The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA) was the first University in Greece, founded in May 1837. It is the largest state institution of higher education in Greece, and among the largest universities in Europe. Until today, the UoA has successfully implemented and participated in over 4500 research programs in different fields.

The University of Athens has many laboratories and vast infrastructure, which uses for teaching and for the purposes of the research programs. All funds are invested into the management and operation of educational, research and cultural programmes, into student and staff services and grants.

The Center of Financial Studies (CFS) is a research centre within the Department of Economic Sciences of the University of Athens. Its main objectives are:

• promotion of studies and applied research on the subjects of finance and more broadly of economic growth concerning Greek economy, as well as the problems related to these;
• organization of training seminars for University graduates and business executives on financial analysis, management of financial organisations and other companies, as well as on new methods and products;
• training, improvement and special knowledge for the University graduates in order to enhance their professional skills in a developing and continually differentiated Greek financial market;
• development of data bases for the international and Greek capital markets, which are essential for the study of finance;
• cooperation with other Greek and foreign Universities, institutions and businesses, in accordance with the above aims and objectives.

The main research activities of the CFS include studies in the following areas:

• Money and Capital Markets
• Corporate finance
• Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility
• Theory of the firm and entrepreneurship
• Research, technology, innovation and the information society