The Director of Administration and Finance, Angelos Loizou, characterises 2026 as a year of implementing major goals for Neapolis University Pafos, emphasising that "after a period of particularly important developments, we are now focusing on the steady and substantial strengthening of our international footprint."
As he stated in an interview with InBusinessNews, within the framework of the IN Business Forecasting 2026 series of interviews, "our strategy is based on expanding international collaborations, creating even more competitive academic programmes and continuously upgrading our services towards students."
Regarding the trend of acquisitions and mergers, he expresses the view that in the Higher Education sector "what we will see even more strongly is strategic partnerships and not necessarily classic mergers."
Regarding the sector more broadly, Loizou believes that it is in a time of radical change, as the demand for high-level English-language programmes is increasing, internationalisation is strengthening and students are looking for universities that offer them real international prospects and connections to the job market.
How do you think the Cypriot economy will perform in the new year and what are its prospects? What do you consider to be the biggest risks and how can they be addressed?
The Cypriot economy has proven its resilience even in times of intense international uncertainty. In 2026, I anticipate that it will continue to move with positive momentum, but without the excessive enthusiasm that could lead to incorrect assessments.
Cyprus has structures that operate in a stabilising manner, a strong services sector, influences in technology, education and tourism, as well as high-quality human capital.
The greatest risks come mainly from the external environment, geopolitical issues in the wider region, increased energy costs, and possible slowdowns in the European economy.
These factors are beyond our control, but we can address them by boosting productivity, focusing on innovation, and maintaining a stable, predictable, and reliable economic framework.
In other words, Cyprus must continue to operate as a small, but smart, flexible and competitive economy.
How do you anticipate that your company's sector of activity will develop in 2026, what are the biggest trends/changes you expect to occur and what are the most significant challenges?
The higher education sector is in a time of radical change. The demand for high-quality English-language programmes is increasing, internationalisation is strengthening, and students are looking for universities that offer them real international perspectives and connections to the job market.
In 2026, I expect that the need for innovative programmes, digital infrastructure and academic extroversion will become even more intense. In this context, Neapolis University Pafos has already taken a major step of strategic importance, as we are participating in the new European University Alliance EMERGE, an initiative that aspires to redefine the future of higher education in Europe through cross-border cooperation, social inclusion and the empowerment of regional universities.
Our participation in this venture strengthens our extroversion and international prestige and is a clear indication of the path we have taken.
The challenge is clear, to maintain our quality and momentum in an increasingly competitive environment. At the same time, the distinction in the international Webometrics ranking, which places us in the top 7% worldwide, shows that we have laid very solid foundations.
A strong trend that seems to be taking hold in Cypriot business is that of acquisitions and mergers. Will we see it strongly in your sector as well?
The trend of acquisitions and mergers is indeed strengthening in the Cypriot business environment, as a result of the need for greater scale and enhanced competitiveness.
In the field of Higher Education, however, I believe that what we will see even more strongly is strategic partnerships and not necessarily classic mergers.
Our University is a typical example of this approach, with two important recent collaborations, with the University of Reading for the new English-language law programmes and with the Democritus University of Thrace for the creation of a joint English-language programme in Medicine.
These partnerships create added value for students, strengthen our academic identity and contribute substantially to the upgrading of Cypriot higher education.
What can we expect in terms of your organisation's development and expansion plans and strategy in 2026? What moves do you intend to make in this direction?
2026 is a year of great achievement for Neapolis University Paphos. After a period of significant developments, we are now focusing on steadily and substantially strengthening our international footprint.
Our strategy is based on expanding international collaborations, creating even more competitive academic programmes, and continuously upgrading our services to students.
At the same time, we are investing in our infrastructure, in digitalisation, but also in our research activity. Our goal is not just to grow, but to grow in a way that enhances the quality and value we offer.
The international recognition we have received in recent years is an incentive for us to move forward even more decisively.
The new year is seeing the implementation of the tax reform, which is taking place 22 years after the previous tax reform. How do you anticipate that it will affect the Cypriot economy, businesses, and the attraction of foreign investments?
The tax reform is one of the most important institutional changes in recent decades. If implemented consistently and clearly, it can strengthen the business environment, improve the competitiveness of the economy and create a more predictable framework for businesses, which is extremely crucial for attracting foreign investment.
For Higher Education, a modern tax model supports the internationalisation of universities. It enhances the country's image, facilitates the attraction of students from third countries and gives impetus to collaborations with international universities.
It can, therefore, be a lever for even greater development, both for academia and for the Cypriot economy as a whole.
(Source: InBusinessNews)
