Challenges of Higher Education
in Cyprus
Efstathios Michael
Senior Education Officer
Department of Higher and Tertiary Education
Ministry of education and Culture
1434 Nicosia Cyprus
Tel: +357 22800966
Fax: +357 22427560
E-mail: emichael@moec.gov.cy
Web: moec.gov.cy
Outline
• The European Policy Papers
– Mobilising the Brainpower of Europe: Enabling
Universities to make full contribution to Lisbon
Strategy
– Modernising Universities of Europe
•
•
•
•
The Education System of Cyprus
The Higher Education Sector
Challenges
Areas of collaboration of the small States
The European Policy Papers
• Mobilising the Brainpower of Europe: Enabling
Universities to make full contribution to Lisbon
Strategy
– Improving access to Higher Education
– Improving Quality of Higher Education
– Increasing total investment in Higher Education
Modernising Universities of Europe
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•
•
•
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Bringing together the university role in education, research and innovation
Increasing LLL
Mobility of Students, academics, researchers and other university staff
Sufficient autonomy, better governance and accountability
Quality Assurance for quality education
Role of Universities in transferring knowledge to the economy and society
Promote excellence by developing institutions and networks able to
compete internationally
• Promote internationalisation of HE (Quality Assurance, Joint degrees,
recognition of qualifications etc)
• Develop partnerships with private sector, research institutions and other
regional and local authorities
• Enhancement of the attractiveness of the European HE.
Higher and Tertiary Education in Cyprus
•HE in Cyprus is offered by public and
private institutions
•Aim of Cyprus is to become a regional
educational and research centre
•Strong background for a significant growth
of the higher education sector
Historical development
•Technical and financial assistance from ILO, UNDP
and UNESCO to establish Public HE schools
•The Private Schools of Higher Education Started to
develop during the 1980’s and the 1990’s
•The University of Cyprus started operation in 1992
• The period 2006/2007 presents dramatic
developments with the establishment of two new
public universities and the operation of three
Private Universities
The University of Cyprus
• Is an autonomous educational institution established by a Law
• Five faculties:
– Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
– Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences
– Faculty of Economics and Management
– Faculty of Engineering
– Faculty of Letters
– Faculty of Medicine (under preparation)
• Number of students (2007-2008): 5.324 (including 871 at Masters and
348 Doctoral degrees).
• The programme structure:
– 4 years for degree or Ptychio
– 1,5 years for the Masters degree
– Further 3 years of study and research for PhD degree
• Future courses in Law, Middle East Studies and Medicine
The Open University of Cyprus
• Operation of the University in January 2006
• Faculties:
– Human and Social Sciences
– Economics and Management
– Pure and Applied Sciences
• Current programmes:
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Degree program in Greek Civilisation
Postgraduate program in Health Services
Postgraduate program in Education
Postgraduate program in Information Systems
• Life long learning modules
The Technological University
of Cyprus
• The aim is to upgrade the programmes of study of the Public
Schools of HE to a university level.
• Faculties:
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Technological Applications
Health Services
Economics and Management
Geotechnical Sciences
Applied Arts and Communication
• Among the aims is the provision of courses to graduates of
the public schools to upgrade their qualifications
Private Universities
• On 12 September 2007, the Council of Ministers
announced the names of the first private universities in
Cyprus introducing a new era for private tertiary
education in Cyprus. These are:
– Frederick University
– European University - Cyprus (E.U.C.)
– Panepistimio Lefkosias (University of Nicosia)
• The private universities offer 4-year undergraduate
courses that lead to the award of Bachelors
qualifications (i.e. BA, BSc) and 1-year to 2-year
postgraduate programmes of study that lead to the
award of Masters qualifications (i.e. MA, MSc).
Public Schools of Higher Education
• They operate under the jurisdiction of the respective
Ministries of the Republic and provide professional courses 13 years
• They are the following:
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(a) Higher Technical Institute
(b) Higher Hotel Institute
(c) School of Nursing
(d) Cyprus Forestry College
(e) Mediterranean Institute of Management
(g) Police Academy
(h) Tourist Guides School
(i) Health Inspectors School
Private Schools of Higher Education
• The relevant Law and the corresponding Regulations
describe the requirements for their registration, operation
and accreditation
• They offer a wide variety of programmes of study in
professional and academic levels such as Business Studies,
Engineering, Social Sciences, Languages, Education,
Hotel and Tourism, Administration, Management, Graphic
Design, Computer Science and others.
• At present, there are twenty four private schools
• They offer 1 to 4 years programmes of study in various fields
together with a number of courses at Masters level.
The Cyprus Educational Evaluation
and Accreditation Board (SEKAP).
• First programmes of study have been accredited by
the Cyprus Educational Evaluation and Accreditation
Board (SEKAP) in January 2000
• In total 157 programs of study have been accredited
• The accreditation is granted for a period of four years
• Some programmes of study are now under the
process of re-accredidation
Evaluation Committee of the
Private Universities
• International participation in the Committee
• Committees of Experts appointed for the evaluation
of the applications
• Institutional and programme evaluation procedures
• Follow up and final evaluation within 5 years
The Cyprus Council for the
Recognition of Higher Education
Qualifications (KYSATS).
• Is the NARIC of the country
• It gives recognition for the corresponding degrees of:
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Higher Diploma
University degree or Ptychio
Masters Degree
PhD Degree
• The reference diplomas are those of the public
institutions
Future Developments
• The growth of the public Universities of Cyprus and
their expansion by adding new schools and
departments.
• Establishment and expansion of the private
universities in Cyprus
• Development of Cyprus into a regional education and
research centre linking EU to Middle East, Asia and
Africa
• Increase research budget from 0,3% to 1% of GDP by
2010
• Research centers established in Cyprus which
through synergies with the HE sector will contribute
to improvements in education and research
Challenges
• Expand the HE capacity to satisfy the demand for
university studies
• Increase research activities and more importantly
involve the private sector and other authorities
• Compete internationally by establishing centers of
excellence
• Improve the attractiveness of HE by improving quality of
education and quality of international students
• Unify and Reform the legal system aiming at enhancing
QA, autonomy and accountability
Areas of collaboration with the
small States
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Accreditation of private colleges and Universities
Attraction of International students
Mobility of staff, students and researchers
Linking small states to the Eastern Mediterranean
countries
20-24 Years old
% Completed secondary
education
30-64 Years old
% Completed Higher
Education in 2004
15-64 Years old
% Employment in 2005
15-64 Years old
% Employment in 2006
25-64 Years old
% Participation in Training
activities in2005
Cyprus
EU
80.7%
77.3%
26.4%
19.6%
68.5%
63.8%
69.6%
64.7%
5.6%
11%
STUDENT STATISTICS
Γενικός τύπος
Γενικός τύπος
Γενικός τύπος
Public
Γενικός τύπος
Private
Foreign
Abroad
Γενικός τύπος
Γενικός τύπος
STUDENTS ABROAD
N um be r of stud ents
200 00
150 00
100 00
C ountry
500 0
Greece
UK
USA
Total
198 5/8 6
199 6/9 7
199 9/0 0
Academic Year
200 2/0 3
Thank you