It is indeed a great pleasure to be here once again at the University of Cyprus to honour the students who are receiving their degrees tonight
This is a special moment for every student, their family and friends, but also for the University itself and its Academics.
Dear graduates, attending and successfully completing courses in your chosen discipline has been a journey that you have travelled together, working with diligence, patience and perseverance, developing your skills and acquiring new knowledge.
Guarantees, which, in conjunction with the recognised degree you have obtained, ensure that you can claim a position in a competitive professional field or continue your studies at postgraduate level.
The University of Cyprus has always based its operation on these objectives, seeking to make its students worthy and competent scientists with comparative advantages.
The international recognition and distinctions that the University of Cyprus enjoys, as well as the great successes of its students, are a simple confirmation of this firm orientation, the professionalism that distinguishes the Rectorial Authorities and its scientific and administrative staff.
This international recognition of the University of Cyprus, as well as of our other Higher Educational Institutions, in addition to the University itself, primarily honours our own country.
This international recognition of the University of Cyprus, as well as of our other Higher Educational Institutions, primarily honours our country.
At the same time, it justifies the targeted policy we adopt in support of the strategic objectives they set as a whole.
With regard to the University of Cyprus in particular, we have strengthened its operation over the years, especially with regard to the Foundation's development programme for the period 2016-2026.
Indicatively, I note that projects have already been completed that have increased the dynamics of the Foundation, such as:
- The construction of the Library - Information Centre "Stelios Ioannou".
- The renovation and upgrading of the facilities of the Sciakleio Health Education Centre, which currently houses the University's Faculty of Medicine.
- The renovation and upgrading of the historically important site of the former Pedagogical Academy.
In addition, we supported the construction of new infrastructure that allows the advanced activity of academic staff, researchers and students.
More specifically, the construction of the Faculty of Engineering, the Cancer Research Institute, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences "Nikos K.
A large part of the development program is covered by donations from our fellow citizens thanks to the initiatives of which the state comes to the rescue so that the campus resembles a construction site at this time.
A large part of the development program is covered by donations from our fellow citizens thanks to the initiatives of which the state comes to the rescue so that the campus resembles a construction site at this time.
What I want to stress is that the promotion of these projects, despite the economic crisis, has also been made possible as a result of loans of 194 million euros raised by the State from the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank.
In this context, of paramount importance for the upward trend of the University is the Government's decision to increase the amount of the existing loan from the European Investment Bank by 20 million euros, which will allow the promotion of additional infrastructure projects, such as the creation of a green park in the heart of the campus.
In addition, an additional loan of 45 million euros is under consideration for the construction of 700 new beds in the University's student halls of residence.
Furthermore, the Council of Ministers approved the financing of the Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation KOIOS and the Centre of Excellence for Biobanking and Biomedical Research, for a total amount of 30 million euros.
Equally important is the targeted policy in the National Plan "Cyprus - Tomorrow", with an amount of 28 million euros for the transfer of the University's School of Architecture to the school of Faneromeni and the creation of student residences.
I would like to stress that the University of Cyprus is equally supported by all Public and Private Institutions of Higher Education in our country and beyond.
It is our conviction that our country can become a regional centre of quality university education opportunities, research, excellence and lifelong learning in cutting-edge fields.
It is our conviction that our country can become a regional centre of quality university education opportunities, research, excellence and lifelong learning in cutting-edge fields.
And what I would like to emphasise with particular satisfaction, as a result of the policy we adopt, is that Cyprus has emerged in recent years as a pole of attraction for students, academics and researchers, while our institutions are distinguished in the university ranking systems of prestigious international and European organisations. Our University is ranked among the 400 and 500 best universities in the world, while among the newly established universities it is in the 90th rank which is significant considering that there are thousands of universities that are considered or classified as newly established.
Just for the sake of comparison of the high growth trend, I mention that in the academic year 2012-2013, out of the total of 32 thousand students who attended higher education institutions in Cyprus, only eight thousand were citizens of other European and third countries.
Today, comparing the statistics from the total of 54,235 students studying in Cyprus' Higher Education Institutions during the spring semester of the previous academic year, 23,812 are Cypriot citizens (44%), 21,611 are citizens of other European countries (40%), while 8,812 are citizens of third countries (16%).
I warmly congratulate you on obtaining your degree, praising you first and foremost for the dedication, methodicalness and consistency that you have demonstrated as a whole towards the achievement of your goals.
The degree that you will soon officially hold in your hands today is the reward for the hard work and sacrifices required on your part to obtain it.
At the same time, it paves the way for a new page in your life.
A path in which you already have as strong assets the principles and values given to you by your parents, who today, along with you, rightly feel proud themselves.
Always remember that your success will be a success both for your University and for our country.
Because it is precisely in you, in the new generation of competent scientists with broadened intellectual horizons, that your University today delivers to society, in whom we all invest in order to claim the best for our country.
In this context, allow me to pay tribute to Marios Andreou, a graduate of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and Eleftheria Kelekidou, of the Department of Economics, who scored the highest marks and to whom the first and second prizes of the President of the Republic of Cyprus are awarded respectively.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate once again the Council and the Rectorial Authorities, as well as the Academic and Research staff of the University of Cyprus, for the rich and beneficial work they produce, with a creative impact at local and international level.
I am absolutely confident that through its achievements the University of Cyprus will soon be ranked even higher among the world's leading universities.
(PM/SX)
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