Maria Iakovou is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, specializing in the teaching of Greek as a second/ foreign language, at the Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Philology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She completed her studies in Linguistics at NKUA and the University of Reading. Her primary research areas focus on the learning and teaching of Greek as an L2 to diverse learner populations, with a strong emphasis on migrants and refugees. She has also a particular interest in Greek as a heritage language, with a specific focus on studying less widely studied communities abroad. She aims to establish a strong connection between practice, language theory/research, and Teacher Education, fostering effective language instruction for learners of Greek as an L2. Her work contributes to the understanding and advancement of Greek language education in diverse contexts.