Five applicants await Cyprus private universities decision

The Council of Ministers will assess in the coming weeks an evaluation report on applications by local colleges, seeking to be established as private universities, possibly to fend of the increasing recognition gained by five universities in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus.

The Evaluation Committee of Private Universities (ECPU) of the Ministry of Education and Culture is expected to submit in early September its assessment report to Minister Akis Kleanthous.

Kleanthous told CNA he will then present the report to the Council of Ministers for consideration. He explained that the report was prepared by ECPU after the Committee had received clarifications from interested colleges.

Five Cypriot tertiary educational institutions have applied for evaluation. These are A.S Cyprus College Ltd, I.M.C.S Intercollege Ltd, Mesokeleas Ltd (Frederick Institute of Technology), the Philips College Ltd and the Neapolis Academic Enteprises Ltd in Paphos, a new development of the Leptos Group.

Kleanthous said that the transformation of the colleges to universities is a two-phase process. Colleges will first have to register with the Private Universities Central Registry and subsequently they will be granted a date to begin functioning as universities.

“If some of these colleges have responded fully to all the requirements and are ready to operate as universities, they may be able to secure now a date for their operation as universities,” Kleanthous explained.