The aims and activities of the Department of Theatre Studies cover three areas: teaching, research, and social contribution.
1) The teaching of the main courses comprises conventional classes, with lectures of the professors and discussion with and among the students on given material. It also includes power-point projections and film presentation, together with sound and sometimes live shows. Some of the courses concern theatre praxis. In them the students play roles, form theatre groups and present their productions to the public. They are instructed by professors of the Department who are actors-directors as well. Sometimes they are escorted to professional theatre performances, in order to watch the procedure of a theatrical production. The art courses, besides teaching in the conventional way in the campus building using naturally audio-visual media, are often taught by the professor to museums and galleries in near proximity with the object. The same stands for Ancient Greek theatre classes, with visits to the existing ancient open theatres.
2) Research on Greek theatre is still characterized, beside the important progress of the last decades (composition of numerous monographs and special disquisitions, doctorate theses; research documentation programmes related to the bibliography and production archiving of the Modern Greek theatre), by gaps and delays in comparison to other countries, mostly in the field of history of Modern Greek theatre and Modern Greek drama, but also in the theory of theatre from the Cretan Renaissance until today. Indicatively it is worth mentioning the lack of fundamental works, such as a complete and valid history of Modern Greek theatre, a complete handbook of Greek and international drama, a history of Greek drama from the 13th century until today, a handbook of Greek popular theatre from the ritual to ethnography (study of manners) publications of primary sources of the history of Modern Greek theatre (travelling journals, articles from periodicals and the daily press, archives etc.), critical annotated publications of important dramatic texts of Modern Greek drama. Despite the progress accomplished in this field, still there is still need for a complete presentation of the revival of ancient drama in Greece and Europe, an analysis of theoretical approaches on Modern Greek theatre (mostly in the prologues of dramatic texts), a systematic observation of achievements on research, methodology and theory of theatre studies internationally, as well as a systematic observation of the Greek theatre audience etc.
3) Socially, the foundation and legislation of theatre studies education on an academic level has ameliorated, directly or/and indirectly, the theatrical life of the country, in relation to theatre productions as well as theatregoers. The Department of Theatre Studies contributes to the promotion of national theatre heritage from antiquity until today, at home and abroad, with conferences, scientific exchanges and affiliations with other Departments and Centres, publications of a scientific journal and the current annotated bibliography, exhibitions and lectures. It informs through public lectures about the new outcomes of research, collaborates with the International Theatre Institute and relevant organizations to promote research goals, aims at the increase of research scholarships on theatre studies at home and abroad (IKY: State Scholarships Foundation) and other foundations. It has created an up to date theatre library as well as an archive of slides and videos, offers scientific information and will contribute in any possible way to the education of theatre practitioners.
