Education

In the end of the second decade of the millennium, Cyprus has proved ready to face any global challenges in the field of education while presenting high qualified scientists and well-educated people qualified for any academic or professional field. Cyprus has indeed a remarkable number of people who have obtained high or higher education or diplomas, while a large number of graduates of high school continue their studies in foreign countries mainly the United Kingdom, the USA or certain European Countries like Greece, Germany etc. In fact Cyprus may pride itself for the fact that along with Denmark and Sweden has one of the highest rates of education among the European Union countries.

Public schools

Aiming at providing a high standard of education for the population, the Government spends about 7 to 10% of the GDP on educational purposes.
Cyprus offers excellent education programmes for both primary and secondary education. Public schools are free of charge. Basic education in Cyprus, with children entering primary education at the age of 6, lasts for 12 years. All teachers are graduates of either the former Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus or of the faculty of which has now been transferred to the University of Cyprus or of the University itself. The curriculum spectrum provides knowledge in various subjects; Modern and Ancient Greek, a high level of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as well as insight into other subjects like History and Geography, PE, Arts Computer knowledge, English and French.

Private education in Cyprus

It should be, however stressed out that the majority of subjects are in Greek, so foreign parents who wish their children to receive lessons in English or even Russian should have them attend private schools mainly located in Nicosia, Limassol as well as in Larnaca and Paphos. These are:
• The English School (Nicosia)
• The Heritage Private School (Limassol)
• The American Academy (in Larnaca and Limassol)
• The International School of Paphos (Paphos)

Education in the above mentioned schools lasts for 13 years. Children start school at the age of 5 and their secondary education finishes at 18. The curriculum includes various subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Biology, English, History, Literature etc while children studying in these institutions have the opportunity to sit IGCSE exams O’ Level or A’ level as required for their admission in British Universities. It is also worth mentioning that these schools run kindergarten schools in which children of age 2 and above may attend, before entering the primary school.

A quite convenient process may, moreover, be mentioned as to the age, knowledge and competence of students studying in these schools. Sometimes children of different nationalities, presenting a different level of knowledge of English may attend these English schools when they are in different ages (due to the fact that they may have not been in Cyprus since they were at the age of six). So these schools employ experienced teachers who may provide the students with tutoring according to their competence and knowledge.

In recent years, however, even Cypriot parents who prefer their children to be offered an English based education, send them to English schools where the children may have the opportunity to study for the IGCSE exams and be prepared for their admission in the British Universities.

The cost for the private English schools is not inhibitive. Tuition fees for junior classes amount to about €3.500 per school year and for senior classes to about € €7.000 to €8.000 per year.

Universities

Students graduating from high school have a choice of entering a University in Cyprus or Greece or even studying in the United Kingdom, in Europe or USA.

In Cyprus there are both public and private higher education institutions. These include the three public Universities:
• The University of Cyprus (in Nicosia)
• The Cyprus University of Technology (in Limassol) and

• The Open University of Cyprus (in Nicosia)

The first university, ‘The University of Cyprus’, founded in 1989, included the former Pedagogikon Institute which traditionally prepared students for both primary and secondary schools. Its first undergraduate students were received in 1992 and its first postgraduate students in 1997.

In 2002, another University was established, the ‘Open University of Cyprus’, offering distance learning programmes for lifelong learning and professional development. The Open University accepted its first student in 2006.

Both University of Cyprus and Open University are based in the capital Nicosia.

In 2007, a third University was established, this time in the town of Limassol. Its faculties include studies related to applied sciences and technology

Other options regarding postgraduate studies include private Universities based in all the major cities of Cyprus. These three private foundations registered in 2007 were provided probationary license to operate according to the legislation regarding the establishment and operation of private universities in Cyprus imposed by the EU.

These universities are:
• The Frederick University
• The European University Cyprus and

• The University of Nicosia

Three years later in 2010 a fourth private university, the ‘Neapolis University-Cyprus’ based in Paphos started its operation on the basis of the probationary license.

The programmes, the curriculum, the procedures and the buildings of all four private universities, which are in fact to a great extend autonomous, are submitted for evaluation and approval by the Evaluation Committee of Private Universities (ECPU).

Branches of well- known Universities

It should also be mentioned that branches of well-known British Universities have established their branches in Cyprus. Two of these are UcLan Cyprus, which is a branch of the well-known University of Central Lancashire and the University of the West of England both of which are situated in the town of Larnaca.