The state wants to see public higher education institutions attract more foreign students, Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou said on Wednesday after discussing with MPs a government bill to introduce non-Greek language programmes of study in state universities.
According to the minister, the number of foreign students in Cyprus has risen from around 8,000 in 2012 to almost 30,0000 six to seven years later, the vast majority of them in private universities.
“We also want public universities to contribute to and enhance this effort,” Prodromou said after attending a meeting of the House education committee.
He said the government bill on the introduction of such courses, mostly in English, in state universities has been discussed by parliament.
“We hope it is approved as soon as possible because we want state universities to participate in this effort for the internationalisation of university education,” the minister said.
Such a move, he said, would allow people who graduate from English language private schools and holders of international school certificates, to participate in public university programmes.
He added that Cyprus has in recent years, “to gradually become an international regional centre for university-level development”.
Head of the House education committee, Disy’s Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis, said they completed the discussion on the introduction of study programmes by state universities, mainly in English.
He said they also discussed the issue of fees for these programmes adding that they will be based on the real cost of the programmes and everyone will pay the same amount.
“No hidden subsidy, no discrimination, that is, one to pay more or the other to pay less,” he said.
Hadjiyiannis said the introduction of such study programmes “opens a huge window of opportunity to state universities”.
He said this would also open a new window to students graduating from English language private schools since it would enable them to obtain a position in state universities in Cyprus through international exams and without them having to take the Greek language university entrance exams public school leavers must take.
Citing the rise in fees of British universities from 2021, Hadjiyiannis said such a move was imperative. He called on all parties to back the bill.
Source: Cyprus Mail
