Promised: Promoting Archaeological Science in the Eastern Mediterranean

Ever since its formation, the European Union has placed great emphasis on promoting research initiatives. One of the funding programmes supported by the EU, ‘Twinning’, aims at strengthening research in countries that are currently building their research capacity. The Cyprus Institute recently received funding for the Twinning programme called ‘Promised: Promoting Archaeological Science in the eastern Mediterranean’.

This project will establish a strong partnership between The Cyprus Institute’s Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC), and two international leaders in Archaeological Sciences, KU Leuven in Belgium and the University of Cambridge in the UK. For three years, training, research and dissemination actions will be used to upgrade the scientific performance of STARC in Archaeological Science, with an emphasis on Archaeological Materials Science and Bioarchaeology. In addition, Promised will help develop the doctoral training programme at The Cyprus Institute, reversing the brain drain from the region and developing an internationally recognized doctoral school in Cyprus.

These initiatives will transform STARC into a regional Centre of Excellence in Archaeological Science, that will collaborate closely with national and regional authorities towards bringing the region’s past to light.