The Ministry of Education has submitted an amended bill outlining conditions for establishing and operating foreign university branches in the country, sparking debate among stakeholders in the education sector.
The Parliamentary Committee on Education, attended by Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, discussed the bill, which has generally satisfied involved parties but raised concerns on specific points.
A key issue is the provision regarding international rankings. The bill proposes that the body responsible for evaluating and certifying programs can reject applications from foreign university branches if the parent institution and its programs rank lower than local higher education institutions in international academic rankings.
Both public and private universities have expressed reservations about this criterion. They question its objectivity, noting that institutional rankings can fluctuate annually. Concerns were also raised about which international indices would be considered, given that some respected universities opt out of certain ranking systems.
“There will be no compromises on the issue of the quality of the provided education, hence the introduction of strict criteria,” Minister Michaelidou said. She added that the issue of rankings and their practical application would be examined by the Quality Assurance Body in Higher Education.
Stakeholders emphasised the need for strict criteria for branch operations, comparable to those applied to existing local institutions. They stressed the importance of avoiding preferential treatment for foreign universities seeking to establish branches in Cyprus.
Read more:
