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It is with great pleasure that I participate for the first time in the Graduation Ceremony of the School of Fine and Applied Arts, the School of Communication and Media and the School of Health Sciences of the Cyprus University of Technology.
The Ceremony is an important moment for all graduates, I would call it a joyful moment speaking from my own personal experience and I am sure you will feel this when you leave the University.
This ceremony is very personal for all of you as it marks the completion of an arduous process, which is necessary to meet the requirements of obtaining a degree. A process, dear graduates, which represents another cycle of learning, education and training in the wider context of your academic career, a process for which both you and your family, your family, have invested time, effort and financial resources and for which you deserve congratulations.
Dear graduates, today you hold an academic degree from the Cyprus University of Technology and you should consider yourselves very privileged, as you are graduating from a modern University Institution which, in its short course since its opening and the admission of its first students in 2007, laying solid and solid foundations, has demonstrated a very commendable course of development and progress that has made it one of the most rapidly developing university institutions both in Europe and internationally.
I would like, on the occasion of my presence here tonight, to express my warmest congratulations to the President and Members of the Council, the Rectorial Authorities, the academics and the administrative staff of the University for their tireless and continuous efforts for the steady progress of the CUTC beyond the national borders.
By way of indication, I would like to mention that the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of CUEP is ranked 51-75 internationally in the "Academic Ranking of World Universities", also known as the Shanghai List, while the Department of Nursing of the University is ranked 101-150 in the same list. Similarly, the Cyprus University of Technology was ranked 601-800 in the international ranking list of universities "Times Higher Education".
The decision to expand the University outside Limassol and to establish the School of Tourism Management, Hospitality and Entrepreneurship in Paphos, together with the transfer of students, academic and administrative staff of the Higher Hotel Institute of Cyprus to this School, was of decisive importance for the development of CTEPAK. The School, which will open in its new premises in Paphos next September, is expected to bring about a significant qualitative upgrade in the training of executives of the tourism industry, which is so important for our country.
Another important global success for CUTC is the assumption of the UNESCO Chair for Digital Cultural Heritage, which was established at the University's Digital Cultural Heritage Laboratory in 2018. The establishment of the Chair at CUT is a special honour not only for you, but also for Cyprus, as the award was made through a highly competitive process and is the one and only UNESCO Chair in the field of Digital Cultural Heritage in the world. It is an international recognition of the significant contribution of the Laboratory of the University of Technology in the field of digitization, preservation and enhancement of the cultural heritage of Humanity and is, undoubtedly, a reward for the University's actions and initiatives in the fields of research, science, education, innovation and contribution to society. An achievement of the utmost importance and honour, both for the Cyprus University of Technology and for our country, which once again highlights the excellent work done at the University, which is part of the Government's overall political philosophy for the promotion of Cyprus as a European and international centre of education and research. In this context, the emphasis on excellence and research invested by TEPAK resulted in the award of the "HR Excellence in Research" by the European Commission to the Cyprus University of Technology last April. An award that is given to organisations that have proven to provide researchers with the conditions and the necessary supportive working environment they need to perform at their best in their field.
For these achievements and the continuous effort for improvement and development, the Cyprus University of Technology, in addition to our warm congratulations for the substantial work it has accomplished to date for the benefit of our country and the whole of Cypriot society, enjoys the continuous support of the Government.
Invariably, the orientation of a state towards education and young people is for any government the most essential investment for the prosperity of the country, an investment which in order to have the desired results should be substantial, targeted and above all, long-lasting.
Having set the 'People Pillar' as a key component of our pre-election programme, aiming at a 'people-centred education and promotion of culture for the citizens of tomorrow', understanding the multifaceted dimension of Higher Education, we have set specific objectives, among others: - the assurance and certification of the quality of Higher Education in Cyprus; - the promotion of Cyprus' university education internationally as a quality and attractive academic destination for the attraction of foreign students, something that CUEPAK is doing successfully; - the promotion of transnational agreements for mutual recognition of qualifications with the aim of internationalizing higher education in Cyprus; - the systematic utilization of the scientific potential of the Universities of Cyprus for the formulation of policies for the development of higher education in Cyprus.
The support of the State to the CUT, as I mentioned above, is substantial, will be long-term and will be targeted. It is expressed - and I want to speak on behalf of all previous Governments - and has been expressed in various ways, as we refer to the annual State Budget grant provided for the proper functioning of the University, the development and achievement of the University's objectives, the annual State grant to fully cover the tuition fees of undergraduate students, but also the financial support of students based on social and economic criteria through the Grants and Grants Service of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The modern world, dear ones, is filled with a variety of invitations. But embrace the challenges, pursue excellence in every aspect of your personal and professional life and never settle for mediocrity.
Nikos Kazantzakis, in his book "A Report on Greco", notes that "To be young is to attempt to tear down the world and to have the audacity to want to build a new, better one". So always be ready and willing to make a difference, to be agents of change. You can do it because you have now acquired the right skills to contribute substantially and constructively to the common effort for the further social and economic development of our country, but also to establish Cyprus as a destination of high quality education, innovation and research.
I would like to congratulate you once again and assure you that as a Government - and this is where we will be judged - we will assist and support your every effort and initiative and will do everything possible to see you realise all your dreams, achieve your goals and always change the world for the better.
(PM)
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