This distinction reflects NTUA’s overall performance across key areas, including quality of education, research activity, international engagement, and the institution’s connection with society and the economy.

The ranking is based on quality criteria grouped into five sections, from which each institution selects three for evaluation:

• continuous improvement of core academic activities,
• research excellence and performance,
• engagement with society, the labor market, and knowledge utilisation,
• internationalisation,
• quality of the university environment.

In all evaluated areas, NTUA not only achieved the highest scores among Greek higher-education institutions but also recorded improvements compared to the previous year, notably in the area of societal engagement and knowledge transfer.

The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), as a principal research institute of NTUA and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, plays a substantial role in maintaining the University’s consistently high ranking. ICCS’s contribution is evident in the generation of high-quality scientific knowledge, participation in competitive national and international research projects, and technology transfer and innovation activities that benefit society and the economy.

Professor Ioannis K. Chatzigeorgiou, Rector of NTUA, expressed his congratulations to all members of NTUA’s academic community for their dedication and contribution to this achievement, highlighting that the ranking reflects the high quality standards that characterise the University across education, research and academic excellence.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all – NTUA’s faculty, researchers, students, and administrative staff for their dedication and contributions to this remarkable achievement. ICCS remains committed to upholding the highest standards of academic and research excellence, ensuring that NTUA continues to set new benchmarks in education and innovation.

Transforming Regenerative Surgery

Each year, more than 150,000 patients worldwide are eligible for bladder removal (cystectomy) due to cancer. Current reconstructive surgeries rely on intestinal tissue and often cause severe side effects such as infections, metabolic complications, and reduced quality of life. PhosPrint’s innovation enables Urologists to create a fully functional, side-effect-free neobladder through the printing of a patient’s own healthy bladder cells directly onto tissue during surgery. In extensive pre-clinical studies in pigs, this approach restored normal bladder function with none of the known complications of conventional orthotopic neobladder surgery.

“Current surgical approaches of bladder cancer seriously downgrade patients’ quality of life” said Professor Ioanna Zergioti, CEO of PhosPrint. “Our InvivoLPrint-U innovation eliminates the side effects of current surgical options, offering patients a fully functional, side-effect-free neobladder. This investment brings us one step closer to the clinic and to transforming the field of regenerative medicine”.

Co-founder Dr. Apostolos Klinakis (Clinical Director) and Maria Pallidou (CFO) highlight the platform’s versatility which extends beyond bladder reconstruction, and is applicable in numerous indications including cartilage and heart repair, addressing multi-billion-euro global markets.

Backed by leading investors

“PhosPrint is breaking new ground at the intersection of bioprinting, laser technology, and regenerative medicine”, said Dr. Stefanos Capsaskis, Partner at Corallia Ventures. “We are proud to back a world-class team whose breakthrough platform has the potential to redefine outcomes for millions of patients worldwide”.

Dr.  Lars Rasmussen added: “I’m beyond proud to be backing Ioanna and her talented team! PhosPrint has likely invented the first successful bladder replacement procedure, which will likely be the first approved surgical procedure involving a bioprinter. And that’s just the beginning of what their impressive technology has in store!”

Next steps and global potential

The newly secured funds will enable PhosPrint to:

• Complete its first-in-human trial application this year;
• Launch patient trials in 2026 at leading European hospitals;
• Expand its team of biologists, engineers, and regulatory experts;
• Develop benchtop bioprinters for R&D labs as an early revenue stream starting in 2026.

The company is targeting EMA and FDA approval by 2029, with initial market entry planned in Europe and the US.

About PhosPrint

Founded in 2019 as a spinoff of the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), PhosPrint develops cutting-edge in vivo laser bioprinting solutions for tissue repair. Its flagship platform, InvivoLPrint-U, enables the direct printing of live autologous cells during surgery, offering unprecedented outcomes in bladder reconstruction and beyond. With 5 patent families, proprietary manufacturing know-how, and a team of leading scientists in laser physics, biomedical engineering, and clinical research, PhosPrint is shaping the future of regenerative medicine.

For more info visit: www.phosprint.eu/

The Koropi premises feature state-of-the-art office spaces and cutting-edge research labs, dedicated primarily to Industry 5.0 applications and the testing of pioneering innovations. These new facilities will empower our researchers, fostering creativity, collaboration, and the development of groundbreaking technologies that push the frontiers of science and engineering.

The opening celebration was led by Dr. Angelos Amditis, Research and Development Director of ICCS and Director of I-SENSE, who welcomed attendees and shared his vision for the future. Short speeches were given by Prof. John Psarras (ICCS’s Director), Professor P.Tsanakas (Dean of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineerings/NTUA) who backed the effort, Dr. Giannis Karaseitanidis (I-SENSE Technical Director) and Dr. Georgios Tsimiklis (Research TMAT) whose commitment, hard work, and hands-on involvement were crucial in bringing the new premises to life. Everyone highlighted how important this new space is for the Greek research community.

Beyond a significant achievement for ICCS, the Koropi site represents a landmark development for NTUA and the broader academic ecosystem. It will also host the innovative activities of CogniSensus, a dynamic new spin-off of ICCS. Born from years of intensive research by the I-SENSE group, CogniSensus is set to revolutionize sensing, data modeling, visualization, and actuation technologies. These solutions aim to enhance decision-making, operational efficiency, and training in complex environments.

This expansion marks a pivotal milestone for ICCS, laying the foundation for continued excellence, innovation, and societal impact in the years to come.

The paper was co-authored by members of the NETMODE Laboratory of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), National Technical University of Athens (NTUA): Eleni Fotopoulou, Anastasios Zafeiropoulos, Lydia Mavraidi, and Symeon Papavassiliou.

We extend our warmest congratulations to PhD candidates, Eleni Fotopoulou and Lydia Mavraidi, and Postdoctoral Researcher Anastasios Zafeiropoulos, for their outstanding contribution to this achievement.

This distinction highlights the high-quality research conducted within ICCS and NTUA and underlines NETMODE Laboratory’s active contribution to this achievement.

The creation of QRBIT was formally approved by the NTUA Administrative Council (05/06/2025) and the ICCS Board of Directors (02/05/2025). Notably, ICCS and NTUA are participating in the company’s share capital through the NTUA Special Account for Research Funds and ICCS, further solidifying their commitment to innovation and technology transfer.

QRBIT was co-founded by ICCS researchers Dr. Ioannis Giannoulis, Dr. Aristeidis Stathis, and Mr. Argyrios Danos, with the invaluable support of ECE faculty members Prof. Iraklis Avramopoulos (Head of PCRL), Prof. Athanasios Panagopoulos, and Asst. Prof. Dimitrios Apostolopoulos. The spin-off builds on the strong foundation of cutting-edge research and innovation developed within ICCS/PCRL in the areas of photonic communications and quantum cryptography.

QRBIT’s mission is to pioneer hardware and software solutions for quantum satellite communications, with a focus on:

• Designing and developing photonic components and systems for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in free-space and satellite links.
• Creating advanced ground station and telescope infrastructures for both classical and quantum communication applications.
• Developing software tools for the design, optimization, and management of laser-based classical and quantum satellite missions.

The establishment of QRBIT reflects ICCS’s strategic vision to foster entrepreneurial initiatives and promote the translation of research into real-world technological advancements. Through this new venture, ICCS strengthens its role in the global ecosystem of quantum and optical communications.

Let us extend our warm congratulations to the founders of QRBIT and wish them great success in this exciting endeavor!

SPRINTER is working on the development of advanced networks for future smart manufacturing aiming to build a super-fast, energy-efficient industrial internet combining laser-based communication and advanced wireless technology. The project is funded by the European Commission through a €6 million grant under the Horizon Europe programme .

Today’s  factories rely on a patchwork of copper cables, conventional Wi-Fi, and outdated switching systems that are too slow and inefficient for the demands of Industry 5.0. SPRINTER aims to replace decaying infrastructure with laser-driven, high-speed optical and hybrid wireless communication systems, capable of delivering reliable, real-time connections between machines, rooms, and even entire industrial buildings.

“Industry 5.0 demands faster, smarter, and more robust networks,” says Efstathios Andrianopoulos of PCRL, the project coordinator. “Our goal is to make Europe the world leader in industrial photonics — providing the tools to support the next generation of automation, robotics, and intelligent systems.”

SPRINTER’s technological focus is centered on four key prototypes:

1. Ultra-fast 200 Gb/s optical transceivers – designed for high-capacity core networks.
2. Hybrid free-space optical and mmWave transceivers – ensuring robust wireless connections in harsh industrial environments.
3. Wavelength-tuneable 10 Gb/s transceivers – capable of dynamically adapting to network demands in real time.
4. A Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) – optimised for space-division multiplexing to intelligently route data and improve network reliability.

By combining these innovations, SPRINTER is developing a unified communication platform able to support time-sensitive networking where even millisecond delays can disrupt automation.

“Factories are full of moving parts, dust, and interference — a nightmare for traditional WiFi,” says Efstathios Andrianopoulos. “That’s why we’re developing hybrid transceivers that combine laser and radio technologies: to maintain wireless links, even in the noisiest, most chaotic settings.”

These innovations will support the real-time communication needed for next-gen factories, where even small delays can cause big problems.

Click here to read the full article by Photonics21.

This important recognition celebrates our innovative work in robotic-based sorting systems for sustainable waste management, as presented at the “Sustainable Robotics” workshop during the forum.

Our awarded system integrates three key technological pillars:

• Autonomous robotic platforms
• AI-powered data fusion
• Advanced multi-sensor agents

Together, these technologies are transforming waste sorting and recycling, driving greater use of recycled materials in production chains while significantly reducing environmental impact.

By combining agile industrial sorters with collaborative robotics, our solution maximizes resource recovery and minimizes the environmental footprint of waste management operations. Beyond operational benefits, our approach advances the sustainability of robotic systems themselves—through energy-efficient design, lifecycle assessment, and material circularity—promoting environmental protection, economic efficiency, and social inclusion across urban and industrial environments.

This achievement is a proud milestone in our ongoing mission to fuse innovation with sustainability, delivering real-world impact through next-generation technologies.

As the research branch of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of NTUA, the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS-NTUA) is honored to play an important role in this achievement. Our institute has long been a driving force behind NTUA’s excellence, contributing through pioneering research, technological advancements, and strategic collaborations with academic institutions, research centers, and industry leaders worldwide.

ICCS has been at the forefront of innovation, leading cutting-edge projects in areas such as artificial intelligence, telecommunications, cybersecurity, energy systems, transportation, and smart cities. Our researchers and faculty members consistently push the boundaries of knowledge, securing competitive research funding from prestigious European and international programs, and actively shaping the future of technology and engineering.

This recognition not only reaffirms NTUA’s standing as a premier institution of higher learning but also motivates us to continue our mission of fostering scientific discovery, nurturing talent, and driving sustainable technological growth for the benefit of Greece and the global community.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all – NTUA’s faculty, researchers, students, and administrative staff for their dedication and contributions to this remarkable achievement. ICCS remains committed to upholding the highest standards of academic and research excellence, ensuring that NTUA continues to set new benchmarks in education and innovation.

Together, we celebrate this milestone and look forward to an even brighter future for NTUA, ICCS, and the entire Greek scientific and academic community.

Details of this innovation, and how it was categorised by the analysis, are as follows:

• Innovation Title: 5G and IoT Platform in Port Operations with NFV-MANO support;
• Market Maturity of the Innovation: Tech Ready (more details on this categorisation are provided here);
• Market Creation Potential of the innovation: Addresses needs of existing markets (more details on this categorisation are provided here);

The Innovation Radar platform builds on the information and data gathered by independent experts involved in reviewing ongoing research and innovation projects funded by the European Commission. The aim is to make information about EU-funded innovations from high-quality projects visible and accessible to the public via the EU’s Innovation Radar platform. This will show citizens the many excellent technological and scientific advances being delivered by researchers and innovators around Europe, funded on their behalf by the European Commission.

According to the recent decision of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) that announces the successful evaluation and approval of the Energy Competence Center, the Competence Center will be formed as a spinoff company targeting to the capitalization of relevant research results and know-how produced by universities or other knowledge-producing public organizations in Greece or abroad. In this context, the Energy Competence Center will constitute a public-private partnership scheme, aiming to bridge the gap between demand and supply of specialized innovation services and technology transfer in the energy sector.

The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)/Special Account for Research Funding has undertaken the coordinating role for the establishment of the Energy Competence Center on behalf of the collaborating bodies.  Twelve additional bodies – significant Greek higher education institutions, research institutions as well as companies active in the energy, environment and economy sectors – are participating to the Energy Competence Center, namely: Institute of Communication and Computer Systems, University of Western Macedonia, DEPA COMMERCIAL SA, Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries SA, MYTILINEOS SA, EYDAP SA, OASA SA, DANAOS Management Consultants SA, HYDRUS ENGINEERING LTD, Trikala Development Agency SA, National Observatory of Athens, Environmental Protection Engineering SA.

According to the medium-term strategy of NTUA and ICCS, the main activities of the Energy Competence Center will relate to:

• Joint use of facilities and equipment, exchange knowledge and expertise, networking, information dissemination and collaboration between enterprises and other organizations/bodies of the Energy Competence Center.
• Encouraging transfer of technological solutions and innovations to production processes and/or for the production/supply of products/services resulting from the development, adoption, and diffusion of new technologies to companies, to improve their competitiveness.
• Staff training for companies, aiming to the acquisition of relevant skills.
• Implementation of innovative research projects and the development of services/products, actions to promote innovation in domestic entrepreneurship.

In particular, for the business sector and towards their technological and digital transformation, the Energy Competence Center will set priorities focusing on the encouragement of transferring technological solutions and innovations in production processes, the orientation of companies to products and services of high added value, development of comparative advantages, the development of extrovert entrepreneurship and their further networking. Additionally, an important goal is the training of companies’ staff for the acquisition of skills in industry with an emphasis on Industry 4.0.

More specifically, the primary task of the Energy Competence Center is the promotion of innovation in domestic entrepreneurship, the exchange of knowledge and expertise, the development of networks and the collaboration between companies and other organizations with emphasis on the following subjects:

• Centralised Power Generation in Post-Lignite Era : Hybridization and modification of existing lignite-fired power plants for biomass and natural gas combustion, Integration of anti-pollution and capturing technologies, CO₂ storage and utilization, Cogeneration and tri-generation of heat, electricity and cold in centralized thermal power plants.
• Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Projects : Economic and social sustainability and sustainability of RES projects, Solar energy, Wind energy, Biomass, Hydroelectric energy, Wave energy.
• Decentralized energy production and saving
• Energy Production and Saving : Waste heat recovery and technologies of cogeneration/ tri-generation of heat, electricity and cold in industry, zero-positive energy buildings and districts.
• Energy Storage : Chemical Energy Storage, Electrical Energy Storage, Electrochemical Energy Storage, Mechanical Energy Storage, Heat Storage.
• Smart Cities and Communities, Sustainable Development, Environment : Electromobility, Sustainable Transportation, Use of Sustainable Resources, Water Resources Conservation, Sewage Treatment, RES-based desalination solutions.
• Transmission and Energy Distribution Networks : Electricity Transmission Networks, Electricity Distribution Networks, Gas and Liquid Fuel Transmission Networks – liquefied and non-liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, SNG, biogas, Combined transmission networks, Storage Stations, Interconnected energy networks for electricity, gas and liquid fuels, heating and cooling.

“No other sector is as fundamental to the country’s development as well as so closely linked to the well-being of citizens and climate change issues as the energy sector. Universities and Research Centers are currently the main bodies that conduct scientific research and innovation development in the field of energy in the country; however, in addition to promoting science and excellence, our goal in the field of energy should consist of the optimal exploitation of the available energy resources, the constant technology evolution and its practical contribution to the national development and economy” mention in their joint statement the Rector of NTUA Prof. Andreas G. Boudouvis, the Director of ICCS Prof. Yannis Vassiliou and the NTUA Vice Rector of Research and Lifelong Education and Coordinator of the Energy Competence Center Prof. Ioannis K. Chatjigeorgiou.

The Energy Competence Center aims to strengthen the link between academic research and entrepreneurship and to respond to an essential need for significant projects and investments in large-scale research infrastructure, focusing on energy planning that looks towards the future, creates new development perspectives and responds effectively to contemporary environmental challenges.

The establishment of the Energy Competence Center was recently approved by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) in the context of the act “Competence Centers” (CC) with the aim of strengthening integrated plans for the establishment and operation of Competence Centers in the country. The action is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union under the Operational Program “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” of the NSRF 2014-2020.