UCLan Cyprus and the non-profit organization Panton Chara are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking the beginning of a meaningful collaboration in the field of applied psychology, with particular emphasis on the MSc Forensic Psychology programme.
The Memorandum was signed online on 21 January 2026, while the collaboration was formally sealed during an official ceremony held on 26 March 2026 at the premises of UCLan Cyprus.
The collaboration between the two organizations aims to connect academic knowledge with clinical practice, enhance internship and professional experience opportunities for students, develop joint educational, research, and training initiatives, and promote the understanding and management of delinquent behaviour among adolescents.
Panton Chara, a non-profit organization supported by the Metropolis of Limassol, operates in the field of child and adolescent mental health and social care. Through an interdisciplinary intervention model, it provides specialized services to adolescents residing in Child Protection Homes, addressing complex psychosocial difficulties and delinquent behaviours. Guided by its core vision of creating “a new family that paves the way toward a better future,” the organization invests in the development of skills and values, promoting self-awareness, self-confidence, teamwork, and acceptance of diversity.
UCLan Cyprus, based in Larnaca, is the first Branch Campus of the University of Lancashire (UCLan UK) and a fully recognized university in Cyprus. It offers a double-awarded degree with international recognition, combining British academic standards with a European perspective. Through innovative study programmes and a strong emphasis on linking theory with practice, it prepares highly qualified professionals for the modern international labour market.
The Memorandum was signed by Dr Maria Kontouli, Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Family and Community Department of PANTON CHARA, and Professor Irene Polykarpou, Rector of UCLan Cyprus.
The ceremony was also attended by Professor Nearchos Paspallis, Head of the School of Sciences at UCLan Cyprus, and Dr Vasiliki Christodoulou, Course Leader of the MSc Forensic Psychology programme.
