Thanasis Karalis
Thanasis Karalis is a Professor of Lifelong Learning and Adult Education at the Department of Education Sciences and Early Childhood Education of the University of Patras and serves as Director of the Laboratory of Pedagogical Research and Lifelong Education. He has collaborated with numerous organisations as an educator, consultant, coordinator and evaluator of education and training programmes. He has taught courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level on planning and evaluation in adult education (Department of Economics of the University of Patras, Department of Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Educational and Social Policy of the University of Macedonia, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the Democritus University of Thrace). He is a member of the Quality Assurance Unit and sits on the Board of Directors of the Education and Lifelong Learning Centre (KEDIVIM) of the University of Patras. He has been a collaborator of the Hellenic Open University since 1998, helping develop the educational material for the module "Adult Education", in which he participated a member of the Associate Teaching Faculty (ATF) and as Coordinator. He is currently an ATF member and the coordinator of the module “Planning, Organisation and Evaluation” (EKE 51) of the Postgraduate Study Programme “Adult Education”.
He has provided expertise and conducted research for public and social institutions (indicatively: General Secretariat for Lifelong Learning (GGDVM), National Accreditation Centre for Continuing Vocational Training (EKEPIS)/National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP), Labour Institute of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (INE GSEE) and the Small Business Institute of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (IME GSEVEE) regarding the necessity, evaluation and implementation of lifelong learning policies. He has participated in 33 research projects in the field of lifelong learning and adult education, and served as scientific coordinator for 16 of these. He was the scientific coordinator of the research project "Study regarding incentives and barriers to employee participation in lifelong learning programmes", implemented by the Small Business Institute of the GSEVEE and the Labour Institute of the GSEE. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Adult Education Association (EEEE), of which he was a founding member, and is also a member of the (EEEE) and also sits on the Scientific Board of the Centre for the Development of Educational Policy (KANEP) of the GSEE. He has published over 110 research papers in Greek, English and French, including ten books.