A bill concerning the establishment of branches of foreign universities in Cyprus sparked heated discussions in the House’s Education Committee, with MPs criticising the Ministry of Education for its hasty and dismissive approach, claiming that the controversial bill was prepared without sufficient consultation and ignored the perspectives of Cypriot universities, even as the House awaits a National Strategy for Higher Education.
The discussion will resume in the autumn.
Bill details and criticisms
The General Director of the Ministry of Education noted that the bill stipulates that branches of foreign universities could be established under the same conditions as Cypriot universities, including evaluation and accreditation by the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA). She pointed out that current legislation does not specify the necessary controls for branches of foreign universities in Cyprus.
CYQAA president Mary Koutselini stated that the intention of the bill is to eliminate any unfavourable discrimination between Cypriot branches opening in Greece and Greek branches opening in Cyprus. However, she acknowledged interest from universities in other countries also looking to establish a presence in Cyprus.
“The public universities of Greece, when opening branches in other countries, operate as if they were private institutions. Therefore, our public universities’ branches should also function as private universities,” Koutselini said, emphasising the need for legal clarity from the Republic’s Law Office.
DIPA MP Alekos Tryfonidis called for a recess to allow government officials to reach an agreement and present their proposal, criticising the process as mocking the House.
A representative from the Cyprus Council for the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications (KYSATS) noted that any university wishing to establish a branch in Cyprus would now be evaluated by Cypriot authorities. “This is a change from the previous requirement, where it was sufficient for the university to have been evaluated in its country of origin,” they said, citing interest from a university in England (who has different criteria).
Representatives from the University of Cyprus and TEPAK criticised the proposal’s lack of preparation and dialogue. “We are considering the establishment of branches without addressing our existing problems. We must first put our house in order and then move forward. The legislation is incomplete,” said the University of Cyprus representative.
A representative from the University of Nicosia stated they did not object to the establishment of branches by foreign universities as long as they met the same evaluation criteria as private universities.
The European University representative, currently the only Cypriot university with a branch abroad, expressed willingness to collaborate and study the bill further.
The Frederick University representative emphasised the need for strict criteria similar to those applied to Cypriot universities and called for amendments to the legislation and alignment with the National Higher Education Strategy. “Today, we have 12 universities, yet we lack a strategy, despite our goal of making Cyprus a regional education hub,” they said.
The Pancyprian Federation of Student Unions (POFEN) noted their opinion had not been sought, expressing concerns about the effectiveness of numerous private universities and calling for support to public institutions.
MPs expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of a National Strategy for Higher Education. DISY MP George Karoullas emphasised the need to establish foundations before addressing further expansions. “We have put the cart before the horse,” he said.
AKEL MP Christos Christofides criticised the Ministry of Education’s actions as hasty and ill-conceived, risking the integrity of Cypriot higher education. He highlighted the lack of coordination, strategy, and consultation with stakeholders and experts.
DIPA MP Alekos Tryfonidis questioned the absence of dialogue with universities and the viability of existing institutions in Cyprus. He demanded apologies from the General Director and the Minister of Education, asserting, “I will not allow you to underestimate my intelligence.”
Finally, independent MP Andreas Themistocleous questioned the financial means by which the University of Cyprus intended to open a branch abroad. “We already have nine private universities. Do we need more? Why would we want universities from England, which is not even in the EU?” he asked.
