Maria Daskolia

Professor of Theory and Practice in Environmental and Sustainability Education
Department of Educational Studies
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

E-mail: mdaskol[at]eds.uoa[dot]gr - Tel: + 30 210 7277799

Professor Maria Daskolia leads the Environmental Education Lab (EEL) within the Department of Educational Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She is an expert in the Theory and Practice of Environmental and Sustainability Education, and teaches courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels

Her research focuses on innovative pedagogical designs and collaborative approaches within environmental, sustainability, and climate education across formal and informal learning contexts. She is particularly committed to fostering pedagogical reflection and experimentation at the intersections of disciplines, actively integrating environmental humanities, social sciences, and the arts into Environmental and Sustainability Education.

In her recent work, Professor Daskolia has been actively involved in European and national research projects centered on citizen science and citizenship education, promoting participatory, critical, and collaborative approaches to sustainability and citizenship learning at both school and university levels. This includes engaging students and teachers in the co-design of innovative educational scenarios and resources. Additionally, she contributes to research focused on defining key sustainability competencies for tertiary education and cultivating core skills for the green and digital transition via participatory design methods. Another recent focus of her research is the study of environmental literature and the arts, exploring their impact on learning and wellbeing. This work addresses diverse audiences, school-age and university students as well as the wider community, highlighting the role of narratives and creative expression in fostering environmental awareness, creativity, and health.

Her scholarly contributions include many publications in books, leading journals, conference proceedings, and edited volumes. She is also deeply engaged in employing and advancing emergent research methodologies, including narrative inquiry to explore educators’ and students’ experiences, participatory co-design of educational praxis to empower teachers and learners, and other qualitative approaches.

Within her academic responsibilities, Professor Daskolia serves as an appointed member of the University Commission for the Sustainability Strategy at NKUA and as Leader of Work Package 9, focusing on establishing Joint Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees within the CIVIS European Universities Alliance. She is deeply committed to promoting sustainability and gender equality within her Department, School, and the broader University community.