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Concordia University has appointed Effrosyni \u2018Faye\u2019 Diamantoudi, a Greek-born economist and long-standing administrator, as provost and vice-president.<\/p>\n
Her five-year term began on 1 May 2026, following approval by Concordia\u2019s Board of Governors. She had previously held the role on an interim basis since September.<\/p>\n
Her appointment comes at a time of financial pressure, enrolment uncertainty, and institutional restructuring.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The provost\u2019s office sits at the centre of Concordia\u2019s academic machinery, overseeing programme planning, faculty priorities, graduate education, academic operations, and \u2014 according to Concordia \u2014 recent work related to diversifying university revenue. The university has stated that it is dealing with a two-year freeze on operating grants in Quebec, a higher clawback on international tuition revenue and a projected deficit for 2025-26, which is aligned with a recovery plan following major budget adjustments.<\/p>\n
Diamantoudi\u2019s appointment also signals a preference for internal continuity. She joined Concordia in 2003 as an assistant professor of economics, becoming a full professor in 2015. Prior to becoming provost, she served as dean of graduate studies, interim vice-president of research and graduate studies, associate dean of recruitment and awards in the School of Graduate Studies, and graduate programme director in economics.<\/p>\n
While not providing a direct explanation, her academic work gives the appointment additional resonance, as much of her research concerns cooperation, coalition stability and environmental agreements. Concordia lists her fields as economic theory and game theory, with research interests including coalition formation, foresight, cartel stability, and international environmental agreements.<\/p>\n
The university has framed her recent record around graduate growth and operational modernisation. In 2023, after three years in the interim role, she was named dean of graduate studies. Concordia credited her with reforms to tuition billing for course-based graduate programmes, an enrolment management strategy, a plan to waive international fees for doctoral students, and the creation of PhD Career Connect, a professional skills programme for doctoral candidates, postdoctoral fellows, and recent graduates.<\/p>\n
President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr described the appointment in strategic terms, stating that Concordia required a chief academic officer capable of leading \u201ctransformative change\u201d. In the university announcement, Diamantoudi cast her task as bridging \u2018the gap between aspiration and implementation\u2019, while acknowledging that Concordia stands at \u2018a challenging crossroads\u2019.<\/p>\n
Her reach extends beyond Concordia. She is listed as president of the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools and treasurer of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies. She is also a member of the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre, as well as being a CIRANO researcher and fellow since 2016.<\/p>\n
Originally from Greece, Diamantoudi came to Canada as an international student, earning an undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa and postgraduate degrees in economics from McGill University. Her journey from international student to senior academic officer intersects with one of Concordia\u2019s most pressing institutional questions.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n