Villano Qiriazi
Head of Education, Council of Europe
Villano Qiriazi is an experienced education policy leader with a long career at the Council of Europe, where he currently serves as Head of the Education Department. With a career spanning over two decades, he has been instrumental in shaping European education policies, advancing democratic citizenship, and developing human rights based digital transformation of education, as well as promoting ethics, transparency and academic integrity in higher education. Over the years, he has led major educational initiatives of the Council of Europe, represented the Organisation in high-level international fora (UNESCO, EU, OECD, BFUG), and managed strategic projects that have shaped European education systems in line with the Council of Europe's values and principles.
Villano Qiriazi is an experienced education policy leader with a long career at the Council of Europe, where he currently serves as Head of the Education Department. With a career spanning over two decades, he has been instrumental in shaping European education policies, advancing democratic citizenship, and developing human rights based digital transformation of education, as well as promoting ethics, transparency and academic integrity in higher education. Over the years, he has led major educational initiatives of the Council of Europe, represented the Organisation in high-level international fora (UNESCO, EU, OECD, BFUG), and managed strategic projects that have shaped European education systems in line with the Council of Europe's values and principles.
Pikramenos Michael
President of the Council of State, Greece
Born in Kalamata in 1960, he studied Law at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Political Science at Panteion University, and holds a PhD in Political Science from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He was a visiting scholar at the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford (1999–2000).
He has served at the Council of State since 1989, progressing through all ranks and becoming President in 2024.
He is Professor of Public Law at the Law School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he teaches Administrative and Constitutional Law. He has served as Director-General of the National School of Judges (2013–2016), Director of the LL.M. Programme in Public Law (2021–2023), and Head of the Department of Public Law and Political Science (2023–2024).
He has represented Greece in several European bodies, including CEPEJ, EJTN and the Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Courts before the ECtHR, and has participated in legislative committees. In 2023 he was a member of the Special Court under Article 86 of the Constitution.
His research focuses on administrative and constitutional law, as well as the organisation of the state and the judiciary. Recent publications include Judicial Accountability in Democracy (2022) and the interpretation of Articles 101–102 of the Greek Constitution (2023).