UNIVERSITY OF THE AEGEAN
The University of the Aegean (UAegean) was founded in 1984. It is a Network University of “academic ports of studies and research”, successfully established in 6 campuses spread across the Aegean Archipelago and offers a unique academic, natural, cultural and human environment to experience.
The Research Unit is the administrative and managing mechanism of the University of the Aegean and since 1985 has implemented more than 2400 projects either EU funded or from National resources.
The research activity of Laboratory of Development Studies and Research (DeRes Lab) focuses among others on the fields of Regional and Local Development and Policy, EU Regional Policy, Urban Development, Sustainable Development.
About the partnership
UAegean and the team members of DeRes Lab are involved in WP1, WP2, WP9, WP10 and WP11 and we are leading Task 2.4. In this task, we will analyze the strategic frameworks from participating regions, alongside their corresponding national and eu strategies. We will evaluate how the actions undertaken in the project contribute to sustainability and resilience. To do so, we will use both classic and ML enabled methods. Also, based on the activities undertaken in this project, we will assess how they can contribute to the sustainable development strategies of the regions and propose indicators that can be utilized to measure circularity, sustainability, and resilience. These indicators will assist the regions involved to assess and track their progress toward achieving long-term, resilient, and sustainable development.
Meet the Team
Eleni Gaki
PhD – Faculty Member
Dr. Eleni Gaki is an Associate Professor with expertise in “Statistical Methods in Regional Analysis” in the Department of Business Administration at the University of the Aegean. She is a graduate of the Department of Business Administration at the University of the Aegean and holds a doctoral degree in Economics and Regional Analysis from the same University. Her research interests revolve around fundamental issues in regional development, with an emphasis on the use of statistical methods and techniques for its study.
Manolis Christofakis
PhD – Dean
Dr. Manolis Christofakis is Professor of Regional Development and Policy in the Department of Business Administration of University of the Aegean. He has served as Department Head and Director of the MBA Program. He is Director of the Laboratory of Development Studies and Research of the same Department and Dean of the Business School of University of the Aegean. From 2004 to 2015 was a faculty member of the Department of Economic and Regional Development of Panteion University. He is member of the collaborating teaching staff of the Hellenic Open University.
Nikolaos Iason Koufodontis
PhD – Faculty Member
Dr. Nikolaos Iason Koufodontis is an academic researcher with over 30 years of relevant experience. As a faculty member he has lectured for two decades in undergraduate and graduate courses in Europe and in the United States. He specializes in digital entrepreneurship, innovation, and emerging technologies, with a focus in tourism, aviation, and regional development. Book author, with research published in scientific journals and international conferences. Involved in the development and implementation of numerous innovative digital technologies in tourism since the dawn of the internet age in Greece. Experienced programmer and system developer.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions programme under grant agreement No 101095303, under topic HORIZON-CL4-2024-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-38 – Hubs for circularity for industrialised urban peripheral areas (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA).
