About

About me

I have a background in education and training and lifelong learning, having worked as a policy analyst, researcher, school leader, teacher and teacher trainer. I have published more than 50 books, studies, articles and policy reports.

I have led the design and management of large-scale research projects on innovation in education and training, entrepreneurship, digital skills and the pedagogical use of technology, working with ministries of education and other stakeholders from national and international organisations.

Languages:

Greek: native speaker

English: proficiency level

Spanish: proficiency level

Education

2005-2009: PhD in cognitive science (fostering creative thinking), Finland
2001-2003: Master’s in education sciences, Greece
1985-1990: Bachelor’s in education sciences, Greece

Training and lifelong learning

Commitment to continuous professional and personal development through formal training at the workplace (e.g., courses on Spanish language, public speaking, data analysis and visualisation, participatory leadership) and informal and non-formal training outside the workplace (e.g., completing Massive Open Online Courses).

Scholarships and Awards

2019: Local Hero, EU protects campaign of the European Commission
2012-2014: Grant holder of the European Commission
2009: PhD scholarship from the Jyväskylä Graduate School in Computing and Mathematical Sciences COMAS, Finland
2005-2009: PhD scholarship from the Greek State Scholarships Foundation
2001-2003: Master scholarship from the Greek Ministry of Education

Skills & competences...

Professional Experience

2020-today

Consultant

I work as independent expert and consultant in projects on human capital development, innovation and digital transformation of education, training and lifelong learning, key competences (especially on digital and entrepreneurship competence) and transversal skills such as creativity and computational thinking.

2020-today

2012 - 2020

Policy analyst and project lead

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Spain

I have designed and implemented several policy-focused research projects. Since 2017, I have been project lead for the SELFIE online tool to support general and vocational schools in the digital age. I have been responsible for the technical and scientific development of the project managing a team of eight in-house staff as well as external contractors. The project involved taking the policy priorities of the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan and translating these to a practical, usable and flexible tool.

2012 - 2020

2010 - 2011

School head

Ministry of Education, Greece

I led and managed a primary school with 25 teachers and 180 students, managing staffing, budgets and school events.

2010 - 2011

2005 - 2010

PhD researcher in Cognitive Science

University of Jyväskylä, Finland

I conducted mixed-method research (including desk research, literature review, data collection and statistical analysis of qualitative and quantitative data) on fostering creative thinking in educational settings

2005 - 2010

1994-2011

Musician, teacher, trainer, writer

Public and private sector, Greece

I worked for more than 11 years as a primary school teacher spread from 1994 to 2011.

I have trained more than 3,000 teachers on creativity, innovation, teamwork, digital technologies in education, and arts education having more than 650 hours of experience as a teacher trainer spread from 2001 to 2011.