Thessaloniki transforms into a meeting point between research and industry this May, hosting the first Aristotle Innovation Forum (AIF), a new international event dedicated to artificial intelligence and innovation.
Organised by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the week-long forum will take place from 17 to 23 May and aims to become a hub for the academic and innovation community in Greece. More than 100 established scientists and academics are expected to participate in around 70 thematic sessions exploring the role of AI and emerging technologies across multiple fields.
According to university rector Kyriakos Anastasiadis, the forum aims to become a "space for meeting and collaboration, a compass" for future innovation. He added that, beyond startups and spin-offs, innovation is centred on health, education, sustainable development, the humanities, democracy, and new production models. Through the initiative, the university seeks to open dialogue with the business community and the wider innovation ecosystem to help ensure that "knowledge is transformed into progress".
The forum was described as a "social necessity" by Iakovos Michailidis, vice rector for international relations, extroversion, lifelong learning and student welfare. The initiative, he said, ultimately aims to help position Greece as a global destination for education and research.
Michailidis, who chairs the forum's organising committee, explained that Pavilion 16 at the Thessaloniki International Fair grounds will be transformed into a central hub for the event. Greek universities will showcase their work alongside innovative companies presenting new technologies and research projects. The main events of the forum will also take place there, symbolically linking the legacy of the Greek philosopher Aristotle to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which artificial intelligence plays a central role.
Parallel events and talks will be organised across the university campus and at venues around Thessaloniki, with a major public celebration in Aristotelous Square to mark the 100th anniversary of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Among the invited guests will be a NASA astronaut, leading figures from the medical field and prominent academics analysing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, as well as several surprise speakers.
Vice rector for research and innovation Ioannis Rekanos described the forum as "a meeting place for communication and exchange of ideas", with topics including digital transformation, the green transition in universities, the European degree framework and lifelong learning. "Innovation requires being unconventional and breaking the mould to create something new," he noted.
University officials also highlighted plans to strengthen collaboration with the Greek diaspora and international partners, as well as to create stronger links between academic research and industry. As rector's adviser Yiannis Stavrou observed, businesses increasingly seek knowledge, research and specialised talent, while universities aim to ensure their scientific output finds practical applications. The challenge, he said, is to build stable mechanisms that turn this shared intention into reality.
