The University of Macedonia (UoM; , Panepistímio Makedonías (Pa.Mak.)) is a public research university in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. It is a modern institution, renowned for the quality, freedom, democracy, meritocracy and individual development it provides to its members. Founded as School of Higher Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki (in Greek: Ανώτατη Βιομηχανική Σχολή Θεσσαλονίκης) in 1948 and started its first operation during the academic year 1957–1958, it is the second largest university in the city (following the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki). It currently consists of eight departments which deal mainly with social, political, economic sciences and Information Technology. The language of instruction is Greek, although there are programs in foreign languages,courses and for international and local students, carried out in English, French, German, Italian, Turkish, Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian and Arabic. History Origins In 1930 the evening Business School is founded by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Thessaloniki which can be considered the antecedent of the Graduate School of Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki. In 1948 the three-year Graduate School of Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki is founded in accordance with Emergency Law 800/1948 as a legal entity governed by private law under the authority of the Ministry of National Economy. In 1954 the first Council of the Graduate School of Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki is established under the Ministerial Decree 70139/15-1-1954 of the minister Director- General of Northern Greece. In 1956 the “Internal Rules of Procedure of the Graduate School of Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki” got approved. The internal rules specify in detail all administrative and education matters for the organization of the School. One year later, the operation of the School starts with the admission of the first students. In 1958 the school is renamed as “School of Higher Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki”, attendance is for four years, “the degree is equivalent to those provided by all four-year attendance Schools of Higher Education”, operation is under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry. 4 years later, the School is governed by a Council appointed by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. Thus, the School operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. Specializations are introduced for the first time in the school's curriculum. In 1966 the school is renamed as “School of Higher Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki” and it operates as a legal entity governed by private law. Until the issuance of the Royal Decrees provided for by