The A.G. Leventis Foundation has been generously supporting a Research Chair at ELIAMEP.
In 2017-2020, the Chair funded in-depth studies on issues of European Political Economy of Greek interest. Part of the funding went to a junior researcher position. In 2020-2023, the Foundation supported a postdoctoral research position in Greek and European political economy.
Since October 2023, the Foundation has been the sole source of core funding for ELIAMEP’s Greek and European Economy Observatory, whose coordinator now holds the title of A.G. Leventis Research Chair. Part of the funding goes to commissioning and producing European Economy Policy Briefs, on the economic policy issues that will shape the future of the EU.
The programme is renewed every year.
Between October 2017 and September 2021 Dimitris Katsikas coordinated the programme. From October 2021 onwards, the programme coordinator is Manos Matsaganis, Head of the Greek and European Economy Observatory.
2017-2018
In 2017-2018, the Chair funded a study titled “Reforms in Public Administration during the crisis: Review, Description, Evaluation.” The study documented the Public Administration reforms promoted by the Economic Adjustment Programmes.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the implementation and impact of the reforms that have been implemented, as well as to assess the overall progress in Public Administration, including the obstacles that came up during the implementation effort.
The research was coordinated by Professor Calliope Spanou, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The other members of the research team were Dr. Christos Ioannou, Dr. Manto Lampropoulou, Dr. Evangelia Balla, and Professor Dimitrios Oikonomou.
You can find the Executive Summary of the main findings and conclusions of the report here.
The full report is available here (in Greek).
Over that period, the Junior Researcher position was filled by Vangelis Arvanitis, Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Economics of the University of Thessaly. Mr. Arvaniti’s Ph.D. thesis was titled “Transparency of Central Banks and monetary policy transmission mechanisms.” As part of his duties, Mr. Arvanitis authored a research paper entitled “The impact of the European Central Bank’s monetary policy on European countries’ loan structure: the housing channel.”
2018-2019
In 2018-2019, the Chair funded the study “Structural changes in fiscal policy during the crisis: Institutional framework and economic results”, coordinated by Panos Tsakloglou, Professor at the Department of International and European Economic Studies, Athens University of Economics and Business. The report was co-authored by Dr. Marianthi Anastasatou, an economist at the Bank of Greece.
The topic was primarily chosen due to the central position of fiscal policy in the management of the crisis not only in Greece but also in the Eurozone more generally. The critical role of fiscal policy in the expected recovery of the Greek economy and the country’s transition in the post-memorandum era make this a highly important and topical issue.
You may access the full report, in Greek, here.
From 1 October 2018 to 15 February 2019, the position of the Junior Researcher was originally filled by Zisis Manouzas, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The title of Mr. Manouza’s Ph.D. Thesis was “Social Tolerance of Fiscal Austerity in the countries of the Eurozone: Explanations of Political Economy.”
On 15 February 2019, Pery Bazoti took over as Junior Researcher. Ms Bazoti had a first degree in International, European and Regional Studies from Panteion University, and a post-graduate degree in European Economic Policy from the Athens University of Economics and Business. Moreover, she had research experience on programmes regarding the Greek and Eurozone Crises. During this period, Ms. Bazoti authored a research paper titled “Education and wage inequalities in Greece: access to higher education and its effects on income”.
2019 – 2020
In 2019-2020, the Chair funded a study assigned to Professors Margarita Katsimi, Sarantis Kalivitis and Thomas Moutos, from the Department of International and European Economic Studies, Athens University of Business and Economics, titled “Extroversion, Business Exports and the Wage Environment in the Greek Economy”. Theoni Kakoulidou, Ph.D. candidate at the Department of International and European Economic Studies of the Athens University of Economics and Business, also co-authored the study.
The study aimed to provide a thorough analysis of the competitiveness of Greek firms, using data from exporting companies. Particular emphasis was placed on the factors shaping their behaviour, using as a case study the decrease of the minimum wage in February 2012.
The Research Assistant position under the Chair was filled by Dimitra Tsigkou, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The title of Ms. Tsigkou’s Ph.D. Thesis was “The Role of Germany and France in the Euro Area Reform: A Comparative Political Economy Approach.”
2020 – 2021
In 2020-2021, in line with the Chair’s new mode of operation, a postdoctoral researcher was selected following a public call of interest. Apostolos Fasianos became the first A.G. Leventis Research Chair Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ELIAMEP.
Dr. Fasianos held a PhD in Economics from the University of Limerick, an MSc in Economic Development from the University of Glasgow, and an MPhil in Economic Theory from the University of Athens.
He had previously worked as an economist at the Council of Economic Advisors of the Hellenic Ministry of Finance, and the Irish Economic Analysis Division at the Central Bank of Ireland. He had also been involved in research projects run by the Bank of England and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on topics related to household finances and macroeconomics.
During his A.G. Leventis Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Dr. Fasianos explored the relationship between monetary policy and income inequality using a cross-country panel approach.
Dr. Fasianos is currently a Lecturer of Economics at Brunel University (UK), and a Research Fellow at ELIAMEP.
2021 – 2022
The position of A.G. Leventis Research Chair Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ELIAMEP in 2021-2022 was awarded to Georgios Manalis.
Dr. Manalis held a PhD from the European University Institute in Florence, and post-graduate degrees from the London School of Economics, and the Athens University of Economics and Business.
He specialized in macroeconomic analysis and quantitative methods. His research focused on the impact of institutional policy changes on the economy of developing countries, as well as issues pertaining to the political economy of the Euro area.
During his A.G. Leventis Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Dr. Manalis explored among many other things the implications of Greece’s National Recovery & Resilience Plan for sustainable and inclusive growth.
Dr. Manalis is currently a Early Career Researcher in Economics at University of Edinburgh (UK), and a Research Fellow at ELIAMEP.
2022 – 2023
Chrysa Papalexatou became the next A.G. Leventis Research Chair Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ELIAMEP in 2022-2023.
Dr. Papalexatou held a PhD from the London School of Economics, and a Master’s degree from the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki.
Her research focused on European Political Economy, on issues of economic inequality, monetary integration, banking, housing, and public policy.
During her A.G. Leventis Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Dr. Papalexatou published press articles and research notes on a variety of topics, and worked on a policy paper exploring the provision of child care services in Greece and the EU.
Dr. Papalexatou is a Visiting Fellow at LSE European Institute, and a Research Fellow at ELIAMEP.
2023 – 2024
Since October 2023, the Foundation has been the sole source of core funding for ELIAMEP’s Greek and European Economy Observatory.
The A.G. Leventis Research Chair is now held by Manos Matsaganis, Professor of Public Finance at Polytechnic University of Milan (Italy), and head of the Greek and European Economy Observatory at ELIAMEP.
Part of the Foundation’s grant go to commissioning and producing European Economy Policy Briefs on the economic policy issues that will shape the future of the EU. Four policy briefs are planned for 2023-2024.
The first such policy brief, on the European Green Deal, came out in December 2023, in time for the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. The second European Economy Policy Brief, expected in April 2024, will be on the quest for strategic autonomy, and an EU industrial policy.
ELIAMEP’s European Economy Policy Briefs are aimed to shape the policy debate on the most topical issues facing Europe and Greece. For that reason, the publication of each such policy brief is followed by (i) a closed seminar involving policy makers, independent experts, and the press (under Chatham House rules), (ii) a webinar, in English, aimed at a broader audience, and (iii) a podcast targeted to the Greek public.
