Maria Adamakou is a PhD candidate at the University of Thessaly in the Department of Planning and Regional Development. Her doctoral research focuses on the structural and economic relationships between higher education institutions and regional growth. She is an active member of the Development Policy Laboratory at the University of Thessaly and of the Energy Transition Laboratory at the University of Western Macedonia. Her main research interests include regional development, institutions, human capital, regional policy, regional resilience, and energy transition. She has participated in several European research projects—including HORIZON, ESPON, INTERREG, and ERASMUS+—as well as various national research initiatives. Furthermore, she has published several papers in high-quality scientific journals. Her academic foundation includes a Master’s in European Regional Development Studies and a degree in International and European Economics from the University of Macedonia, which was further enriched by a period of study at Ghent University in Belgium.