Facebook Instagram Linkedin Youtube

«Microcredentials in VET: Opportunities for Employers and Employees, VET Centres, and Business Support Organisations»

The international conference “Micro-credentials in VET: Opportunities for Employers and Employees, VET Centres, and Business Support Organisations” was organized within the framework of the MICROIDEA project, the conference aimed to examine the role of micro-credentials in enhancing skills development, employability, and quality assurance within VET systems. It also highlighted the potential of micro-credentials to bridge the gap between education, training, and labour market needs. 

The program included a plenary session with contributions from policy-makers, employers, and business support organisations, followed by a round table featuring VET providers, trainers, and learners from Spain, Greece, and Cyprus. Discussions focused on national contexts, challenges in skills recognition, and opportunities for certification and collaboration between VET institutions and enterprises. 

This conference contributed to the MICROIDEA project’s mission to strengthen the recognition and validation of learning outcomes in VET across Europe, promoting flexible, transparent, and inclusive pathways for skills development. 

Here you can find the program of the conference with the key speakers, the presentations, a gallery with photos and on our channel on YouTube the recording of the webinar and the video. 

Speakers

Jaume Llosas Pellisé
Olena Korzhykova
Athina Lazou
Maria Christofi
Albert Canadell
Núria Franco
Anna Poy
Elena Andreu
Vergetakis Konstantinos
Konstantinos Nektarios Koutakis
Georgia Lymperopoulou
Stella Philippou
Andreas Alexi
Irini Iacovidou
Guillem Salvans
Juan Antonio Duro
Eva Pizarro
Ainhoa Ruiz Morales
George Kourani
Phanos Leventis
Loizos Sourouppis
Michalis Charalambous

Presentations

MICRO-CREDENTIALS IN VET: Opportunities for Employers and Employees, VET Centres, and Business Support Organisations
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Gallery

Media Coverage

Following the MICROIDEA Conference in Reus, several local newspapers and media outlets reported on the event and highlighted the project’s role in strengthening the connection between VET programmes and labour market needs. 
Below you can find the full selection of published articles. 

reusempresa.com
read more
reusdigital.cat
read more
laguiadereus.com
read more
canalreus.cat
read more
cambrareus.org
read more
diaridigital.tarragona21.com
read more

9:00 - 9:15 REGISTRATION

9:15 - 10:45 PLENARY SESSION

  • OFFICIAL WELCOME

Jaume Llosas Pellisé. Managing Director and Secretary General, Reus Chamber of Commerce

  • PRESENTATION OF THE MICROIDEA PROJECT

Olena Korzhykova. Director of DomSpain

Athina Lazou. Special Advisor and EU Projects Expert, ACRONYM LTD

  • ISO 17024: ENHANCING THE ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES IN MICROCREDENTIALS

Maria Christofi. Operations Supervisor, Persons’ Certification Division, TUV Austria Hellas

  • CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECOGNITION OF SKILLS/CERTIFICATION IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT OF SPAIN           

Albert Canadell. CEO of the Blaumar Group, a leading hotel and tourism group in Spain

Núria Franco. Director of Human Resources of the Blaumar Group

Anna Poy. Director of Human Resources. PortAventura World

Moderator: Elena Andreu. International Department, Reus Chamber of Commerce

  • CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECOGNITION OF SKILLS/CERTIFICATION IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT OF GREECE.

Konstantinos Vergetakis Learning & Development Manager of Grecotel Hotels & Resorts

Konstantinos Nektarios Koutakis, Restaurant Supervisort | Grecotel Hotels & Resorts

Moderator: Georgia Limperopoulou. Department of Education. German Hellenic Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Athens, Greece

  • CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECOGNITION OF SKILLS/CERTIFICATION IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT OF CYPRUS

Stella Philippou. Member of the System of Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) team at Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA), Cyprus

Andreas Alexi. Legal advisor at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Moderator: Irini Iacovidou, Head of Projects Department, EUROSUCCESS

  • Q&A ROUND. Moderator: DomSpain             

10:45 - 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 - 13:00 ROUNDTABLE WITH STAKEHOLDERS. INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH OF MICROIDEA PILOT INTERVENTIONS
  • OPENING ADDRESS

Jaume Llosas Pellisé. Managing Director and Secretary General, Reus Chamber of Commerce

  • INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH OF MICROIDEA PILOTING PHASE

Olena Korzhykova. Director of DomSpain

Athina Lazou. Special Advisor and EU Projects Expert, ACRONYM LTD

  • TRAINING NEEDS. CERTIFICATION. MICROCREDENTIALS IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT - SPAIN

FP DUAL: INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVES, AND IMPACT OF THE PROGRAMME. EDUCATION-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION

Guillem Salvans. Senior Project Manager of the Bertelsmann Foundation, Spain

  • THE ROLE OF MICROCREDENTIALS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Juan Antonio Duro, Vice-Rector for Economy, Infrastructures, and Institutional Relations of the Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona)

Eva Pizarro. Coordinator of educational programmes focusing on labour inclusion. Espai Boule, Spain

Ainhoa Ruiz Morales. VET student, participant of the FPO DUAL training programme

Moderator: Olena Korzhykova, Director of DomSpain

  • TRAINING NEEDS. CERTIFICATION. MICROCREDENTIALS IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT - GREECE

Konstantinos Vergetakis Learning & Development Manager of Grecotel Hotels & Resorts

Konstantinos Nektarios Koutakis, Restaurant Supervisor | Grecotel Hotels & Resorts

George Kourani, Head Waiter | Grecotel White Palace

Moderator: Georgia Limperopoulou. Department of Education. German Hellenic Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Athens, Greece

  • TRAINING NEEDS. CERTIFICATION. MICROCREDENTIALS IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT - CYPRUS

    Mr Phanos Levendis. Secretary General of P.A.S.I.K.A. (Pancyprian Assosiation of Recreational Centre Owners

    Loizos Sourouppis. Certified instructor, Food and Beverage Service Teacher at a VET centre, Cyprus

    Michalis Charalambous, Hospitality Management; currently working at Amathus Hotel

    Moderator: Irini Iacovidou, Head of Projects Department, EUROSC

  • Q&A ROUND. Moderator: DomSpain

CLOSING ADDRESS: CC Reus

Jaume Llosas Pellisé

Jaume Llosas Pellisé serves as Secretary General and Managing Director of the Cambra de Comerç, Indústria i Navegació de Reus (Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Navigation of Reus). In this role, he heads the executive team, oversees the Chamber’s operational activities, such as business support services, training, internationalisation, innovation and digitalisation and aligns organisational strategy with the needs of local industry and commerce.

Olena Korzhykova

Olena Korzhykova is a Managing Director and Co-founder of DomSpain. Teacher of Languages for Special Purposes, Presentation Skills, Intercultural Studies. Trainer of Project Development Workshops (PDW) and Trainer of Trainers of PDW. Project Coordinator with an extensive experience in national and international projects focused on educational programmes for labour integrating of vulnerable groups, social entrepreneurship, inclusion of people with special needs.

Athina Lazou

Special Advisor/EU Projects Expert at ACRONYM Ltd. Former Head of the Vocational Guidance and VET directorates of the Greek Public Employment Services (DYPA). She has a diverse experience as Director General and CEO with a number of Public Organizations that promote vocational training and reskilling / upskilling of unemployed and employees. She has collaborated with all Social Partners of the country. She has conducted (as project manager/leader) a series of innovative European projects and she was for six years the National Representative at the European Commission for ESCO as well as the OECD Mega Science Forum.

Maria Christofi

Maria Christofi is an Operations’ Supervisor of TÜV AUSTRIA Hellas Persons’ Certification Division. She has participated in the development and promotion of over 90 accredited (ISO/IEC 17024) and non-accredited persons’ certification schemes, for various professional categories and has participated in 6 ERASMUS+ projects. Holding a BSc in Energy Technology Engineering and a MSc in Quality Assurance, she has an extensive understanding of Certification and Accreditation International Standards, Compliance requirements, audit and Certification procedures.

Albert Canadell

Albert Canadell is the General Director (CEO) of Grupo Blaumar, a leading hotel and tourism group based in Salou, Catalonia, known for its commitment to sustainable hospitality, innovation, and service excellence. In this role, he oversees the company’s strategic direction, operational management, and growth initiatives, guiding a portfolio that includes hotels, residential projects, and tourism ventures focused on delivering high-quality experiences along the Costa Daurada.

Núria Franco

Núria Franco Serra serves as Director of Human Resources at Grupo Blaumar, a hospitality group based in Salou, Catalonia. In her role, she champions a people-centric culture that emphasises individual capabilities, inclusion and personal development, rather than limitations. Her professional background includes training in therapy and coaching, combined with extensive experience in HR within the tourism and hospitality  sector.

Anna Poy

Anna Poy serves as Head of People Excellence & People Business Partner at PortAventura World, a leading resort and theme-park operator in Spain. In this role, she leads the design and implementation of talent-and-culture strategies, supports business units through HR-partnership frameworks, and drives initiatives to nurture employee engagement, performance and development across the organisation. She is also advancing her expertise through participation in an Executive Programme in Digital Talent, equipping her with cutting-edge tools and methods to shape future-ready people practices in a rapidly evolving industry.

Elena Andreu

Elena Andreu is the Head of the International Trade Department at the Reus Chamber of Commerce. In this role, she coordinates the management of internationalization services for companies, from finding business partners to handling documentation, contracts, and customs procedures. She also represents the institution at events related to foreign trade and business fairs, strengthening the visibility of the Reus Chamber of Commerce in the international arena.

Vergetakis Konstantinos

Versatile hospitality and human resources professional with over 10 years of experience in
luxury resorts, fine dining, and VIP guest services. Proven expertise in talent development,
team leadership, and operational excellence across HR management, food & beverage
operations, and butler services. Recognized for creating exceptional guest experiences while
fostering high-performance workplace cultures. Fluent in adapting to diverse environments,
from high-end resorts to ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI) service.

Konstantinos Nektarios Koutakis

Experienced Restaurant Manager with strength in delivering high and consistent standards of customer service.
Demonstrates strong skills in evaluating employee performance, providing training and guidance to leverage customer satisfaction. Brings natural flair for hospitality.
Competent Restaurant Manager bringing more than 20 years of foodservice and progressive leadership experience.
Maintains budget controls and coverage needs to achieve business targets and provide high-quality support. Energetic restaurant supevisors focused on coaching staff and solving problems involving kitchen efficiency, inventory and customer satisfaction. Assists staff with creating positive guest experiences as dedicated team player and mentor.
Resourceful and detail-oriented restaurant management professional with extensive experience in food and service industries. Fantastic multitasker successful at managing, motivating and training staff for customer service excellence.

Georgia Lymperopoulou

Georgia Lymperopoulou is the Project Coordinator for AHK in the Erasmus+ project MICROIDEA. She has a pedagogical background and extensive experience in education and teaching. She works on projects related to vocational education and training (VET), including some that implement the German Duales System, focusing on the development and implementation of educational activities and materials.

Stella Philippou

Member of the System of Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) team at HRDA. The team is responsible for the development and continuous update of the vocational qualification standards under SVQ, which are correlated with CyQF and EQF. Tasked with the development, update, monitoring and support of the assessment and certification of vocational qualifications process, as well as the training of SVQ Assessment Center representatives and Vocational Qualifications Assessors. Appointed Officer for Microcredentials at HRDA. Member of the National VET Experts team of the Foundation for the Management of European Lifelong Learning Programmes (IDEP). Holder of a Master’s Degree in Adult Education, a Master’s Degree in Monetary and Financial Economics, a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Certified Trainer of Vocational Training and Certified Assessor of Vocational Achievement. Married with children. Lives in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Andreas Alexi

CCCI – Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Employee in the Department of Labor Relations, Social Policy, and Human Resources. My name is Andreas Alexi and I have been a legal advisor for the past 14 years. My many years of professional experience have given me the opportunity to work in various fields of expertise and philosophy, with an emphasis on labor law, employment law, health and safety, and anti-money laundering.

Irini Iacovidou

Irini Iacovidou is the Head of the Projects Department. She holds an MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy from Leiden University, in the Netherlands and a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of York in the UK. Through her professional experience, she has honed her project management skills delivering processes of quality, facilitating, and catering to the needs of the partners and stakeholders for a seamless experience. Her track record includes the implementation and monitoring of projects under, inter alia, Erasmus+ centralised, Erasmus+ decentralised and COSME. Throughout her academic experience, she has strived to enhance her research expertise and during her years at Leiden University, Irini has become a published author and editor.

Guillem Salvans

Guillem Salvans is a Senior Project Manager at the Bertelsmann Foundation.

He has spent the last decade working on the implementation of apprenticeships in Spain, leading the Alliance for Dual VET project.

Currently, he is a member of the CEDEFOP expert group apprenticeships, representing Spain. His areas of interest focus on the transition from education to employment for young people and on finding solutions to reduce youth unemployment.

Juan Antonio Duro

Juan Antonio Duro is Vice-Rector for Economy, Infrastructure and Institutional Relations at the Rovira i Virgili University (URV), where he oversees budgetary policy, asset management, multi-year economic planning, university investment projects, and regional and institutional engagement.

Eva Pizarro

Eva Pizarro has a degree in Social Work and Social Expertise. Specialization in career guidance for young people at risk of social exclusion. Experience in social services, especially with vulnerable groups.

Currently, coordinator of certified trainings supported by regional and national programmes and job insertion of Espai Boule, Reus, Spain. Commited to the improvement of occupability, with the experience in VET programmes and socio-labor inclusion projects.

George Kourani

Professional waiter with over 3 years of experience in luxury hotels and restaurants, possessing excellent customer service and teamwork skills. Capable of managing high volumes of orders and providing a personalized experience to guests, ensuring their satisfaction.
Seeking to contribute to the impeccable service and growth of the hotel by delivering high-quality services.

Phanos Leventis

GENERAL SECRETARY, PAN-CYPRIOT ASSOCIATION OF RECREATION CENTER OWNERS (P.A.S.I.K.A.)

Mr Levendis holds a diploma in F/B and has been actively involved in the Recreation Center Industry and the Tourism Industry in general for almost four decades. He has served the industry in various positions and has been the owner of well-known restaurants both in Cyprus and abroad. He has served the Cyprus Association of Leisure Center Owners as its Secretary General since 1997 and was Vice President of the Euro-Mediterranean Restaurant Federation. He has collaborated with Anad on the certification of professional qualifications. He has collaborated over the years with various industry bodies both in Cyprus and abroad. He occasionally writes articles on industry-related topics and sometimes submits proposals and suggestions with the sole aim of promoting its development. He is also a chef with a particular fondness and sensitivity for authentic Cypriot cuisine, which he has been trying for years to make part of Cypriot culture and civilization through various proposals, while promoting Cyprus as a gastronomic tourist destination.

Loizos Sourouppis

My name is Loizos Sourouppis and I am an accomplished hospitality professional with over 25 years of experience in the Food and Beverage departments of luxury hotels and cruise ship. I am a Certified Instructor and currently serve as a Food and Beverage Service Teacher at a technical school, where I share my extensive industry knowledge with the next generation of hospitality professionals. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and a Master’s degree in International Tourism and Hospitality Management, reflecting my strong academic foundation and commitment to excellence in the hospitality field.

Michalis Charalambous

Michalis Charalambous is a professional specializing in the Dining and Catering industry with significant experience in the food and beverage services sector. He holds a Higher Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the Cyprus Higher Hotel Institute, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Events and Tourism Management from the European University of Cyprus. He is currently completing his postgraduate studies (MBA) in “Education Management.” His training and professional experience includes various roles at the Amathus Beach Hotel, as well as teaching positions, where he actively contributes to the training of young professionals in the industry.

Anastasia Pouliou

Anastasia Pouliou is a Cedefop Expert in qualifications and credentials – Future of VET. She is currently leading the Agency’s research on Microcredentials for labour market education and training,  learning outcomes and VET excellence and inclusion for the 21st century in Europe. She is involved in other Cedefop activities (including the coordination of developments on national qualifications frameworks and the TVET-Interagency group on the Future of TVET). Before joining Cedefop she worked as an Educational Consultant in the Ministry of Education and Religious affairs and as a head of the European Affairs Unit in the Organisation for Vocational Education and Training (Greece). She has performed senior management and national coordination on Europass and Leonardo da Vinci projects and has published influential articles in academic journals. She has represented Cedefop as keynote speaker at high-level international events in Europe, USA and South Africa.

Magda Peistikou

Magda Peistikou serves as the Head of Learning and Development at INSETE (the Institute of Education of the Greek Tourism Confederation). She holds an MSc in International Hospitality and Tourism Marketing Management, an MBA, and a PgCert. In the past year, she commenced her PhD studies in Event Management.

Since 2006, Magda has been active in the tourism, food, and events sectors, both as a lecturer and a practitioner. In 2009, she became the Editor-in-Chief of *Food Service* magazine and other business publications. Her work has been published in international journals and conference proceedings. In 2020, she began collaborating with the UNWTO as a training expert, participating in educational projects in Russia, Georgia, and Tanzania. In 2022, Magda expanded her career by becoming a mentor for food producers, some of whom have achieved international recognition.

Additionally, she holds the role of judge for both the Taste Olymp Awards and the Innovation in Politics Awards. In 2024, she joined the TEDxAthens teams as a media relations manager. She is also an experienced organizer of food events, overseeing everything from conceptual development to execution, with her work earning numerous accolades from professional associations and organizations.

Xavier Mudarra Pizarro

He holds a degree in Political Science and Administration with a specialization in International Relations, complemented by a Master’s in International Relations, Security, and Development, as well as a diploma in Teaching with a specialization in Special Education. In 2007, he began his career as a primary school teacher and worked for three years as a Special Education teacher. Since 2011, he has served as a teacher in various schools across Catalonia, excelling in the teaching of Business Administration and Management. Starting in 2017 at Institut Provençana, he took on leadership roles as Mobility Coordinator and Seminar Head. His experience also includes working as an educational technician at the General Directorate of Vocational Training and serving as an evaluator for Erasmus+ projects. Additionally, he has participated in European collaborative projects, such as eTwinning, and has employed diverse active methodologies, including project-based learning and simulation, the latter in which he has also been a trainer for business management simulation.

Mr. Yannis Tsichlis

With 34 years’ experience in hospitality, Yannis Tsichlis joined Grecotel S.A. in 1990 and held since then key managerial positions in Sales, Marketing, Communication and PR, contributing to the group’s evolution to the leading hotel chain of Greece. 
He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Athens and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) with specialization in Marketing from the University of Sheffield, UK. 

He has taken part in numerous international product and executive development training programs.

 In his current role as Corporate Affairs Director, he represents the group to governmental authorities and trade associations and he is responsible for business relations, strategic partnerships and the ESG policy of the group.


*According to market statistics, Grecotel and Affiliated N.Daskalantonakis group ranks No.1 with 33 De Luxe & A’ category hotels (source ICAP, Greek Hotel Study, Nov 2024).

The Grecotel Hotels & Resorts are located in Athens, Attica, Crete, Corfu, West Peloponnese, Rhodes, Mykonos, Kos, Kalamata, Larisa and Alexandroupolis.

Kari P. Hadjivassiliou

Principal Researcher and Consultant at the Tavistock Institute (UK and Germany)and Co-lead of its EU/international portfolio of work.

Kari has over 30 years’ experience in international comparative research and evaluation, including the fields of employment and labour markets, school-to-work transitions and career trajectories, and inclusion of young people across the EU; welfare policies; education and training systems, vocational education and training and apprenticeships; and human and social capital development, including adult up-skilling and lifelong learning. Her interest and expertise lie in EU-wide research and policy, programme and process evaluation with a strong formative and stakeholder perspective.

Dr.Lukasz Sienkiewicz

Associate Professor at the Faculty of Management and Economics at Gdansk University Technology. Coordinator of the Centre for Technological, Economic and Social Transformation (C-TEST) and one of the founders of the Institute for Labour Market Analyses. Graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics, where he also obtained his Ph.D. in the field of management science and habilitated doctorate in the field of social sciences. For over 20 years now he works as a research professional, leading and taking part in scientific, as well as business focused research. He specializes in the issues of human capital development and labour market intelligence, including digitization induced transformations and micro-credentials. Author and co-author of over 90 peer-reviewed scientific publications and 100 research and analytical reports for international organizations (European Commission, ETF, CEDEFOP, Eurofound, Inter-American Development Bank) and business practice.

Vicent D. Pastor Martorell

Technical Educational Advisor for the industrial fields in Vocational Education and Training of the General Directorate of Vocational Estudies of Generalitat de Catalunya.

Over 20 years of experience in education, project management, and organizational leadership. Specialization in curriculum design and development for vocational education programs in fields such as Mechanical Manufacturing, Installation and Maintenance, Energy and Woodworking. My expertise includes adapting educational frameworks, promoting active methodologies like project-based learning (PBL), and fostering international collaborations.

Throughout my career, I have successfully led projects in areas like teacher training, curriculum innovation, and strategic partnerships with public and private entities. Additionally, I have played a key role in coordinating foreign language programs and digital transformation initiatives, as well as organizing events such as vocational training fairs and competitions.

Dr Wojciech Stęchły

Dr Wojciech Stęchły is a qualifications system and microcredentials expert at the Educational Research Institute in Warsaw (IBE) and assistant professor at Warsaw School of Economics (SGH). He is currently involved in development of the Odznaka+ (a digital credentials application for micro-credentials and badges) as a chief expert for developing standards and quality assurance. Wojciech is involved in various activities related to development of skills ontologies and digital applications for counselling and exploration of qualifications, skills and occupations as well as in research on various issues such as VET and AE institutions and financing or transversal skills assessment.

Andreas Alexi

My name is Andreas Alexis and I have been a legal advisor for the last 14 years. My diverse work history exposed me to different areas of expertise and philosophy, with a focus in labor law, employment law, health and safety, and Anti-money Laundering.
In self-reflection, I am a determined, kind, and bold individual, who is very goal oriented. Once I identify and analyse a set goal, as part of my implementation stage, I apply detailed planning, study the relevant legislations and tools, and ensure that my deliverable is governed by a model that contains full development of suggestions while addressing any existing or possible problems, and that it includes suggestions and exposure to any potential risk.
I highly prioritize the Principle of Prevention which refers to obtaining timely insurance aims, legal opinions, or other effective recommendations.
Teamwork, gender equality in the workplace, stress management and the positive outcomes it brings, hard work done in a safe working environment, Lifelong Learning, caring and understanding in the workplace, flexible forms of employment, willingness to go the extra mile, and positive energy, are all part of my core belief system.
The above, is not just a personal description. I believe that it is a summary of what drives me to always strive for further development, to the mutual benefit of both my employer and myself.

Giorgos Giorgakis

Giorgos Giorgakis is the founder and Managing Director of Eurosuccess Consulting. He has graduated from the European University of Cyprus, with a Master Degree (MBA) in Business Administration in July 2008. He has developed, managed and implemented more than 90 EU and National projects (FP, LLP, JUSTICE, ERASMUS +, COSME, RIF etc.) Mr Giorgakis is also the Coordinator of the VET and training activities for Eurosuccess, which is accredited as VET Center by the Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus – the relevant public authority as regards to training and education. As regards to the participation of professional bodies and associations at EU level, Mr Giorgakis is the National Representative for Cyprus, at European Forum of Vocational Education and Training (EfVET). Under this capacity, Mr Giorgakis is actively participating into various working groups, trainings, events and conferences contributing in this way to the development of the EU strategies as well as supporting all relevant organizations, in Cyprus and abroad.

Iakovina Vardalachou

Iakovina (Vivi) Vardalachou (Mrs), is Physicist with MSc in Electronics and Director of Persons’ Certification Division in TÜV AUSTRIA HELLAS since September 2013. She has 36 years of professional experience in quality matters and International Standards’ requirements as well as 28 years in certification sector. She has deep knowledge of International Standards’ requirements such as: ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17024 etc and since 1988, she deals exclusively with quality matters, Management Systems and International Standards, having been successively trained in all versions of the ISO 9001 standard, up to the current one, as well as in all accreditation standards ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17024 etc.

She is also quite experienced in Quality Management Systems’ Audits and has been recognized as Lead Auditor since 1996. During the period 1988 – 2005 she worked at INTRACOM SA. successively holding the positions of Head of Quality Control Department, Assistant to Quality Assurance Director, Deputy Director of Quality Assurance Division and Quality Assurance Section Manager. At the same time, from 1996 to 2009, she collaborated with Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT) and the Certification Division as freelancer and Lead Auditor for various Management Systems.

Since 2009 she is working in TÜV AUSTRIA HELLAS and, up to now, she has developed and implemented up to 60 different accredited certification schemes for persons, according to the International Standard ISO/IEC 17024 requirements.

Sandor Karacsony

Sandor Karacsony is a senior economist at the World Bank, with a track record in research, policy advisory and operational work in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Previously he worked with Open Society Foundations, with the World Bank Executive Board as an advisor, and held various government and private sector positions in Hungary. His area of expertise covers employment, jobs, social assistance, education and skills, as well as monitoring and evaluation. Sandor has a special interest in development policy applications of data science and behavioral economics.

Giannis Tzimas

Giannis Tzimas is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Peloponnese. He has published a significant number of research articles in international journals and conferences. His current research activity lies in the areas of Net-centric and Service-Oriented Information Systems, Web Engineering, Web Modeling, Web Data Engineering, Big Data, Data Science and Applications of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Digital Ecosystems/Digital Transformation for the Public Sector, and Bioinformatics.

From 2018 till now, he has been an external consultant for the World Bank in the field of information systems, IT solutions, and Digital Transformation for Social Protection, Labor/Jobs, and Education. He has worked on several projects in Europe and Central Asia (ECA), Africa, China, the Caribbean, and Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Was the technical coordinator and unit manager of the Internet Technologies and Multimedia Research Unit of the Computer Technology Institute and Press “Diophantus”, and the head of the Networks Operation Center of the Technological Educational Institute of Messolonghi.