"Families increasingly seek schools that balance academic excellence with emotional wellbeing, safeguarding, and future-ready competencies. Key trends include the responsible integration of AI in learning, broader and more flexible educational pathways, and a stronger emphasis on wellbeing and holistic development," Pantelis Andreou, Founder of PASCAL International Education suggests.
Speaking to CBN as part of the IN Business Forecasting 2026 series, Andreou also notes that the private education sector is expected to experience steady growth in the new year.
Among other things, he also talks about PASCAL International Education's collaboration with Globeducate and reveals more about what to expect from the organisation and the wider sector in 2026.
How do you foresee the development of the Cypriot economy in the new year, and what are its prospects? What do you see as the biggest risks, and how might they be addressed?
Cyprus enters the new year with cautious optimism. The economy has demonstrated resilience, supported by education, services, tourism, and an increasingly diversified international profile. The outlook remains positive, provided there is sustained investment in quality, stability, and long-term planning. The main risks arise from global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and inflationary pressures. Addressing these challenges requires adaptability and continuous investment in human capital. Education plays a pivotal role in this process, equipping young people with critical thinking skills, ethical awareness, and the ability to innovate responsibly, competencies essential for navigating and shaping a rapidly changing world.
How do you expect your company’s sector in particular to perform in 2026? What major trends or changes do you anticipate, and what do you consider the most significant challenges?
The private education sector is expected to experience steady growth in 2026. PASCAL International Education currently serves more than 3,700 students from over 50 nationalities, highlighting Cyprus’ growing reputation as a family-friendly destination for international expatriates and the rising demand for high educational standards. Families increasingly seek schools that balance academic excellence with emotional wellbeing, safeguarding, and future-ready competencies. Key trends include the responsible integration of AI in learning, broader and more flexible educational pathways, and a stronger emphasis on wellbeing and holistic development. A key challenge lies in regulatory and legislative frameworks that often move at a slower pace than the rapidly evolving education sector. Addressing this requires strong governance and constructive collaboration with authorities, ensuring that regulation evolves in a way that supports educational progress.
A strong trend taking root in the Cypriot business landscape is mergers and acquisitions. Do you expect this trend to become more pronounced in your sector as well?
Mergers and acquisitions are likely to become more prominent in education, particularly as international education groups seek partnerships with trusted local institutions that demonstrate strong values and educational credibility. However, education differs fundamentally from other sectors. It is deeply human and purpose-driven. Any partnership must be guided by a shared educational philosophy and a long-term commitment to student development. Our collaboration with Globeducate reflects this approach, focusing not on scale alone but on creating meaningful opportunities for students and educators to grow and ultimately soar, fully prepared to contribute positively to society.
What should we expect from your organisation’s plans and strategy for growth and expansion in 2026? What specific actions do you intend to take to support this direction?
Our strategy for 2026 is grounded in long-term values aligned with the pillars of Guide, Grow, Nurture and Soar. As a modern education organisation, we will continue to invest in infrastructure, technology, and staff development, while strengthening our international outlook, broad curriculum, and learning beyond the classroom. A key milestone is the PASCAL PYP City Centre Campus, which launched in September 2025 with 140 students. The school is expected to move into state-of-the-art facilities in 2026, in the heart of Omirou Street, Limassol City Centre, offering the IB PYP. In parallel, we will further align curricula with emerging technologies such as AI and offer increased international experiences to our students through Globeducate’s network of more than 65 schools across 11 countries. From early years, our focus remains on developing confident, capable learners with the skills and character to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
The new year sees the implementation of tax reform, taking place 22 years after the previous tax reform. How do you expect it to affect the Cypriot economy, businesses, and Cyprus’ ability to attract foreign investment?
I see the tax reform as a timely and positive step that is likely to strengthen the Cypriot economy and reinforce Cyprus’s position as an attractive international business centre. By modernising the tax framework after more than two decades, it sends a strong signal of stability, competitiveness and forward thinking to both local and foreign investors.
For the private education sector in particular, increased business relocation to Cyprus will naturally lead to higher demand for school places. Importantly, this reform will not only support growth in numbers but also help drive improvements in quality. As demand becomes more diverse and international, schools will need to respond with enhanced educational standards, innovation and adaptability, ensuring they meet the expectations of a rapidly changing society and prepare students effectively for the future.
