Linguistics graduate honoured by British Council Greece

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The annual British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Greece celebrate the outstanding achievements of students who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions and countries. As well as social action, categories span across culture, creativity, science, sustainability and business and innovation. Award winners have the opportunity to raise their international profile, expand their professional networks and enhance their careers.

This social action award is a testament to the power of education, to what teams and partnerships can accomplish in the service of common good. No sustainable development can be achieved if this development is not inclusive and for all. I am proud that this award comes almost one week after Greece took a big step towards equality by providing the right to marriage to the LGBTQ+ community.

I would like to thank the Onassis Foundation and its Onassis Scholars’ Association for allowing me to mobilise 128 internationally renowned professionals to act as online career mentors to approximately 2,500 young students from more than 70 schools and 45 regions in Greece.

A big thank you is also owed to the University of Edinburgh which provided me with a UK/EU Master's Scholarship in 2015.

Dimitrios Chaidas

Dimitrios completed his studies at the University of Edinburgh in 2016, graduating with a Masters in Applied Linguistics.

Dimitrios is a Communication and Strategy Consultant with vast experience in EU and UN projects. He has served as Vice President of the Onassis Scholars’ Association and has initiated various projects aimed at reducing inequalities. He led an initiative that mobilised 128 internationally renowned professionals to act as online career mentors to approximately 2,500 school students across Greece.

Dimitrios believes that his education in the UK has exposed him to interdisciplinary knowledge, global debates on inequality, societal leadership and how education can drive sustainable development. He is now planning to apply his expertise to larger projects, foster more partnerships between stakeholders and make use of digital technologies for sustainable and inclusive development.

The staff who teach on the MSc in Applied Linguistics are incredibly proud of what Dimitrios has accomplished. He embodies the spirit of our programme, which uses language as a lens to understand and tackle social inequality.

Professor Lauren Hall-Lew

We’re very proud to hear of Dimitrios’ success, and to hear that his studies hear in Edinburgh, in particular our emphasis on collaboration and teamwork, have played a part in his success.

Professor Holly Branigan

This is the second year PPLS alumni have secured success at the British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Greece. Dr Lilian Balatsou, psychology graduate won the Social Action prize for her project ‘Greek Girls in Code’ in 2023.

Related links

• Dimitrios Chaidas on LinkedIn
• Onassis Scholars’ Association
• The Tipping Point
• British Council Greece Alumni Awards
• Lilian Balatsou, Psychology graduate honoured by British Council