As Greece awaits the State’s decision on granting a license for the establishment and operation of a University Legal Entity (U.L.E.), in accordance with Law 5094/2024, the parent institution, Iowa State University (ISU), is recording a remarkable rise, ranking 7th globally in Agricultural and Forestry programs for 2026 and 4th in the United States.

This development, which places ISU ahead of leading institutions such as Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, Ghent University, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and ETH Zurich, brings significant prestige to the American Farm School (AFS). The anticipated collaboration between the two institutions is expected to further strengthen higher education in Greece. ISU’s entry into the global top ten is also expected to significantly boost student interest for the upcoming academic year, reinforcing the School’s historic decision to move forward with the establishment of AFSU-U.L.E.

The application for the new University Legal Entity (U.L.E.) was submitted in late February 2026, marking a milestone for agro-food education in Greece. Under the name “AFS University of Science and Technology – U.L.E.” and operating under the commercial name AFSU-U.L.E., the new institution will be based on the American Farm School campus in Thessaloniki, leveraging its modern facilities, laboratories, and educational farm. It will offer four-year Bachelor’s degree programs exclusively in English.

AFSU-U.L.E. will consist of three Schools: the School of Agriculture & Natural Resources, the School of Sciences (offering degrees in Food Science and Biochemistry), and the School of Business Administration and Economics.

The integration of the American Farm School’s hands-on educational approach, built on 122 years of contribution, with the academic excellence of one of the world’s top agricultural universities, creates a truly distinctive educational model. Subject to approval, undergraduate programs are expected to commence in the 2026–2027 academic year.