Prof. George Petrakos
Department of Planning and Regional Development
University of Thessaly, Greece
Εx Rector of the University of Thessaly
Short CV:
George Petrakos is an economist and a professor at the Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly. His research interests include urban and regional economics, development, structural change, integration and regional policy. He has served a 4-years term as the Rector of the University of Thessaly. He has also served as the Chairman of the Department of Planning and Regional Development (6 years), a member of the Research Council of the University (3 years), the Director of several Graduate Programs, the Director of the Laboratory for Regional Economic Analysis and Policy (since 1996) and the Director of the South and East European Development Center (since 1998). He has served the Government of Greece for 2.5 years as the Secretary General for Investment and Development in the Ministry of Economy and Development with responsibility for key aspects of the development policy of Greece, while in the same period he served as the President of the JESSICA and JEREMIE Investment Funds. In addition, he has served as the Vice-President of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) (2007-11) and as a member of the Council of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) (2008-11). He holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from Arizona State University (USA) and has a research and publication record that includes more than 25 books and edited volumes and about 200 articles in journals and books that have received more than 3500 citations (Google Scholar). Journals include Regional Studies, Annals of Regional Science, Environment and Planning, Papers in Regional Science, Cambridge Journal of Regions Economy and Society, International Regional Science Review, European Urban and Regional Studies, European Planning Studies, Journal of Economic Studies, Growth and Change, etc. He has a long experience in setting up and participating in European research networks and successfully implementing a large number of EU funded and highly competitive research programs of a total budget that exceeds 8 million euros. He has a 35 years teaching experience in Greece, the USA and elsewhere at both the undergraduate and graduate level and has supervised many Doctorate candidates.