The Crete Centre on Population Dynamics, established in 2023 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in collaboration with the Greek Government, is dedicated to advancing policy-oriented research and advisory work on demographic issues and their impact on economic prosperity. Operating under the joint responsibility of the OECD Economics Department and the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, the Centre is headquartered in Athens, Greece.
OECD Crete Centre on Population Dynamics
The Crete Centre is dedicated to policy-oriented research and advisory work on demographic and economic prosperity issues, acknowledging the wide implications of demographic shifts for the economies and societies. The Centre’s work agenda primarily focuses on analysing and in providing policy recommendations in the areas of population dynamics (ageing and fertility), and population movements (migration, diaspora).
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About the OECD Crete Centre on Population Dynamics
Our mission
The Crete Centre aims to be a hub for policy advice, capacity development, peer-to-peer learning, and high-level policy dialogue on population dynamics. By bringing together experts and policymakers from around the world, the Centre also fosters a global community dedicated to addressing population-related policy challenges. It promotes collaborative thinking on effective policy solutions to help OECD and partner countries navigate demographic changes and leverage their potential benefits.
How it works
The Centre's activities are structured around four key areas:
- Providing a unique platform for the exchange of information, views and country experiences by bringing together various stakeholders.
- Conducting advanced cross-country, policy-oriented research in the field of population dynamics and disseminating the findings through workshops, webinars and international events, including the organisation of Annual Forum of the Centre in co-operation with partners in Greece (namely, the Economic Forum of Delphi and the Municipality of Chania).
- Providing support for policy implementation in the domains of population dynamics and migration through the provision of training courses and seminars in collaboration with universities and think tanks.
- Providing accessible online information on demographic issues.
- By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and encouraging the sharing of knowledge and best practices, as mentioned above, the Centre helps leveraging country-specific experiences to the long-term benefit of other countries, influencing public discussion and decision making.
- By delivering innovative and high impact research, the Centre has the potential to greatly enhance countries’ understanding of population dynamics and demographic changes, as well as their implications for policy actions.
- The upcoming establishment of a Digital Observatory of Population Dynamics will provide easily accessible online information on cross-country data regarding population and migration trends, as well as the latest research and relevant policies implemented by different countries to address demographic challenges, broadening the evidence base and help shape well-informed policy strategies.
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Expert Advisory Board
Maria Gavouneli
Chair of the Expert Advisory Board, Director General of ELIAMEP, Professor of International Law, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens
Ibrahim Awad
Professor of Practice, and Director, Center for Migration and Refugee Studies, The American University in Cairo (AUC)
Era Dabla-Norris
Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund
Katharina Spiess
Director Federal Institute for Population Research, Professor for population economics at the Johannes Gutenberg University
Claudia Serrano Madrid
Former Minister of Labour of Chile, Former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for the Development of Regions, and Former Chilean Ambassador to the OECD
S V Subramanian
Professor of Population Health and Geography, Harvard University
OECD Crete Centre team
Aris Alexopoulos
Head of OECD Crete Centre on Population Dynamics, Structural Policy and Research Division
Mark Pearson
Acting Director, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
Filiz Unsal
Deputy Director, Policy Studies Branch, Economics Department
Jean-Christophe Dumont
Head of Division, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, International Migration Division
Vivian Koutsogeorgopoulou
Senior Economist, Crete Centre on Population Dynamics, Structural Policy and Research Division
Apostolos Fertis
Economist/ Policy Analyst, Crete Centre on Population Dynamics, Structural Policy and Research Division
Antigone Kotanidis
Policy Analyst, Crete Centre on Population Dynamics, Structural Policy and Research Division
Sandrine Cazes
Senior Economist, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Jobs and Income Division
Maciej Lis
Economist, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Social Policy Division
Cem Özgüzel
Economist, Crete Centre on Population Dynamics, Structural Policy and Research Division
Anna Irvin Sigal
Resource Management Unit Assistant, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Resource Management Unit
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Partners
The OECD Crete Centre on Population Dynamics is a collaborative initiative of the OECD with the Government of the Hellenic Republic.
