Sofia Nikolaidou holds a diploma in Planning and Regional Development (Dipl. Eng. University of Thessaly, 2003), an MSc in rural development and natural resource management (CIHEAM, IAM Montpellier, 2005) and a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning (School of Architecture, National Technical University of Athens, 2012). Her doctoral research focused on peri-urban transformations in metropolitan Athens, examining urban-rural interactions, commuting, agricultural dynamics, and land-use conflicts arising from urban sprawl.
Her research and teaching interests cover alternative approaches to spatial development and territorial planning, with a particular focus on sustainable rural development, rural-urban links, participatory governance processes, social innovation, alternative agri-food networks, food justice and agroecological transitions. She has collaborated with several multidisciplinary teams at universities in Greece and abroad. Her most recent research project as a research associate at the Department of Social Policy, Panteion University, explores social inequalities and housing precariousness in rural areas through the lens of social resilience. Since 2018, she is an adjunct lecturer at the Hellenic Open University, teaching the course “Spatial Development, Social Innovation and Social and Solidarity Economy” (Master in SSE) at the Hellenic Open University. Her previous teaching experience regards theories, policies and practices related to territorial planning and governance, participatory approaches of rural development and agri-food policies (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Panteion University of Athens, and Agricultural University of Tirana).
https://220.academia.edu/SofiaNikolaidou/Analytics
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sofia_Nikolaidou7
https://gr.linkedin.com/pub/sofia-nikolaidou/66/566/257
Selected publications