International Week for Academic Libraries, 22nd-26th of September, 2025, HMU, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

We would like to invite you to our International Week that will be held from September 22 to September 26, 2025 at the Central Library of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, located in the city of Heraklion in Greece.

Academic libraries face significant challenges resulting from declining budgets and aging staff. Hard times require hard work and collaboration and the exchange of experiences is important. Getting together and sharing our knowledge and ideas is the basic purpose of this international week that we organize. Our program appeals mostly to librarians with a background in Open Science, Digitalization, Library Services for Persons with Disabilities, Library consortiums, Information literacy. Presentations and social events aim to provide our participants with both knowledge and leisure that they expect to find in a country like Greece!

The programme comprises presentations, library and cultural site visits, and social events.

The main themes that will be covered include:

• Library Consortiums
• Digitalization
• Library Services for Persons with Disabilities
• Open Science
• Information literacy

An additional main objective of the training week is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the participants and the Hellenic Mediterranean University’s library staff and of networking prospects. The programme outline is a preliminary one and does not include the social programme activities (these will be included in the final programme).

We invite every person involving in the library field to join our International Week. You will  have the opportunity to enjoy Greek hospitality and get to know the Cretan culture which is influenced by Minoan, Venetian and Turkish culture.

To take part, you need to register here.

The maximum number of participants is 40, while there are no registration or participation fees. However, participants should make arrangements on their own regarding travel, accommodation and living, the cost of which should be covered by Erasmus+ mobility grants from their home institutions.

The working language of the training week will be English.

The application deadline is Friday July 11th, 2025. Applications will be evaluated on a first come first served basis, while relative replies will be sent immediately after evaluating each application.

Erasmus participants from EU countries:

Please check the application process for teaching for participants from KA131 European countries here.

Please check the application process for training for participants from KA131 European countries here.

Dr. Gareth Owens, International Relations Office Director

E-mail: ogareth@hmu.gr

Telephone:  +302810379312

International participants from non-European countries:

Please check the application process for teaching/training for participants from KA171 non-European countries here.

Ms Evi Kotti, IRO Administrative Staff

Email:  kottievi@hmu.gr

Telephone: +302810-379174

Additional information about the Hellenic Mediterranean University Library and Information Centre can be found at the following website (English language version):

https://lib.hmu.gr/en/home/

Information about the city of Heraklion can be found at the following websites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraklion

Coach (bus) timetables (to and from Heraklion : https://www.ktelherlas.gr/en  

Hotels in Heraklion: https://www.greekhotels.gr/gr/crete_hotels/heraklion_hotels/heraklion_city_hotels.asp

Travel to Heraklion: https://wikitravel.org/en/Heraklion , https://www.visitgreece.gr/islands/crete/irakleio/