Georgios Pappas embraced a unique opportunity that changed his life. 

He was the first to graduate with degrees from the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Engineering and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) as a result of a dual Ph.D. program agreement between the institutions. 

Pappas completed one interdisciplinary, combined thesis and earned two Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering upon graduation, one from MSU and one from NTUA. 

“This was an opportunity to work under two different higher education systems and get the best out of the two worlds,” said Pappas, who completed both degrees in December 2021. “NTUA made me a trained engineer and problem solver, and MSU unleashed my creativity, and potential, expanding my horizons and giving me an international and global perspective of things.” 

In October 2018, MSU and NTUA signed a dual Ph.D. agreement for the preparation and training of engineers at both academic institutions. It was the second agreement of its kind for the MSU College of Engineering, modeled after its first program started in 2017 with India's Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. 

The academic collaborations are designed to give students access to the best science and technology resources available and strengthen research collaborations between faculty members in both countries.

Students, like Pappas, work with expert advisors from both institutions and build global networks through research experiences. Pappas’ advisors were Josh Siegel, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at MSU, and Konstantinos Politopoulos, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NTUA. 

Pappas combined deep electrical and computer engineering training with game design to establish solid game engineering research and development expertise, which he further applies to his distance learning work at the Open University of Cyprus.

“This program revealed what strong teams can accomplish together,” said Pappas. “It is worth saying that it was a life-changing experience, and this program actually set my standard for what my best collaboration is.” 

As the chair of Pappas’ MSU committee, Siegel found the program a rewarding experience. From gaining insights into new research approaches, engaging with an impressive international faculty, and accessing resources that complemented MSU’s strengths, the structured collaboration between institutions allowed him to leverage the unique expertise and perspectives of both universities. 

“A dual Ph.D. from two highly regarded institutions spanning the United States and European Union offers exceptional opportunities for graduates,” Siegel said. “The exposure to diverse academic environments, methodologies, and research networks equips students to thrive in increasingly interconnected fields.”

John Papapolymerou, interim dean of the MSU College of Engineering, described the NTUA agreement as an ideal way to attract Greece's most talented students to MSU and to place MSU students and faculty at one of Greece's leading technology institutes. 

"Preparing tomorrow's scholars and connecting faculty and industry partners in each country is a tremendous opportunity,” said Papapolymerou. “Innovation is not just for industry. Higher education does this very well too.” 

Since 1888, MSU has developed practice-ready engineers who solve complex problems and drive economic development around the world. NTUA is internationally recognized for its emphasis on advanced higher education in science and technology. All eight MSU engineering and computer science departments are included in the agreement with NTUA. 

This story originally appeared on the College of Engineering website.

Students interested in learning more about dual Ph.D. opportunities can visit the Dual Ph.D Programs webpage for more information.