Press Release

Leaders and Experts Gather at Basil & Elise Foundation in Athens to Discuss Greece's Educational Future

Contact: Theodora Kachrimanidi

Email: info@deonpolicy.org

Athens, Greece – February 4th, 2025 – On February 4th, 2025, the Deon Policy Institute hosted an impactful event at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Institute, drawing over 100 government leaders, academic experts, and international professionals to discuss the future of Greek academia and the potential for reversing the country's academic brain drain. The event, inspired by the findings of the Institute's latest report, "Greek Academic Diaspora Survey: Is Brain Regain in Greek Academia Possible?" illuminated key opportunities and challenges related to attracting Greek academics from abroad back to Greece.

The report, presented by Afroditi Xydi, Executive Director of Deon Policy Institute, and co-authored by Korina Anagnostopoulou, a Deon Policy Institute contributor and Policy Advisor in Massachusetts, offers a first-ever comprehensive survey of the Greek academic diaspora. The presentation highlighted how large the Greek academic Diaspora is and stressed that 59% of survey respondents were interested in moving to Greece to work in academia. Ms. Xydi also elaborated on the conditions necessary for their return, and their overall perspective on the state of Greek universities and the country. She also presented concrete recommendations from Deon and the authors on reversing the academic brain drain and improving higher education in Greece.

Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, delivered opening keynote remarks before the start of the panel discussion. The roundtable discussion, moderated by Maria Nikoltsiou, News Anchor and Journalist at Alpha TV, featured notable panelists, including:

  • Nikos Vettas, General Director of IOBE and Professor at Athens University of Economics and Business

  • Nectarios Koziris, Professor of Computer Science at the National Technical University of Athens

  • Manolis Pratsinakis, Assistant Professor at Harokopio University, Research Affiliate at Oxford, and diaNEOsis survey coordinator

  • Stefanos Gandolfo, Director of the Athens Columbia Global Center

  • Afroditi Xydi, Executive Director of the Deon Policy Institute

"This event demonstrates the immense potential we have to reimagine Greece's academic landscape," said Georgios Laskaris, President of the Deon Policy Institute, in his opening remarks. "With the right reforms and collaboration, we can create opportunities for academics to return and play a role in shaping a stronger future for our universities."

Dr. Laskaris further reflected on his journey and the importance of bringing ideas from abroad back to Greece: "When I first moved abroad in 2008, I encountered a completely different academic world—a world of cutting-edge research, academic freedom, and massive funding. This experience led me to ask: Why can't this happen in Greece? We must turn Greek academia into a powerhouse for the country's future."

Deon Policy Institute's report presents all the survey findings, including invaluable demographic insights that have never been captured before. The document also includes details on the recommendations by the authors with regards to reversing the academic brain drain, and specific strategies on how to target specific demographics within the Greek academic diaspora. The full report is now available here.

For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact: info@deonpolicy.org

About Deon Policy Institute

Founded by a group of Greek academics, entrepreneurs, and professionals, the Deon Policy Institute is a non-partisan think tank that aims to organize and transform the Hellenic Diaspora into a catalyst for the progress of Greece.