DEREE - The American College of Greece is a private Center of Post-Lyceum Education, non-profit American institution of higher education, located in Athens, Greece. Its 64-acre main campus is located in the northeastern Athenian suburb of Aghia Paraskevi. DEREE-ACG is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. DEREE confers bachelor’s and master's degrees in a variety of fields in the liberal arts, business, science, and technology. History The American College of Greece was founded in 1875 in the city of Smyrna, Asia Minor, by American Christian missionaries. Initially an all-girls secondary school, it became an institution of higher education in 1885. The College was shut down in 1922 during the massive flight of Greeks from Asia Minor following the Asia Minor Disaster in the aftermath of World War I. In 1923, Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos invited the College to reopen in Athens. It did so that same year and survived the World War II Nazi occupation of the country.