The parliament approved legislation on Thursday establishing strict regulations for foreign universities seeking to open branches in the country, with Greece’s University of Athens and National Technical University among those expressing interest.
The bill, which passed with 31 votes in favour and 16 against, defines foreign university branches as non-profit legal entities, setting minimum requirements for faculties and programmes offered.
Three amendments proposed by the opposition AKEL party were rejected.
Key provisions from the original draft were removed, including a €2 million guarantee requirement and criteria based on parent institutions’ international rankings.
The Greek ambassador to Cyprus, Ioannis Papameletiou, attended the parliamentary session.
“The legislation ensures quality standards while enhancing the competitiveness of higher education”, the Education Ministry said in a statement, adding that foreign university branches will operate under the same terms as existing higher education institutions.
AKEL MP Christos Christofides expressed concerns about potential risks.
“We don’t want Cyprus to become a flag of convenience for less reputable universities”, he said, though clarifying this did not apply to Greek institutions.
The ministry confirmed no formal applications have been submitted yet, despite interest from several universities.
Officials expect the new law to increase revenue by attracting more international students through expanded programme offerings.
The legislation aligns with EU law on freedom of establishment and services, the ministry noted, adding that foreign educational institutions have already been operating in Cyprus for years under previous regulations.
