Nicosia municipality opens first student halls in walled city with 50 rooms

Nicosia Municipality inaugurated its first student halls in the walled city yesterday. The historic building at the corner of Voulgaroktonou, Arsinois and Komninon streets has been transformed into accommodation with 50 rooms, an internal courtyard and infrastructure for people with disabilities – a project uniting tradition with modern life.

During yesterday’s inauguration ceremony, Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos thanked all who contributed to the project and welcomed students choosing to live and study in the heart of the capital.

Finance Minister Makis Keraunos inaugurated the building, whilst Bishop of Mesaoria Grigorios conducted the blessing.

Deputy Mayor of Nicosia Municipal District Chrysanthos Fakas, municipal councillors, the rector, members of the rectorate and academics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as well as political and state officials, project partners, students and parents attended the event.

The project was funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility – NextGenerationEU, under the Cyprus – Tomorrow plan.

In statements to philenews, Deputy Mayor Chrysanthos Fakas said years of coordinated efforts by Nicosia Municipality are starting to produce results.

He referred to the creation of municipal student halls, the relocation of the University of Cyprus to the Faneromeni school, the creation of the CYENS centre of excellence and the establishment of the medical school of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Asked about the student halls, he said they have already begun operating. He explained that student admission is based on income criteria, with set rental prices.

Specifically, rent ranges from €243 for a 13.52 square metre single room to €350 for the largest single room of 19.45 square metres.

There is also a room for people with disabilities – a 20 square metre single room with rent of €360. For double rooms, rents range from €352 for a 19.55 square metre room to €478 for the largest room of 26.57 square metres.

The prices include electricity, water, internet, cleaning of common areas, as well as various other operational and fixed costs.

The student rooms are located at the corner of Voulgaroktonou, Arsinois and Komninon streets. They have been built according to modern student halls specifications and have a capacity of 50 rooms, one of which is designed according to standards for people with disabilities.

Each room is self-contained and fully furnished, including a desk, desk chair, bookshelf, bed with drawer and 90-centimetre-wide mattress, bedside table and wall wardrobe in the bathroom.

It also has individual sanitary facilities and a fully equipped kitchen with a single-door fridge, microwave oven, double electric hob and extractor fan. Each room has heating and cooling air conditioning.

Inside the building there are two laundry rooms equipped with a total of 12 washing machines and 12 dryers, as well as common areas.

The student halls have installed photovoltaic electricity generation systems, burglar alarm systems, closed-circuit television systems, call systems for people with disabilities, access control systems, and automation systems for lighting control and lightning protection.

The first 24 students have already moved in, according to site manager Lefteris Charalambous. The first five students moved into their rooms last Friday, with the remaining 19 following on Saturday.

According to Charalambous, three are from third countries – Palestine, United Arab Emirates and India – five are Cypriots and 16 are Greeks. Most attend the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and private universities in Nicosia, whilst one tenant attends the University of Cyprus.

Regarding the room for people with disabilities, the site manager said there is already interest from one student, whilst applications continue for the remaining 25 rooms.