DPL is active in a wide range of research areas involving development processes and have a strong policy relevance. Research includes the spatial dimension of growth performance, regional dynamics, structural change and rebooting, global challenges for cities and regions, resilience and sustainability of productive systems, urban restructuring and change, and the design of effective development policies at all spatial levels. To this end, DPL deploys appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods, including spatial data analysis, econometric modeling and surveys and develops significant databases at the micro, firm, regional and urban level. Research at DPL has a local-global character, as it combines locality and regional-level development challenges with Pan-European or global mega-trends and market or policy dynamics.
DPL supports policy-making at the national, regional, local, and sectoral levels on a wide range of issues related to policies of growth, resilience and sustainable development. Advisory includes development studies and programs, strategic development plans, master plans for cities, area rehabilitation projects, restructuring, consultancy on development policy at the local, regional and national scale, labor market and skill development analysis, local business resilience and competitiveness analysis, feasibility studies for private and public land development projects and impact analysis of European/National policies or market dynamics at the regional and local level.
Selected recent advisory
- Study for the development of the Prefecture of Ileia with a focus on Ancient Olympia”, DiaNEOsis, 2022.
- Advisor in the project “Ex post evaluation of Cohesion policy programmes 2014-2020 financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)” REGIO/2022/OP/0008 Package 6: SME Support (2021CE16BAT064). Project leader: CSIL-Centro Studi Industria Leggera SC.
- “Resilient Western Athens 2030”, Development Association of Western Athens, 2022-23.
- “The development of human resources in the North Evia island”. Study for the restructuring and development of North Evia island after the wildfires, DiaNEOsis, 2021-22.
- “Regional Operational Program of Thessaly”. Advisory services to the Managing Authority of Thessaly for the design of the Programming Period 2021-27, Region of Thessaly, 2021-22.
- Study for the design of policies in the Mediterranean Basin for the improvement of the territorial governance of the INTERREG MED Program in the next Programming Period, Managing Authority of the PANORAMED Program, 2021-22.
- “Support of Energy-dependent Municipalities of Western Macedonia and Megalopolis in the evaluation of the impact of the Just Transition Territorial Plan towards a smooth transition in the post-lignite period and the development of a sustainable productive system”, Network of Energy-dependent Municipalities, 23/3/21-23/5/21.
- “Support of the Region of Central Greece for the restoration of funding gap during the last programming periods”, Region of Central Greece Managing Authority, 1/9/20-31/12/20.
- “Territorial review of Greece with a special focus on Cohesion Policy”, OECD, Duration: 2018-20. Contract: 500077469.
- “Management, Advisory and Technical support of the Industrial Estate of Vamvakourgia Urban Regeneration Project and its transformation to a new University Campus in the City of Volos with academic, research, social and student housing activities”, University of Thessaly Research Committee, 2019-2023.
- “Study for the design of Policies in the Mediteranean Basin and the Improvement of the Territorial Governance of the European Program INTERREG MED for the 2021-27 Programming Period” PANORAMED-INTERREG MED, 5/21 – 12/21.
DPL provides periodical reporting and Commentary on major development policy trends, including the design and implementation of Structural Funds, the National Development Program, The Recovery and Resilience Fund at the regional and local level. Reports on policy implementation can also be provided on a demand basis for interested regions or local areas.
DPL develops a unique platform for Municipalities that combines economic, demographic and social statistics on population, income and employment, with data related to all types of urban infrastructure and urban services, indices of welfare and wellbeing, the structure of the local productive system, the structure and size of local administration and public policies implemented locally from the national, regional and local administration. The platform assits Municipalities to put together all aspects of their endownments and their economic and social profile and design development plans and policies that correspond better to the problems and challenges they face.
DPL combines active research and advisory with teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level, so that new knowledge is transmitted to students and young professionals. The faculty members and researchers of DPL are engaged in teaching a wide range of courses, including:
Undergraduate level
- Political Economy
- Public Economics and Management
- Regional Economics
- Regional Development
- Policies of Spatial Planning and Development I
- Policies for Spatial Planning and Development II
- Development Economics
- Econometrics
Post Graduate level
- Urban Economics
- Urban Development
- Microeconomics and Managerial Economics
- Macroeconomics and Development Economics
- Spatial Economics
- Investment Design
- Evaluation and Finance
- The Greek Economy: Transformation, Integration and Development Strategies and Policies of National and Regional Competitiveness.
- Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, and Alexandra Sotiriou. “Trading with Richer and Poorer Countries: Trade Integration and Regional Inequality in Greece.” The Annals of Regional Science, 7 June 2021, 10.1007/s00168-021-01062-1
- Petrakos G, Sotiriou A. (2021) ‘Grexit and Brexit: Incidents, accidents and wake-up calls on the bumpy road of European (dis)integration’. European Urban and Regional Studies, 28(1):20–25. doi:10.1177/0969776420970613
- Adamakou M., Kallioras D. and Petrakos G. (2021), Detecting Convergence Trends among EU Universities, Economies, 9(2): 42.
- Niavis S., Kallioras D., Vlontzos G. and Duquenne M.N. (2021), Examining Lockdown Fine Optimality during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Economies, 9(1): 36.
- Niavis S. and Kallioras D. (2021), The Efficiency of Tourism Sector in EU Mediterranean Coastal Regions: The Effects of Seasonality and Spatiality of Demand, Region, 8(1): 135-152.
- Niavis, S., Papatheochari, T., Koutsopoulou, T., Coccossis, H. and Psycharis Y. (2021) ‘Considering regional challenges when prioritizing tourism policy interventions: evidence from a Mediterranean community of projects’. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1876074