ELIAS SOUKIAZIS is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He holds a PhD in Economics (Kent University at Canterbury, UK) and MSc in Economics (Birkbeck College, University of London, UK) and a BSc in Economics (University of Macedonia, Greece). His interests lie in applied research in the fields of growth economics, international and European economics, regional economics, health economics, human capital and, in general macroeconomic policy. He has published in national and international journals and served as reviewer in various journals. He is a member of the International Network for Economic Research (INFER) and European Economics and Finance Society (EFFS) board and member of the research centre Group for Monetary and Financial Studies (GEMF). PEDRO A. CERQUERIA  is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Economics at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He holds a PhD in Economics (European University Institute, Florence, Italy), an MSc in Monetary and Financial Economics (ISEG, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal) and a BSc (Hons) in Economics (University of Coimbra, Portugal). His research interest lies in the economics of European Integration, Business Cycles, Growth and Open Macroeconomics. He has published and refereed internationally in these fields and is also a member of the GEMF research centre.