consideration the views of the meat industry based on the lapses they identify in their technically specialized personnel.

The digital material refers to meat production and processing, safety, quality and entrepreneurship, and sustainability in the meat sector. The material will be freely accessible in the format of Massive Open Online Courses – MOOC through an interactive platform that will be developed under the scope of the project and will be available in several languages.

InnoMeatEdu is based in the cooperation of different institutions and industries, with the collaboration of several food and meat associations, connecting academia with meat industry, initially through the associated partners and also through the interactive platform that will act as a dissemination tool of the training material to all interested parties.

The consortium, coordinated by University of León (Food Hygiene and Food Technology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Spain) is made up by the following partners:

• University of León (Spain)
• University of Thessaly, Animal Science Department, Food of Animal Origin Laboratory (Thessaly, Greece)
• University of Parma (Parma, Italy)
• University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Olsztyn, Poland)
• Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (Bragança, Portugal)
• Centro Tecnológico de la Carne (CETECA, Ourense, Spain)
• 4Obs, Consulting and Communication company (Greece)

Associated partners are 33 meat industries and associations (meat and food science and technology), from the participating countries. The project will last for 3 years.
For more information or expression of interest to participate as an associated partner, you could contact the UTH coordinator, Associate Prof. Eleni Malissiova, malissiova@uth.gr.
Press Release_March 2023

As part of the implementation of the EASY GOV: Laboratory Management Platform European Program, we invite you to participate in the presentation event of the Project’s laboratory management platform, on Wednesday 08-02-2023 at 14:00 p.m, which will be held in a hybrid way:

Face to Face: At the University of Thessaly, Gaiopolis Campus, Larissa, in Department of Agrotechnology (small amphitheater)

Online Participation: MS Teams platform

For registration press here.

You can find details for the event in the invitation.

The Department held an online event on Monday, July 5, 2021 entitled “Online Open Doors”. You can watch the event at the following links: