The University of Thessaly was founded in 1984. Administratively based in the city of Volos, it has developed in the whole region of Thessaly and Central Greece, and it is organized in 8 faculties (Agriculture Sciences, Economics & Administrative Sciences, Engineering, Technology, Science, Humanities & Social Sciences, Physical Education Sciences Sports & Dietetics, Health Sciences), 37 departments and 71 post-graduate study programs. 36.622 undergraduate and approximately 4.500 post-graduate students and doctoral candidates are currently studying at the university. It is staffed by 844 faculty members, 427 members of administrative personnel and a large number of contractual instructors. UTH is a dynamically developing higher education institute which ranks in the top 1000 universities worldwide. Its mission is to promote knowledge through instruction and research and to contribute to the cultural and economic development on a regional, national, and international level.

UTH is deeply invested in high-quality scientific research, considering it a necessary presupposition for the production and transmission of new knowledge. It encourages scientific distinction in its research potential in all fields, rewards high individual and collective achievements, and creates a conducive climate for research and teaching innovation. Establishing the foundation for local decision-makers and the community to connect with academia is the main objective of UTH’s participation in the TENACITY project, so that the findings generated by the academic research can be used for the development of effective policies and strategies for the benefit of the local community.

Through the project, UTH seeks to enhance its academic third mission through the production, utilization, and dissemination of knowledge, the reinforcement of its relations with the most developed segment of the international scientific community, and the reinforcement of its bonds with society and the economy on a regional and national level.

A very interesting aspect of the project has been the application of innovative methods to enhance both the participation of the local community and the role of the university through the development of a platform that provides users with the opportunity to stay informed about the results of academic research and major issues that may arise. The platform will provide a means of interaction between different groups of society and of academic deliberation on critical issues on the basis of an open, democratic dialogue, which is essential to finding sustainable solutions.

The university is a complex and intensely diverse human ecosystem with sensitive balance both in its internal and external environment, a great variety of academic origins and orientations, but also an inexhaustible creativity seeking an outlet and a role in shaping reality. In this direction, the Handbook of the project and the methodologies developed will be valuable means to create a learning environment that promotes critical thought, innovation, freedom of expression, and the cultivation of loyalty to democratic ideals. Furthermore, UTH aims to make Academic Deliberative Arenas the meeting and collaboration point of all stakeholders that trust in the role of the university and wish to actively participate and work in an organized and creative way to form and promote effective policies for the sustainable development of the regional unit of Thessaly.