Higher Education plays an important role in advancing Europe 2030 vision for sustainable and inclusive growth. Cyprus government policy regarding Higher Education aims to fulfil the local needs for Higher Education and to establish Cyprus as a Regional Educational and Research Centre, a hub for international scholars and students alike.
In the past fifteen years, the Higher Education system in Cyprus has grown significantly. Since the founding of the University of Cyprus in 1989, there are now 13 universities operating in the Republic of Cyprus (public, private and branches).
There are also 51 public and private Institutions of Higher Education. Private institutions of Higher Education are subject to the supervision of the Department of Higher Education regarding their registration and inspection.
Public universities include the University of Cyprus, established in 1989 by Law 144/1989, the Open University of Cyprus, established in 2002 by Law 234(I)/2002 and Cyprus University of Technology, established in 2003 by Law 198(I)/2003.
The official languages of the public universities are Greek and Turkish, the official languages of the Republic of Cyprus. However, public universities can by law offer programmes in English. Public universities offer programmes at Bachelor, Master and Doctoral level. The Open University of Cyprus offers accredited learning degrees at all levels (undergraduate, master and doctoral).
Private universities offer programmes at Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. level. The language of instruction is Greek or English, depending on the programme of study.
Public institutions of Higher Education include the Cyprus Forestry College, the Mediterranean Institute of Management, the Police Academy of Cyprus and the post secondary institutions of Vocational and Education and Training. They are operating under different ministries, which are fully responsible for the organisation and the regulation of each Institution. The general aim of each Institution is to train professionals in their respective fields, in order to satisfy the needs of the local industry in Cyprus. The language of instruction is Greek or English.
Private institutions of Higher Education offer vocational and academic programmes at various levels of study either in Greek or English.
The Higher Education system in Cyprus is shaped by the European Higher Education Area as outlined by the Bologna Process. In line with Bologna’s main objectives, the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the Diploma Supplement are used by all public and private universities and the institutions of Higher Education.
Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA) is responsible for ensuring the quality of Higher Education in Cyprus and for supporting the continuous improvement and upgrading of all Higher Education institutions and their programmes of study through the procedures provided by the relevant legislation.
The Agency has, according to the law, extended competencies amongst which are
the following:

• Institutional, departmental and programmatic evaluation and accreditation of Institutions of Higher Education.
• Quality assurance in Higher Education on the basis of the European Standards and
  Guidelines.
• The evaluation and accreditation of cross-border forms of education offered by local
  institutions in member states or third countries.
• Assessment of the conditions for the provision of cross-border education from foreign
  institutions in Cyprus.
• Assessment of inter-institutional cooperation of Higher Education Institutions.
• The provision of information regarding quality assurance in Higher Education.
   

THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SPORT AND YOUTH

The Department of Higher Education (DHE) of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY) is responsible for the implementation of the government’s policy for Higher Education as well as for the submission of proposals to the Minister of Education, Sport and Youth for the development, promotion, internationalisation and modernisation of Higher Education in Cyprus.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS IN CYPRUS

The Bologna Process, established with the Bologna Declaration of 1999, is the main voluntary process concerning Higher Education at European level. Currently, 49 countries participate in the Bologna Process, including Cyprus, which has become a full member in 2001. In March 2010, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) was launched. During these last twenty-six years, the members of the EHEA have succeeded in building a sustainable European Higher Education Area through the implementation of reforms in Higher Education on the basis of common key values, such as freedom of expression, institutional autonomy, independent students’ unions, academic freedom and mobility of students and staff. Through this process, countries, institutions and stakeholders of the EHEA, continuously adapt their Higher Education Systems, making them more compatible and strengthening their quality assurance mechanisms.
The Department of Higher Education of the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth currently participates in the following Thematic Peer Groups established by the Bologna Follow-Up Group:

• Internationalisation and Mobility
• Working Group on Monitoring Implementation
• Quality Assurance
• The Thematic Peer Group C on Quality Assurance (TPG C on QA)
• Social Dimension
• The Thematic Peer Group D on Social Dimension (TPG D on SD)

PROMOTION OF THE EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY ALLIANCES

The Department of Higher Education attaches particular importance to the promotion of the European University Alliances, which is the future of the European universities. For this reason, the Cyprus Government, following a relevant proposal by the Department of Higher Education, financially supports the institutions of Higher Education in Cyprus, public and private, which participate as full members in the European University Alliances. Synergies, exchanges of professors, researchers, students and the joint development of university programmes in a European
framework are processes that will enhance university education in Cyprus and the contribution of universities towards the development of knowledge, research and innovation.

MODERNISATION OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN HIGHER EDUCATION

A priority of the Department of Higher Education is the modernisation of the legal framework governing Higher Education. The objective is for institutions of Higher Education in Cyprus to operate according to simple, flexible, and decentralised procedures, ensuring the safeguarding and promotion of quality in Higher Education. In 2025, the House of Representatives passed the amending Laws 153(Ι)/2025 and 211(I)/2025 and approved the amending Regulations 225/2025 and 226/2025, with the aim of enabling the offering of foreign-language undergraduate Study Programmes by the public universities. Furthermore, the House of Representatives passed the amending Law 211(I) 2025, with the aim of founding the School of Maritime Sciences, Technology and Sustainable Development of Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) in Larnaca. Also, in 2025, the Department of Higher Education made recommendations for amending the Legislation concerning private universities. The relevant process is in progress.

SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SPORT AND YOUTH

Within the framework of its strategic objectives to promote research, strengthen the alignment between Higher Education and the labour market, enhance the social dimension of Higher Education, and improve quality, the Department of Higher Education conducts National Surveys and participates in European surveys. These initiatives aim to produce high-quality, comparable and reliable data that support evidence-based policymaking, strategic planning, and the continuous improvement of Higher Education in Cyprus.
More details regarding the Surveys are provided below.

National Surveys
Mapping of the field of Higher Education in Cyprus
An administrative survey conducted annually through the registries of all Cyprus Higher Education institutions. The survey gathers comprehensive data on students, graduates, academic and non-academic staff, programmes of study and other aspects of the Higher Education sector in Cyprus. Reports of findings are published on the Department of Higher Education’s website

National Graduate Tracking Survey (CYGraduates)
A National Survey that collects information yearly from two cohorts of graduates (one year and five years after graduation) regarding their transition to the labour market, employment outcomes, skills utilisation, participation in reskilling and upskilling activities during employment and further education pathways.
CYGraduates is implemented in the context of the Department of Higher Education’s project under the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan. Reports presenting the survey findings are published on the project’s website and the Department of Higher Education’s website.
 

National Employers Skills Survey (CYEmployers)
A survey targeting employers in the private sector and managers in the public and semi-public sectors in Cyprus, aimed at identifying skills needs, skills shortages, skills mismatches, future workforce requirements, and graduates’ preparedness for the labour market. The survey provides valuable insights to support evidence-based education and labour market policy development.
CYEmployers is implemented in the context of the Department of Higher Education’s project under the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan. Reports presenting the survey findings are published on the project’s website and on the website of the Department of Higher Education.

CySKILLS AI: Cyprus Skills Knowledge Intelligence Learning and Labor System
powered by AI
This project aims to develop an intelligent and dynamic system for analysing and forecasting skills, qualifications, and occupational needs, making use of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. The ultimate objective is to support evidence-based decision-making and education policy development, with a view to strengthening the systematic alignment between the education system and the labour market.
This new system aims to enable the rapid and automated processing of large volumes of data from multiple sources, both within and outside the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. These sources may include administrative data, national and European surveys, job vacancy postings, online labour market data, and other relevant datasets. The objective is to generate reliable information and forwardlooking insights on labour market needs in terms of skills, qualifications, and
occupations.
The project is funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, under the flagship programme “AI in Government”.

Study Intentions in Higher Education
A survey conducted among final-year Secondary Education students to examine their study intentions, preferred fields of study, and study destination countries (Cyprus or abroad), supporting policy planning for Higher Education participation.
Report of main findings will be published on Department of Higher Education’s website.

European Surveys
EUROGRADUATE
EUROGRADUATE is a European graduate tracking survey that provides comparative data across participating countries on graduates’ pathways after graduation, including their transition to the labour market and the impact that experiences in Higher Education have had on their professional lives and their lives as European citizens.
The first cycle of the EUROGRADUATE (2022) was completed with the participation of 18 countries, including Cyprus, with the participation of more than 170,000 graduates. EUROGRADUATE 2022 covered the following topics: learning experiences and teaching methods in Higher Education systems in Europe, the socio-economic profile of graduates, graduates’ satisfaction, labour market outcomes, international learning and labour mobility and, finally, social outcomes.
The comparative report has been published on EUROGRADUATE’s website https://www.eurograduate.eu/results.  The second cycle, EUROGRADUATE 2026, is currently underway.
Cyprus’ participation in both cycles of the EUROGRADUATE Survey is funded through the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan.

EUROSTUDENT/CYStudents
EUROSTUDENT is a European comparative survey that examines the social and economic conditions of students in Higher Education across Europe. The survey provides comparable data on a wide range of dimensions related to students’ lives and study conditions, including access to Higher Education, students’ socioeconomic background, living and housing conditions, sources of income and financial support, study workload, employment during studies, international mobility, and the availability of student support services. The results contribute to monitoring the social
dimension of Higher Education and support the development of policies aimed at promoting equity, access, and student well-being.
The survey is conducted in cycles across participating European countries. Cyprus participated in the EUROSTUDENT Survey for the first time in the ninth cycle (EUROSTUDENT IX) through the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. In this context, a National Survey (CYStudents) was developed to collect data from students enrolled in Higher Education Institutions in Cyprus, aligned with the EUROSTUDENT methodological framework and questionnaire.
The national report, as well as the European comparative report, will be published on the project’s website.