The Joint Postgraduate Programme in "Social Neuroscience, Social Pedagogy and Education", which is implemented with the collaboration of the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education, the School of Medicine, and the Department of Biology, of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA), has been designed in accordance with the Univerity's strategy and is an innovative and pioneering programme in the field of postgraduate studies in Greece. It is a Joint Postgraduate Programme, which utilizes the interdisciplinary interconnection of cutting-edge sciences, such as Social Neuroscience, Social Pedagogy, and Education, as well as the interdisciplinary collaborations of renowned scientists and teachers from the three Departments/Schools of EKPA and from other Universities in Greece and abroad.

In the international arena, during the last decades, there has been a continuous and explosive increase of interest in both neuroscientific studies and the interdisciplinary use of the results of neuroscientific research in pedagogical thinking and educational practices, to address and improve critical contemporary social and educational issues. Abroad, related postgraduate degrees are: the “Mind, Brain, and Education” at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the “Neuroscience and Education” at the University of Bristol, which however do not focus on Social Pedagogy, such as the JPP in “Social Neuroscience, Social Pedagogy and Education".

The subject of the Programme is the study and research of contemporary cutting-edge social and educational issues, through the utilization of the interdisciplinary synergies of Social Pedagogy and Social Neuroscience, giving its students the respective knowledge, skills, and abilities at a professional and social level, and contributing to the optimization of educational and social functions in various fields and throughout the lifespan, as well as to the development of scientific research and the consequent promotion of scientific knowledge. More specifically, the Programme focuses on:

• The study and research on contemporary issues of the Educational Sciences and the related Neurosciences, through the utilization of the interdisciplinary synergies between them, which show an ever greater development, in the international arena, especially in recent years.
• The specialization of scientists in issues of Social Neuroscience and Social Pedagogy, so that they can contribute to the optimization of the education of children and adults in various fields, as well as to the development of scientific research and the consequent promotion of scientific knowledge.
• The specialization of the graduates, who will also have the status of social pedagogue (in accordance with international standards), so that they are able to study and understand the research results of Social Neuroscience and utilize them in designing, planning, organizing, and developing educational programmes, as well as Social Pedagogy interventions and educational policy, in the fields of formal, non-formal and informal education, throughout the lifespan (Pedagogy, Andragogy, Gerontagogy, basic branches of Social Pedagogy), taking into account the new and ever changing conditions and needs of educational, pedagogical and social systems.

The structure, content, and organization of the modules and teaching methods of the Programme are oriented towards the deepening of knowledge and the acquisition of the respective skills to apply them in important areas and in pioneering scientific fields of the collaborative Departments/Schools of the Programme, such as Social Neuroscience and Social Pedagogy, through their interdisciplinary connection and the additional perspectives it creates. The Programme is designed for two years, four semesters.

The administrative and secretarial support of the Programme has the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education. The modules are held mainly in the Marasli Teaching Building (Marasli 4, Kolonaki) in some cases they may be held in the premises of the Medical School and the Department of Biology. In exceptional cases and to address specific needs (e.g. internships), it is planned to use the spaces of other institutions and structures, after a decision of the Special Interdepartmental Committee.

The lecturers mainly come from the three collaborative Departments/Schools, the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education, the School of Medicine and the Department of Biology, as well as academic staff from other Universities, emeritus professors and appointed lecturers, specialists, with extensive experience in teaching, research and applications in the scientific fields of the Programme. In addition, renowned scientists from abroad enrich the teaching staff of the Programme and in fact a continuous effort is made to expand collaborations with highly prestigious scientists from abroad.

Upon completion of the studies, the Programme awards a Master of Science in Social Neuroscience, Social Pedagogy and Education with a Pedagogical and Teaching Proficiency Certification.