Day: May 11, 2022

University of Nicosia in the Top 40 Universities in the World

for Quality Education

The University also shares the #1 position in Cyprus and Greece for its overall social and economic impact, according to the 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

The 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings once again rank the University of Nicosia (UNIC) in the Top 40 universities globally, recognising it as the number 36 university in the world in Quality Education. Moreover, the results place UNIC in the #1 position in Cyprus and in the #2 position in Cyprus and Greece, and among the Top 15 universities in the European Union, in this core area.

The Impact Rankings is the only ranking to measure the progress of universities globally in terms of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), viewed as increasingly important given the critical action they stimulate in varied and essential areas for humanity and the planet. In this respect, UNIC shares the top position in both Cyprus and Greece and ranks among the Top 75 in the EU and among the Top 301-400 universities in the world in terms of its overall social and economic impact – advancing its standing in this expanded fourth edition, which featured more than 1,400 universities from 106 countries and regions, including strong representation by the UK, the USA, Japan, and Australia.

“Universities have an essential role in contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through research and education”, noted Professor Dimitris Drikakis, UNIC’s Vice President for Global Partnerships and Executive Director of Research and Innovation. “UNIC’s consistently excellent results in the Impact Rankings reflect our commitment to the SDGs and attest to our innovative strategies for sustainability on campus, as well as on a national and global scale, undertaken in collaboration with our expanding network of international academic and industrial partners”, he added.

Continuing in that vein, the Senior Vice Rector, Professor Constantinos N. Phellas, underlined the University’s strong and committed strategic focus on supporting environmental, social, and economic sustainability: “Going sustainable for us means actively and heartily heeding that call to action, fully embracing that prudent and critical roadmap laid out in the UN SGDs, to enact a much-needed agenda for global change in combating the most pressing societal challenges we are all communally facing”.

UNIC’s status as an agent of positive change is reflected in its multifaceted University Social Responsibility (USR) campaigns and initiatives, which include scholarship programmes for refugees and immigrants in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), an award-winning Youth Guidance Programme for children from underprivileged families, and enacting CSR Europe’s New Deal for sustainable growth and inclusive prosperity. Such activities tie in with and reinforce the University’s positive impact on sustainability in the core pillars connected to the SDGs, namely: Research, Operations, Student Learning, and Community. They also reflect related results in several key areas, including that of Reducing Inequalities (SDG10) and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG11), the latter of which goes hand in hand with the development of UNIC City, the University’s constantly evolving campus.

Commenting on the latest THE Impact Rankings, the Rector, Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, underscored the University’s continuing impressive position in the Top 40 universities in the world in the area of Quality Education (SDG4): “The results reflect our consistency and care in this core area, attesting to our commitment and efforts towards offering inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

Rector Pouyioutas stood especially on the tangible impact the University is making through its teaching, research, and engagement activities, which he attributed to the combined efforts of teaching, research, and administrative staff, as well as students and alumni across all departments. “We are proud to be contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. More than that, we are committed to acting as catalysts for change, mindful that we can and should play a role, both locally and internationally, in transforming our world into a better, more inclusive, and peaceful place, in line with the broader Sustainable Development Goals”.

The Impact Rankings results represent the latest in a succession of distinctions bestowed on UNIC by Times Higher Education, possibly the best-known and most influential university rankings in the world. Indicatively, the flagship THE World University Rankings for 2022 rank UNIC among the Top 601-800 universities in the world. UNIC was also recognised by the 2022 THE Young University Rankings (number 179 in the world and Top 70 in the EU among the universities that are 50 years old or younger) and by the 2022 THE Emerging Economies Rankings (number 122 among the universities in the countries or regions classified by the London Stock Exchange’s FTSE Group as “Emerging”).

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Athletes taking part in the Limassol International Meeting 2022, part of the Challenger group of the World Athletics Continental Tour, achieved great performances.

The meeting was completed on Tuesday in the presence of local authorities and officials with Pericles Markaris, President of the Amateur Athletic Association of Cyprus which organised the games, saying they were a great success and an unprecedented experience as many people attended the games. “People came to the games and enjoyed first-class athletes and more events like this one need to take place,” he added.

He said Cypriot athletes had excellent performances. Apostolos Parellis’ performance at Discus Throw won him a place at the Munich European Championship. Greek Olympic champion in long jump, Miltos Tentoglou achieved a 8.28m jump while the 110m hurdles was an amazing race.

Parellis achieved a throw of 65.54 and ranked second, going through to the 2022 European Championship in Munich from 15-21 August. In statements, he said he gave his best performance and said he was satisfied with his achievement. First came German Henrik Janssen with a 66.20 throw.

Milan Trajkovic ranked second at the 110m hurdles with Orlando Ortega first and Markos Herrera third. Trajkovic thanked the people who showed up at the Games.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Republic of Cyprus together with the United Kingdom and with the support of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Unit of the Council of Europe co-organise the IDAHOT + Forum 2022, which takes place on 12-13 May at St. Raphael Resort in Limassol, ahead of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia marked on 17 May.

According to the Council of Europe, the Forum is the most important annual event of the European Governmental LGBTI Focal Points Network’s (EFPN) coordinated by the Council of Europe and its goal is to strengthen cooperation and understanding on LGBTI+ politics between European governments, international intergovernmental organisations, international civil society organisations, businesses, academia and other stakeholders.

It is also noted that Triantafillos Loukarelis, Chair of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion and Director of the Italian Office against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) will represent the Council of Europe at the high-level discussion “War in Ukraine: Challenges to our Common European Values Through the Experiences of LGBTI+ People” (10-11.30 a.m., Cyprus time).

He will also be one of the participants of the press conference that will take place on the St. Raphael Tower from 11.30 to 12 a.m. Cyprus time, together with the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Stephie Dracos, the Speaker of the Cyprus House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, the European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli and the UK High Commissioner in Cyprus, Stephen Lillie.

The event is fully open to media, offline and online, upon preliminary registration.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Minister for Transport Yiannis Karousos and Deputy Minister for Shipping Vassilis Demetriades discussed the implications of proposals discussed at the European Union level to reduce pollution from the transport sectors in Brussels, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In a statement made during their visit, the two Ministers explained that if the proposals are implemented as they are, they are expected to bring additional costs to airlines which will be borne by consumers, while also increasing the cost of maritime transport and therefore the cost of imports to the country.

Karousos and Demetriades also noted that Cyprus has analysed the implications of these measures for all EU member states and is bringing forward specific proposals to mitigate this impact.

The two Ministers had a series of meetings with MEPs and officials from the European Commission regarding the “FitFor55” legislative package, which contains measures and proposals towards achieving climate neutrality for the European Union by 2050, which in turn requires achieving at least a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Karousos and Demetriades are also expected to continue discussion with other EU Ministers as work continues regarding the legislative package proposed by the Commission and amended by the Parliament and the Council.

In particular, Karousos said that they put forward the country’s concerns, as well as initiatives such as the creation of a “self-allowance mechanism” which would give incentives to airlines “to use more biofuel in a shorter time frame and at a lower cost.”

Karousos said that Cyprus has carried out an analysis on how the legislative package will affect aviation and the country’s economy as well as the economy of other EU member states in general. This study “is now being used as a reference point,” he said.

Cyprus may “face a competitive disadvantage as the cost of a flight to Cyprus by 2035 will be much higher compared to third countries such as Egypt and Turkey,” the Transport Minister pointed out.

The measures that will come into force starting in 2025 are estimated a cost about 220 million dollars per year to airlines, while in 2030 the cost will rise to 520 million dollars. Estimates suggest that the total cost will reach 821 million dollars in 2035, he added.

In particular in the case of Cyprus, Karousos pointed out that airlines operating flights to the country will have to face additional costs of up to around 800 million euros after 2035.

These costs, he noted, “will be passed on to passengers, with negative consequences for tourism and the economy.”

“Given this data and if our concerns are not taken into account, it is estimated that Cyprus will lose about 15 to 20% of its tourism and that there will be a reduction of 1.7% in the country’s GDP per year,” Karousos said, adding that “by the time the climate neutrality target is reached in 2050, airlines will bear costs of up to 18 billion dollars”.

In his statement, the Deputy Minister for Shipping reiterated that shipping is the second most important sector for the Cypriot economy after tourism. Demetriades noted that even though shipping must contribute to the reduction of emissions, the proposals as presented would have disproportionate costs for the country.

“As you know, all trade inputs to Cyprus – all goods – are transported by sea, and it is estimated that the cost of maritime transport will increase by around 25% by 2032,” Demetriades explained.

Demetriades said that during contacts with MEPs, rapporteurs and representatives of the European Commission, the two Ministers highlight “the particularities of Cyprus as an island state and make suggestions for their improvement, especially regarding the issue of pollutant trading allocation.”

“We ask that the mechanism for collecting allowances should change its philosophy and be based on the ship’s flag when it comes to ships with EU member state flags, and not on the state of the port of call,” he said.

The Deputy Minister also said that Cyprus is in favour of setting up of “a separate fund for shipping, so that the revenues generated by maritime transport can be used to finance research projects aimed at finding and making available alternative fuels of non-fossil origin to the shipping industry, which will lead to the carbonisation of the sector”.

Source: Cyprus News Agency