AN anti-austerity minister in the Greek government is to be honoured by students from a Scottish university.

The students' association from Strathclyde University, in Glasgow, has given Nikos Pappas, Greece's minister of state, honorary life membership of the students union.

Mr Pappas, who studied at the university and was awarded a PhD in 2013, will visit Scotland next month to receive the award, which is for his contribution to society, economy and political life.

Gary Paterson, president of the University of Strathclyde Students' Association, said the minister in Greece's left-wing Syriza government was doing "inspiring work" in Greece and across Europe to "rebalance the economic injustices facing working people".

He said: "Nikos was recently an economics researcher at Strathclyde before returning to Greece to take part in the movement which is now setting examples across our continent and showing us the need for a public economy that works for all people with close ties to grassroots communities.

"Scotland has a lot of parallels with Greece which is seeing a massive movement for change with the previously disenfranchised. On the back of the referendum, and as we move into post-election Scotland with a UK Government committed to austerity, there are many lessons we must learn from Greece.

"I am delighted Nikos can come back to his university to share his story to inspire the students of Scotland in the fight for a fairer society across Europe."

Mr Pappas was awarded his PhD after writing a thesis exploring the macroeconomic impact of projected population changes in Greece.

Following Syriza's election victory in January, he was appointed as a minister in Alexis Tsipras' anti-austerity government.

Mr Pappas, who will visit the students association in June to receive the honorary life membership, will take questions from an audience of staff and students.

The event will also be attended by Scottish trade unionist Suki Sangha and Kostas Vlahopoulos from Syriza Scotland.