According to the proposal of the Education Committee, the revenues of the Cyprus University of Technology come from the government sponsorship (€42.000,000), undergraduate tuition fees (€7,300,000), fees/tuition and other fees (€958,610), exploitation of property (€200,000), funding for external research or other programmes/projects (€19,000,000), contributions, donations, endowments, bequests, etc. (€2,000,000), from funding for the provision of state scholarships to beneficiaries (€150,000), from funding for structural programmes and projects (€500,000), from provision of appropriations for gratuities/one-offs from the public and wider public sector - public-sector rebate (€329,344) and from revenue from management fees (€1,000,000).
During his remarks, the MPs underlined the important role that public universities play in the country, as sites of academic research and education, as well as nuclei for attracting research programmes from abroad, and assured their support to both CUT and the University of Cyprus.
Taking the floor, ELAM MP, Linos Papagiannis, said that despite the support for the CUT budget, it is considered "unjustified and unthinkable to separate about 25% of students from the right of physical presence at the University, with the justification that they have not been vaccinated". He added that those who have missed classes should not have other problems afterwards.
EDEK MP Andreas Apostolou said that support for both public universities in the country is necessary because "they offer high quality public education". He stressed, however, that universities also contribute to the development of all regions of the country and welcomed the expansion of the CUT with the operation of the School of Tourism in Paphos, as well as the agreement with the Municipality of Larnaca for the development of postgraduate programmes.
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvidis acknowledged benefits "beneficial to the economy" from both public universities, by retaining students in the country, by developing infrastructure and expanding CUEPAK to other cities, and by attracting research programmes. He said, however, that the high salaries of academics "are a challenge to the world and perhaps academics should consider a maximum salary."
"TEPAK is on a very good path," said AKEL MP and Secretary General Stefanos Stefanou, adding that "it plays a leading role in the creation of a European University of Technology, there is a continuous effort of rationalisation, which is also reflected in the budget, and it shows extroversion to other provinces." As a serious problem of the University, he cited its effort to keep its premises in the centre of Limassol, "which admittedly gave a significant boost to the city", he said. Finally, he said that there are also gaps in student care, due to the lack of student accommodation, especially in Limassol, where there are high rents.
DISY MP Prodromos Alabritis welcomed the announcement of the CUT for the operation of a school in Paphos, as well as the intention for postgraduate programmes in Larnaca. He pointed out that it is "absolutely necessary to continue the development plan of public universities in order to respond to the needs of society and the interconnection with the labour market". He also highlighted as an objective the internationalisation of universities, with programmes in other languages.
Source: CNA
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