‘Hasty’ ministry under scrutiny over foreign university bill

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, writes Despoina Psyllou for In-Cyprus.

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.
Full report on the In-Cyprus site