CyI Erasmus+ Policy Statement
The Cyprus Institute’s participation in the Erasmus+ programme facilitates the realization of our mission values and the faithfulness to our vision as an institute.
Specifically, our mission as an international science, technology and educational organization is to strengthen the research community and culture of Cyprus and help transform its economy to a knowledge-based one, and to serve as a research and innovation hub for the Eastern Mediterranean region addressing issues of regional relevance and global significance. Recognizing the unique geopolitical location of our country, we aspire to serve as a European Union (EU) gateway to research and technology in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region and, in this way, advance peace and prosperity and promote the cooperation among the peoples of the EMME region for the betterment of their future.
Our mission is led by a set of strong values that are to:
- Conduct cutting-edge scientific research through integrated approaches in areas aligned with local and regional priorities.
- Develop big strategic research infrastructures that serve not only our needs but also those of the research communities of Cyprus and the region.
- Lead by example of a strong academic and scholarly culture.
- Establish strategic partnerships at the local, regional and international levels.
- Engage with society and public and private stakeholders.
- Utilise our influence and scientific excellence for short and long-term societal and regional impact.
Moreover, The Cyprus Institute’s vision has been defined by considering the fast-changing social, political and economic realities in the EMME region and globally and the significant scientific and technological advancements at the Institute and internationally. Our vision is now enriched with a set of major scientific, technological and educational strategic drivers:
- Tackle climate change for a healthy environment with healthy people.
- Innovate for a sustainable and green development toward a brighter future.
- Lead in a changing world where data and artificial intelligence are key features.
- Analyse and document our past and present to enrich our future.
- Educate the new science leaders and policy makers.
The Erasmus+ activities are perfectly designed to bring to the CyI an additional international dimension to studying, teaching and researching. Through Erasmus+, The Cyprus Institute supports international exchanges for students, academic staff and researchers, as well as structured cooperation with other higher education institutions and public authorities abroad.
Erasmus+ acts as a catalyst in materializing our internationalization and modernization agenda and at the same time ensures the continuous development of skills of both our students and staff and promote the acquisition of advanced transversal skills and key competences. Hence, through Erasmus+ our people enhance their competitiveness and career prospects by achieving high-level skills including digital competences, numeracy, critical thinking and problem-solving as well as flexible, innovative teaching and learning techniques designed to improve the effectiveness of education while creating more capacity for students of The Cyprus Institute Graduate School. Additionally, our students have the opportunity to be exposed to high quality specialized education outside Cyprus that is not available nationally.
The Cyprus Institute shares and supports the idea towards a European Education Area. Erasmus+ provides us with the means to materialize this vision by offering the chance to the members of our community to spend time abroad and become culturally competent, learn foreign languages, possess good communication skills, become mobile citizens and develop their personality.
The Erasmus+ Programme provides support to the Bologna process through targeted calls for project proposals, to support the implementation of commitments made within the Bologna Process. These are crucial to consolidate the trust necessary for the further evolution of the European Higher Education Area. One of the key initiatives that are driving this vision in the field of higher education and which are implemented by The Cyprus Institute, is the mutual recognition of qualifications.
Moreover, through mobility our people are provided with the opportunity to develop more attachment to Europe and its people and culture, leading to strengthening their European identification.
Vis-à-vis the students and staff that are visiting The Cyprus Institute through Erasmus+, we are able to provide them with niche knowledge and unique experiences by participating in our interdisciplinary programs of study and connected research. The hosted students are provided with the opportunity to work alongside distinguished faculty, get trained in the use of cutting- edge methods and techniques, have access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and carry out research within internationally recognized research teams.
Furthermore, the Erasmus+ programme is a very important tool for facilitating the implementation of our research agenda which is strategically aligned with the Cyprus Smart Specialization Strategy and the EU research agenda as captured by the European Commission (EC) Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (H2020).
Additionally, during the period 2021-2027, CyI will continue to pursue and enhance its initiatives in areas of demonstrated regional or international appeal and Erasmus+ will play an instrumental role in fostering partnerships with other higher education and research institutions to maximise our reach, influence and impact in the country. Thus, together we will establish scientific thrusts that will assist in transforming Cyprus into a learning society where advanced education and science are positioned as the key elements in the nation’s socioeconomic development. At the same time, through Erasmus+ we will strengthen our existing relationships with our key international partners and foster new, targeted partnerships to enhance our scientific agenda and our reach and relevance regionally and globally.
