Georgios Babiniotis


Georgios Babiniotis is a Greek linguist and philologist and former Minister of Education and Religious Affairs of Greece. He previously served as rector of Athens University. As a linguist, he is best known as the author of a Dictionary of Modern Greek, which was published in 1998.

Biography

He was born in Athens, in 1939. He graduated from the 9th Boys' Gymnasium of Athens and then he studied philology at the Philological School of Athens. In 1962 he earned his degree, and he took more studies in Greece and Germany. Before his 35th birthday, he became a full professor of linguistics at the Philology School of Athens University. In 1991 he was elected president of the Philology Section of the Philosophy School and in 2000 he was elected rector of Athens University, a position he held until 2006. He is also president of the Arsakeio-Tositsas Schools Educationalist Society, president of the management council of the Greek Civilization Foundation and president of the Athens Linguistics Society. In 2009 he was assigned manager of the Council of Primary and Secondary Education and he works on the changes of the examinations system in Greek secondary schools that allow students to undertake tertiary education. He frequently writes articles for the daily newspaper To Vima and was also scientific advisor for the Greek public television stations. He manages the Lexicology Centre which in 1998 published the Dictionary of Modern Greek, which has also come to be known as the "Babiniotis dictionary".
On 7 March 2012, he was appointed Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs in the coalition cabinet of Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, a post which he held until 17 May 2012.