Category: Education

The European Union (EU) is offering sixteen up to fully funded scholarships to motivated Cypriot students to attend one of four UWC (United World Colleges) schools from 2023 to 2025: UWC Adriatic (in Italy), UWC Maastricht (in the Netherlands), UWC Mostar (In Bosnia) and UWC Robert Bosch College (in Germany).

As stated by a press release issued by the European Commission, the EU Scholarship Programme for Cypriot Youth at UWC aims to contribute to building a bridge of mutual understanding between Cypriot communities.

”Funded by the European Union, under the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot Community and implemented by UWC through UWC Cyprus, this is a two-year Programme offering all-inclusive scholarships to 15-17 year-old Cypriot students, who will study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) alongside students from across the globe”, the press release concludes.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cypriot ophthalmologist, vitreous-retinal surgeon, Dr. Theodoros Potamitis, was invited and appointed College Examiner by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists examination committee, according to a press release by the Pantheo Ophthalmic Center.

It is noted that the organising committee of the exams had suggested Potamitis to participate as an examiner.

The exams take place three times per year and constitute the final part of the training of a doctor specialising in ophthalmology. Doctors from the United Kingdom and other parts of the world undertake this exam in order to become specialist ophthalmologists.

It added that the Royal College of Ophthalmology examinations are the pinnacle of ophthalmological training and are considered one the toughest and most testing exams worldwide.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Academics from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Cyprus have been included in the Stanford list, according to a press release issued by the University.

It is noted that the Stanford list is an important and outstanding honour, both for the participating researchers themselves and for the scientific institution they represent.

The University of Cyprus announces that the list includes the following members of the academic staff of the Faculty of Engineering:

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Ioannis Krikidis, Marios Polykarpou, Stelios Timotheou, Charalambos D. Charalambous, Christoforos Hadjicosti

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Despo Fatta-Kassinou, Panos Papanastasiou, Symeon Christodoulou

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering: Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos

“Stanford University’s list includes the top 100,000 researchers internationally from all scientific fields, as well as the top 2% in their scientific subfield, who have published at least five articles in the current year,” UCy’s press release reads.

It adds that the Faculty of Engineering has been distinguished over time with significant research successes, while since its foundation it has contributed significantly to the development of knowledge and research, with international distinctions and success, the participation and coordination of research programmes and the awarding of a significant number of doctoral degrees.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou participated on Thursday in 5th European Conference on Education titled “Bright Young Minds”, taking place in Brussels, in hybrid format.

The Conference was attended by, among others, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Vice-President of the Commission, Margaritis Schinas and the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel and it was open to the public.

Education policy makers, educators, academics, researchers, youth organizations and many young people attended the Conference.

Ministers of EU member states responsible for education, as well as representatives of educational organizations and European institutions participated in parallel working groups.

These groups examined the construction of the European Education Area, digital skills and investments in education and training, climate and sustainable development education, the implementation of the European strategy for universities, the routes to school success, trends and challenges of future education and the integration of Ukrainian displaced students into the education system of the member states.

Prodromou participated in the discussion panel on Education for Sustainable Development and Climate Change: “Education for Climate: Making a Change towards Environmental Sustainability”. The Ministers of Education of Ireland, Slovenia and Romania also participated in the same panel.

Cyprus Minister referred to the ways the Government plans to implement the “Council Recommendation on Learning for Environmental Sustainability”, stressing that education for the environment and sustainable development is a key priority of the Cypriot education system.

He underlined that the Recommendation coincides with the update of the 2030 Cyprus National Policy on Education for Sustainable Development and presented the main priorities of the Government.

He also made special reference to the conclusions and findings of the 9th UN Ministerial Conference for the Environment in Europe and the UNECE Education for Sustainable Development 2030 strategy goals, following the UNECE Summit taking place recently in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Prodromou was invited to present his vision for the future sustainable school saying that this is a learning community, where teaching and skill development will be directly intertwined with real life.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The University of Nicosia is among the top 176–200 universities in the world, in the field of education, says a press release issued by the University.

It is noted that the results of the annual Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2023 strengthen the position of the University of Nicosia internationally, since it is ranked among the 176-200 best universities worldwide in the field of education.

By analogy, the ranking places the University of Nicosia as the 1st university in Cyprus and Greece (together with the University of Cyprus), and 40th in the European Union, in the specific field.

Commenting on the results of the ranking, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Elena Papanastasiou, expressed her great satisfaction with these results, stating that “these rankings objectively highlight our value locally and internationally as they reflect the quality of our work.”

?his ranking, the press release says, is the last in a series of distinctions for the University of Nicosia from the Times Higher Education organisation, with its ranking among the 501-600 best universities worldwide in the World University Rankings 2023.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The University of Cyprus is among the 501-550 universities announced by the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2023 which features 700 institutions.

The announcement was made by the University on Thursday. The ranking reflects the universities performance in two main categories: Environmental Impact and Social Impact and shows how universities are taking action to tackle the world’s greatest Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) challenges.

The rankings assess an institution’s commitments to building a sustainable world with emphasis on their influence beyond campus grounds.

The Environmental Impact category comprises of three performance indicators: sustainable institutions, sustainable education and sustainable research. The Social Impact category considers five indicators: equality, knowledge exchange, impact of education, employment and opportunities, and quality of life.

In the social Impact, the University of Cyprus was ranked 444 while in the Environmental Impact +501.

The rankings which the University of Cyprus secured are a proof of the practical recognition of the importance that the organization attaches to the issues of sustainability and sustainable development, which are also its strategic goal, a press release said.

It added that the University of Cyprus encourages and promotes actions aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the fields of research and teaching as well as in the context of its local and international collaborations while at the same time developing its infrastructure.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

On August 30, the final roadmap for the management of the pandemic will be presented, the Minister of Health, Michael Hadjipandela has said, adding that scientists are in favour of the use of masks and that the return of students and teachers to schools with a 48-hour rapid test is being considered. The statements of the Minister of Health were made after the end of his meeting with the members of the Advisory Scientific Committee, on Friday at the Ministry of Health.

The Minister said that at the meeting the draft roadmap was discussed and within the next week, everyone will give some suggestions to the Ministry of Health so that the final roadmap can be presented on August 30, before the next session of the Council of Ministers.

Asked whether vaccination is included in the road map, he said that he was informed by the European Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, that within 2-3 weeks news are expected regarding vaccines, which will protect against the new mutations and the procedures that will be followed.

Furthermore, he said that it was suggested that students and teachers will be required to present a negative 48-hour rapid test to return to school. Depending on the results of that rapid test, decisions will be made on what needs to be done in the future. He added that this proposal will be reexamined next week, because in the last 15 days the number of COVID-19 cases has been on a downward trend and expressed hope that this will remain the case for the next 10 days.

Also, the Minister said that the proposal also concerns teachers, “but we are trying – before taking this proposal to the Council of Ministers – to find the ways to implement this decision”.

Regarding the mandatory use of a mask, Hadjipandela explained that “scientists maintain a strong opinion that the mask protects and at the present time we cannot remove it”. He clarified that the use of a mask is mandatory for adults and children over 12 years old, and this includes schools.

Dr Zoi-Dorothea Pana, on behalf of the Scientific Advisory Committee, congratulated the Ministry of Health for the work that has been done as regards the roadmap, which, as she said, “is a framework, it is the pillars, it is the tools, that will highlight existing work and strengthen future work, using what we have at hand in every phase of the pandemic.”

Asked about the noticeable reduction in cases and the stable course of hospitalisations, Pana noted that the biggest lesson after more than two years of the pandemic, is “to be careful and not be driven by either panic or complacency, and this also concerns our indicators in hospitals”. She also said that the good picture creates an optimism for the autumn as well, pointing out that we should focus on preparedness, individual responsibility and the knowledge and experience we have gained in order to achieve balance in autumn and winter.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Prodromos Prodromou, told CNA that higher vocational education and training in Cyprus is being upgraded with new and modern building facilities in Limassol that will be ready this autumn and more specialised programme options.

Prodromou stressed that the goal is to increase the number of courses of specialised professional studies from the existing 14 to 25 or more with a thousand students in the coming years.

Noting that it is being constantly pointed out that there is shortage of staff with professional qualifications, he said that every year we have many young graduates with qualifications and academic degrees, but the real economy cannot often absorb them professionally.

The programs, he said, can offer two things. Firstly, they will provide short-term education, two-year programs of vocational specialisation for high school graduates who do not proceed to university studies. Secondly, he continued, they will also give opportunities for further training to young people who already have some higher education studies, that do not give, however, access to jobs.

Pointing out that the country needs skilled professionals in several fields, he said that the state must give young people the opportunity to obtain directly those professional qualifications that will enable them to find employment.

Furthermore, he said, we must offer to other people the opportunity to obtain additional qualifications and knowledge with a professional specialisation and skills that will allow them to immediately find employment.

“We have to offer young people those opportunities as well,” he concluded.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Thirty-two writers participate in the “Literary evenings at the Pier”, which are organised every year by the Cultural Movement of Larnaca FILOPOL and the Municipality of Larnaca.

According to information from the organising team, 32 Greek-speaking and English-speaking writers are participating. Therefore, 16 writers will be presented on August 12 and 16 writers on August 26, 2022.

The literary events will take place at the Larnaca pier from 19:30 to 21:30.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

France is ready to support any step in the direction of a re-united Cyprus, said the First Counsellor of the Embassy Virginie Corteval during the celebration of the Bastille Day at the French Ambassador’s residence in Nicosia on Thursday.

Speaking on behalf of the French Ambassador to Cyprus, Salina Grenet-Catalano, who was unable to attend the ceremony due to COVID-19, Corteval said that despite the celebrations this is hardly a happy day

War has returned to the heart of the European soil with Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable aggression against Ukraine, she said, with hope stemming from the incredible resilience and resistance of the people of Ukraine, the united and strong reaction of the European Union and its partners and the decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova candidate status into the Union. “We will remain at Ukraine’s sides until peace returns to our continent”, she stressed.

Corteval said that the Ukrainian drama shows there is no time to waste to look for a lasting and viable peace in Cyprus, since frozen conflicts remain wounds to be healed.

“The status quo in Cyprus is hardly a status quo. The situation is changing, and not necessarily for the better: from the questioning of international norms in Varosha to the looming threats in the Cypriot Economic Exclusive Zone, from the difficult economic conditions and restricted rights Turkish Cypriots are experiencing to the high levels of migrations taking place through the Green line”, she continued, adding that no goal is unreachable provided there is will and trust and France is ready to support any step in that direction, such as confidence building measures.

“Division is not an option and we remain convinced that a re-united, federal and European Cyprus, that is to say a solution within the UN parameters, is still achievable. We are appreciative of the United Nations’ tireless efforts in this regard”, she underlined.

The French diplomat also referred to the French Presidency of the Council whose attention was eventually mostly dedicated to the war in Ukraine.

“Our initial goals remain 100% valid”, she said, adding that the French presidency even had to accelerate its efforts towards more autonomy, especially as far as energy is concerned, while also referring to a number of successes, such as the “Strategic compass” to better face security challenges, the ambitious “Fit for 55” climate package, key initiatives to increase the protection of biodiversity through the Once Ocean Summit which took place in Brest, the introduction of a minimum representation of women in company boards, and the creation, everywhere in Europe, of a minimum wage, the implementation of which in Cyprus “was a project dear to the late minister Zeta Emilianidou to whom I would like to pay homage once again”.

Corteval said that the past year has also been very important for the deepening of the bilateral relationship between Cyprus and France, citing the field of defence and security and the recent decision of Cyprus to purchase six state-of- the-art helicopters from Airbus, hence contributing to the reinforcement of European Defence, and thanking the Republic of Cyprus for welcoming French ships in its ports.

She concluded that this bilateral relationship also expanded in the economic sector thanks to new contracts signed recently in the field of water treatment and sanitation or in the food retail market, more direct flights have also brought French tourists to Cyprus and Cypriots to France, while significant progress has been made in the education sector with the development of the French-Cypriot school in Nicosia and the opening, in September, of a branch in Limassol, with the increasing number of Cypriots learning French in Cypriot schools and with an increased number of Cypriot students choosing French universities for their studies.

SOURCE: CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY