Loukas Zahilas

Loukas Zahilas was born in Canada in 1960 and is Head of the Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI) at Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training. He studied Chemistry and Information Technologies and he has a PhD in educational policies (qualifications frameworks).

After a six-year stint in the pharmaceutical industry (UPJOHN SA and VIANEX SA), he has concentrated his efforts entirely on education and training. His more than 22 years of professional experience in vocational education and training were mainly acquired at the Greek Ministry of Education, the University of Athens and Cedefop.

He served for many years at various Directorate posts representing Greece in EU bodies and groups like the DGVT, the ACVT, and the ETF. He has also served as the National Europass Coordinator and National Liaison Officer for the Study Visits Programme and participated in various Working Groups like the EQF Advisory Group and the Credit Transfer WG.

Loukas Zahilas joined Cedefop as a senior expert in 2006 working on qualifications, the common EU tools and principles and analysis of labour market issues. Currently he is a member of Cedefop’s management team as Head of DSI. The department’s work supports the European Commission, Member States and social partners in fostering policy development and accelerating the pace of VET reforms focusing on the following main fields: a) renewal and modernisation of the systems and institutions delivering initial as well as continuing VET within a lifelong learning perspective, b) systematic support to European cooperation in VET and to the further development and implementation of European tools and instruments. This work, seeks to reduce institutional and systemic barriers to progress and strengthen the visibility of outcomes – notably qualifications, skills and competences.