National Archive of PhD Theses EKT (Greece)

Overview

The National Archive of PhD Theses (known by its Greek abbreviation EADD, or in English as NA.Ph.D.) is a national digital repository maintained by the National Documentation Centre of Greece (EKT – Ethniko Kentro Tekmiriosis). Established by law in 1985, it collects, preserves, and provides open access to doctoral dissertations awarded by Greek higher education institutions, as well as theses awarded to Greek scholars by foreign universities and recognized by the Hellenic NARIC (DOATAP).

History and Founding

The National Documentation Centre (EKT) was founded in 1980 with support from the United Nations Development Programme. Since 1985, EKT has been legally mandated—under Law 1566/1985—to develop and maintain the National Archive of PhD Theses. The repository initially held print copies housed at the EKT library at the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF); over subsequent decades, the system was progressively digitized. A major upgrade occurred under the EU-funded project "National Information System for Research and Technology – Social Networks and User Generated Content," which redeveloped the platform at didaktorika.gr. As of 2020, the archive holds more than 44,000 doctoral dissertations.

Collections and Holdings

The archive contains doctoral theses from Greek universities spanning all scientific and humanities disciplines, with the earliest holdings dating back to 1932, though the majority date from 1985 onward. Classification of theses by scientific field also serves administrative functions, as it is used as a criterion in procedures of the Hellenic Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP) under Law 4765/2021. Each registered thesis receives a unique URL to ensure long-term digital preservation.

Access and Usage

The archive is freely accessible online at didaktorika.gr and phdtheses.ekt.gr. Visitors may perform simple or advanced searches by bibliographic fields such as scientific discipline, institution, and author. Registered users may download full texts when copyright authorization permits, or order print or digital copies. EKT is a member of DART-Europe, contributing metadata to the DART-Europe portal for improved global access to European research theses. The complete official print archive is housed at the EKT Library at the NHRF in Athens.