Greece

National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Career Guidance” (E.O.P.P.E.P.)

The National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Career Guidance” (E.O.P.P.E.P.) is a legal entity under private law, supervised by the Ministry of Education Lifelong Learning and Religious and established under the Joint Ministerial Decision No 119959/20-10-2011 (GG 2351V). E.O.P.P.E.P. merged by absorption the National Centre for Vocational Orientation (Presidential Decree 232/29-07-1998 (Government Gazette 179A), as modified by Presidential Decree 44/9-2-2004 (Government Gazette 37).

The responsibilities of E.O.P.P.E.P. serve the need for a strong pillar for the actions under the national policy in the areas of counseling and guidance, certification qualifications and structures for lifelong learning.

In the framework of the new policy in relation to Lifelong Learning, and within the National Network of Lifelong Learning, E.O.P.P.E.P. is one of the administrative bodies for lifelong learning regarding its responsibilities that are linked to counseling and career guidance. Counseling services and/or Career Guidance services providers are also part of the National Network of Lifelong Learning as the relevant bodies providing lifelong learning services.

At national level, E.O.P.P.E.P is the competent national coordination body responsible for:

• providing scientific and technical support to the relevant stakeholders in the Ministries of Education and Employment in designing and implementing a National Policy on Guidance and Counselling,
• the development of communication and coordination of actions taken by private and public counselling and guidance service providers, aiming at the improvement of existing services,
• the education, initial and continuous training of counselling and guidance practitioners, in collaboration with/or supplementing those provided by current training services in the relevant Ministries of Employment and Education,
• defining the conditions and rules under which guidance and counselling services should operate, the relevance and adequacy of counselling and guidance practitioners’ qualifications and keeping the relevant registers,
• designing and implementing actions of counselling and guidance supporting the work of counsellors and of lifelong support of citizens for development and career management.
• participating in the formulation of standards, rules and procedures for quality assurance consulting services and guidance under the National Quality Framework for lifelong learning.

At European level, E.O.P.P.E.P is:

• the National Euroguidance Center, member of the Euroguidance network, with the support of the Erasmus+ Program.
• the national body representing Greece in the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network – ELGPN, established by the European Commission in 2007.

Target Groups benefiting from E.O.P.P.E.P ‘s work:

• Counselling and vocational guidance practitioners, career development practitioners in education, training and employment in public and private sectors.
• Public and private stakeholders providing counselling and vocational guidance services in the areas of education, training and employment.
• Interested citizens (school and university students, parents, the unemployed, professionals etc.) that seek information about counselling and vocational guidance services and learning, employment and mobility opportunities.
• All members of the Greek society as potential beneficiaries of quality counselling and vocational guidance services, at regional and national level.

For further information regarding educational mobility in Greece please visit:

National Database of Learning Opportunities “PLOIGOS” http://ploigos.eoppep.gr/ekep/external/index.html (2009) The Database provides information on all educational levels in Greece and is linked, through the European Commission General Directorate of Education & Culture, to the European Information Portal onLearning Opportunities “PLOTEUS” II.