Prof. Maria – Zoi Fountopoulou
Professor, Department of Secondary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Mariza Fountopoulou was born in Patras.
She completed her primary studies in Athens.
From 1985 to 1989, she attended the Classical direction of the Department of Philology at the University of Athens.
During the period 1989-1991, she pursued postgraduate studies at the
Institut d’Etudes Europeennes at the University of Louvain-La-Neuve, where she obtained a postgraduate degree (Diplome d’Etudes Europeennes).
In 1992, as a scholarship holder of the State Scholarships Foundation, she undertook doctoral research at the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology at the University of Athens. Her dissertation topic was: “Teaching Ancient Greek in Greece, France, and Spain: A Comparative Approach.” She completed her doctoral thesis in 1995 and was awarded the title of Doctor of the Department with distinction.Since 1999, she has been serving at the University of Athens, where she currently holds the position of Professor at the Pedagogical Department of Secondary Education in the School of Philosophy. Her academic focus is on “Methodology of Teaching Ancient Greek Literature: Theory and Practice,” which she applies in her teaching, research, and writing.
Throughout her twenty-six years of service, she has actively participated in the university community, holding various administrative positions at the University of Athens. These include membership in the Senate, the Board of the University Club, the Language Teaching Center, the Student Aid Fund, the Student Residences, and participation in committees such as the Heritage Committee, the MOOC Committee, and the Curriculum Committee of the School of Philosophy.
From September 2013 to August 2019, she served as the Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology at the University of Athens. Additionally, from September 2014 to February 2020, she held the position of Director of the Museum of Education at the University of Athens.
Among other activities, Mariza Fountopoulou is responsible for the software related to the Homeric Epics for the A’ and B’ Gymnasium (lower secondary education) levels. This software is used in Greek schools to teach the Homeric Epics and has received pan-European recognition. Additionally, she coordinates and oversees the Major In-Service Training Program for philologists. Her roles also include serving as the Deputy Chair of the School Advisors Selection Council for Secondary Education (B’ level) and acting as the Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Varvakeio Lyceum, among other responsibilities.
From February 2020 to March 2023, she was on administrative leave from her duties at the University of Athens (EKPA) while holding the position of Deputy Vice President at the Directorate of Academic Affairs and Student Welfare (DOATAP). During this time, she was responsible for the scientific field of Humanities and Social Sciences (from February 2020 to August 2022). Subsequently, she served as the Director-General of the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) from August 2022 to March 2023.