The establishment of a branch of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) in Cyprus constitutes a milestone in the effort for the further internationalisation and upgrading of Higher Education in the country, President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides has said.
Speaking at the event held in the Great Hall of the NKUA for the establishment and operation of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Cyprus Branch on 17 February, the President noted that the founding and operation of a branch of NKUA in Cyprus represents the natural continuation of a historic course, as many generations of Cypriots studied at this intellectual institution, several of whom went on to attain distinguished positions in society.
“The creation of the Branch in Cyprus strengthens the strategic goal of transforming the country into a regional center of knowledge, research and innovation, with significant, multi-level benefits for society, the economy, and the international image of the Republic of Cyprus,” President Christodoulides stressed.
He added that the establishment of the Branch enriches the educational landscape in Cyprus, encouraging synergies and collaborations while at the same time expanding opportunities for further academic and research development.
“As a Government, we are investing in strengthening the country’s academic and research sector and creating the necessary framework for the development of a dynamic academic community,” he noted, underlining that for the government, higher education is approached as a fundamental pillar of development.
The President referred to the outward orientation of Cypriot universities, which are expanding into Greece and other European countries, demonstrating the prospects opening up in the field of education within a pan-European and constantly evolving internationalised environment.
For his part, in his own address, President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, stated that “Greece and Cyprus are one unified homeland, the place where the heart of Hellenism beats,” and stressed that if we wish to preserve the ties of Hellenism with Cyprus, new paths must continually be opened for the next generations.
Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports of Greece, Sofia Zacharaki, described the operation of the Cyprus Branch as "a shared national success", noting that Greece and Cyprus are becoming a reference point for education in the wider region.
In his remarks, the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, stated that the presence of the University of Athens in Cyprus “constitutes the natural continuation of a path of uninterrupted intellectual, scientific and national coexistence,” describing it as a historic moment for the Institution.
Archbishop of Cyprus, Georgios, highlighted the significance for Cyprus of the presence of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in the country, both at an academic level and in terms of its historical weight. He also underlined the long-standing tradition of intellectual ties between the University of Athens and Cypriot Hellenism.
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymos II, congratulated the University of Athens on its policy of outward orientation and pointed out that the creation of the Cyprus Branch will contribute constructively both to the University of Athens and to society in Cyprus and Greece.
(Source: CNA)
