The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth [/B]promotes a legislative framework for Higher Education
The Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Mr. Prodromos Prodromou made statements at the Ministry today regarding the draft law prepared by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth for the creation of an institutional framework, which will govern the establishment and creation of higher education schools.
Specifically, Mr Prodromou said: "Nowadays and after a course of progress over the last ten years, the goal we once had, for Cyprus to become an international regional centre of higher education, is now a reality.
We currently have in our country more than 61 thousand students. Compared to ten years ago, the number of students in Cyprus has increased by more than 80%. These are students from Cyprus and other EU countries, but also from third countries, from all continents. Students from Cyprus and other European countries exceed 80%, while almost 20% come from third countries. The vast majority, more than 70%, are students at universities.
Today we have eleven state and public universities in Cyprus (with a few more applications under consideration), as well as several other schools of higher education (a few dozen). University education also pushes and feeds scientific research, which is also developing rapidly, as we can see from the activity of research centres both in universities and outside them, in independent research centres. It is indicative and I would like to mention that among the students we currently have around 2 500 students in the doctoral cycle. So we understand how much the educational map of Cyprus and the data of higher education have changed.
Alongside this development course, the quality of studies and the assurance of the level of the institutions, as well as the reliability of the qualifications provided, are of particular importance. It is precisely for this reason that the Government has created the Quality Assurance and Certification Body for Higher Education (DIPAE). In this environment of development and rapid quantitative growth, the need to modernise and upgrade the legislative framework of higher education has also arisen. Therefore, in parallel with the legislation governing university education, we are moving towards a new comprehensive legislation for higher education schools. The legislation that we have in force to date dates back to 1996 and to a large extent does not correspond to today's standards, since it was enacted in a different reality, with different standards.
For this reason, the Ministry and the Directorate of Higher Education have prepared a draft bill for the creation of an upgraded and comprehensive institutional framework governing the establishment and creation of higher education schools. The framework law also takes into account the existence and operation of certain research centres with postgraduate programmes.
The draft bill has been prepared and has now been submitted for legislative processing to the Legal Service. Then, once the processing is completed and adopted by the Council of Ministers, it can be forwarded to Parliament for approval. We can assume that with the resumption of Parliament's business before the summer recess, this work can be completed.
The Bill provides a procedure for the establishment and operation of schools of higher education, with applications being considered by the Higher Education Council, which is established for that purpose. The schools would be reviewed and approved to operate and provide either short-duration programs and courses of study and corresponding higher education diplomas or, with increased requirements, bachelor's level programs and diplomas, as well as, if applicable, with appropriate additional requirements and graduate degrees. It is also envisaged that a distinction will be made between vocational programmes and academic programmes.
The Council's examination will be based on objective criteria relating both to operational adequacy, facilities and infrastructure and to the institutional framework, but also, of course, on purely academic criteria and standards relating to the competence of academic staff and curricula. To this end, relevant regulations should be prepared with the same philosophy and diligence.
As far as attendance is concerned, the bill clearly stipulates the prerequisites for the registration of students, the possession of previous qualifications and certificates of study, as well as sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction, and so on.
At the same time, and in line with the terms and conditions of operation of the schools, the relevant academic and organisational guarantees of competence, the bill includes provisions and procedures for supervision and control by the competent authorities.
The bill also contains specific provisions regarding the number of students and arrangements that may be decided by the State for students from third countries. As, in previous years, we faced an issue when the relevant state services had identified a significant number of applications for political asylum from persons residing in Cyprus in the capacity of a student in higher education schools. This phenomenon was dealt with, but we should not allow it to occur again.
For existing schools and programmes, the bill provides for a transitional period until the new regulations and procedures come into force.
I hope that with the completion of the legislative drafting, this legislative framework will be promoted and approved by the House of Representatives. Because it is absolutely necessary to have a modern and effective institutional framework, which will enable the further development of higher education in our country, but at the same time will ensure, with the current and future data, the quality of studies and the reliability of the higher education qualifications provided."
IP
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