The Cyprus Forestry College resumed its operation this academic year, welcoming 20 students following a ten-year hiatus. The College is located in the mountainous village of Prodromos.
Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said that a new chapter opens for forestry education in Cyprus. She said that resumption of the College's operation after ten years, will contribute to employee needs at the Forestry Department and will also address the demand to protect Cyprus' nature and environment.
She said that the College has upgraded its curriculum and it is now a recognised higher education institution.
Addressing the 20 new students, Panayiotou said that Cyprus' forests are a national treasure and we need to protect them and, by protecting them, we are also managing the island's nature and tackling climate change.
The President's advisor on Civil Protection, Professor George Boustras, welcomed the students and noted that states are judged daily on how much they invest in the future of their youth and in the safety of their citizens.
He added that the new students will be called upon to face challenges unprecedented in intensity and frequency, and added that investment in knowledge and education is the best shield against natural disasters.
Director of the Department of Forestry, Savvas Ezekiel said that the day was a historic one as the College was reopening with an upgraded and certified curriculum.
Director of the Forestry College, Andreas Mavroyiakoumos, presented the new three-year programme that leads to a “Higher Diploma in Forestry”, which is certified by the Quality Assurance and Certification Body and corresponds to 186 ECTS credits.
The classes will be in Greek and the course combines the study of theory, practical training and the use of modern technologies, such as GIS and remote sensing. Students will be trained in forest ecology, forestry, forest nursery management and fire protection and will acquire skills in sustainable forest management and the restoration of degraded areas.
(Source: CNA)
