Brief History

The Department of Psychology was established in 1984 and enrolled its first students in the fall of 1987. It is the first, and thus the oldest Department of Psychology in Greece. In the year 1991 the first class graduated with a BSc. in Psychology from the University of Crete. In 1998 the University moved to its new premises located at the Rethymno campus in Gallos. In June 2004, the Department became officially autonomous (with its own HoD) within the university system and currently has more than twenty faculty members. In 2004 two graduate (MSc) programs were established: in School and Health Psychology.

Since its establishment, more than 50 part-time teaching staff members have offered their
services to the Department. Currently the department has approximately 1000 undergraduate students, 17 MSc. students, 19 Ph.D. candidates and is still growing.

  • Maria Hourdaki
    1987 – 1988
  • Ioannis Nestoros
    1988 – 1991
  • George Krasanakis
    1991 – 1992
  • Ioannis Nestoros
    1992 – 1993
  • Nikolaos Tsaparas
    1994 – 1999
  • Anastasios Xepapadeas
    1999 – 1999
  • Ioannis Nestoros
    1999 – 2001
  • Josef Lekakkis
    2001 – 2004
  • George Galanis
    2004 – 2008
  • George Sideridis
    2008 – 2010
  • Andreas Kastellakis
    2010 – 2012
  • Evangelos Karademas
    2013 – 2014
  • George Panagis
    2014 – 2016
  • Stella Giakoumaki
    2018 – present
  • Maria Hourdaki† 1995 – 2010

The Department’s main assembly room was given her name in recognition of her contribution to the Psychology Department

  • Dionysia Vallianatou
  • Theoni Velli
  • George Galanis
  • Pantelis Ekkekakis
  • George Kanakkakis
  • Aristotle Kantas
  • Anargyros Karapetsas
  • Ioannis Kougioumoutzakis
  • Athanasios Marvakis
  • Katerina Mascha
  • Robert Mellon
  • Ioannis Nestoros
  • Despoina Xanthopoulou
  • Nikolaos Papadopoulos
  • Emmanuel Pothos
  • Marios Pourkos
  • Anastasia – Valentini Riga
  • George Sideridis
  • Panagiotis Simos
  • Alexandra Hatzi
  • Kalliopi Hatira