University of Nicosia Hosts Ceremonial Event for NEOLAiA European University Alliance

Minister of Education: “Today’s celebration is an opportunity to reaffirm the government’s commitment to empowering our youth through education”

UNIC Rector Pouyioutas: “Together we can ensure that Europe continues to be a pillar of solidarity, democracy, security and prosperity.”

The University of Nicosia proudly hosted a ceremonial event to celebrate its participation in the NEOLAiA European University Alliance (https://neolaiacampus.eu/). By fostering collaboration and innovation, the alliance seeks to enhance the quality of education and research, promote cultural exchange, and contribute to the development of a more inclusive and sustainable european society.

Held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the event gathered distinguished guests, including rectors from the other eight alliance universities, faculty members, students, and local dignitaries. Attendees included the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, ambassadors and embassy delegates from the countries of the partner universities, the Mayor and Deputy Mayors of Ellinikon-Argyroupolis in Greece, the Chair of the Council of the Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education, the President of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts and the President of the National Bioethics Committee.

Addressing the event, the honourable Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Dr Athena Michaelidou underlined the critical importance of European University Alliances, stating that the Cyprus government supports all the universities in Cyprus which succeed in becoming members. “By supporting these initiatives our government ensures that our students and academics are at the forefront of global developments, benefitting from educational opportunities and networks”, she stated.

It is initiatives like NEOLAiA, she added, that empower young people to face current challenges, offering them the tools, the knowledge, and the networks to make a meaningful impact.

In closing, the Minister said: “Today’s celebration is an opportunity to reaffirm the government’s commitment to empowering our youth through education and collaboration with other universities. Congratulations for all your efforts. The results of your work will guide our policies.”

In his opening remarks, the Rector of the University of Nicosia, Professor Philippos Pouyioutas emphasised the importance of international cooperation in higher education and noted “I would like to reaffirm our commitment, as NEOLAiA, to the ideals of collaboration, excellence, and unity that underpin the European University Alliances. Together, with our partner universities, we have set ambitious targets to excel in collaborative teaching, learning, research, innovation, and societal contribution. In that respect, the NEOLAiA pillars of diversity and inclusion, digital and green transition, and enhanced mobility will guide us in implementing our targets in line with the European Commission’s strategic priorities for a more competitive Europe. Together, we can create a brighter future for our students and our institutions. Together we can ensure that Europe continues to be a pillar of solidarity, democracy, security and prosperity.”

Rector Pouyioutas also highlighted the University of Nicosia’s main contribution to the alliance, focusing on the European Commission’s strategic goal of digital transition. He noted “The University of Nicosia main contribution was based on the strategic goal of the European Commission for digital transition. We therefore enriched the alliance priorities with the digital transformation focusing on disruptive technologies, particularly on Extended Reality and Artificial Intelligence, in line with the 5th Industrial revolution. Mario Draghi’s recent report on ‘The Future of European Competitiveness’ highlights the importance of these technologies.”

Finally, Professor Pouyioutas highlighted the success of the University of Nicosia in international university rankings, and particularly referred to the university’s position in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR), amongst the Top 501-600 universities in the world, within the Top 150 in the European Union, 2^nd in Cyprus and Greece and 1^st in Cyprus for Research Quality, the most important and heavily weighted indicator among the 5 indicators used for ranking universities.

The Chair of the NEOLAiA Governing Board and the rectors of the other partner universities also delivered their greetings and briefly presented their institutions.

The highlight of the ceremony was the signing of the Consortium Agreement by the rectors of the partner universities.