This chapter provides a thematic and chronological overview of national reforms and policy developments since 2021.
The introduction of the chapter describes the overall education strategy and the key objectives across the whole education system. It also looks at how the education reform process is organised and who are the main actors in the decision-making process.

The section on ongoing reforms and policy developments groups reforms in the following broad thematic areas that largely correspond to education levels:

• Early childhood education and care
• School education
• Vet and Adult learning
• Higher education
• Transversal skills and employability.

Inside each thematic area, reforms are organized chronologically. The most recent reforms are described first.

2026

Priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union 

On January 27th,  2026, the minister of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY) published the priorities of Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union in the fields of education, youth and sport, stating that Cyprus presidency is guided by the belief that education is the foundation and catalyst for a resilient, coherent, competitive and innovative Europe, fully aligned with the European Education Area and wider European policies. In the field of education, Cyprus presidency is promoting a comprehensive and student-centered approach, with an emphasis on: 

• The negotiations on the Erasmus+ Regulation under the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034, with the aim of a more inclusive and accessible programme, 
• Strengthening of the prestige and professional shielding of teachers, especially in relation to the use of artificial intelligence, 
• The development of basic skills, vocational education and training and the integration of emerging technologies, and
• Strengthening cooperation in higher education, including discussions on mobility.

The Presidency's main deliverables in this area will be the Conclusions Council for Educators in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Education Council of 11 May 2026. In the field of youth, the minister pointed out that the priorities of Cyprus presidency are fully aligned with the European strategy for the youth, with Objective 1 as its central axis: "Connecting the European Union with the young people". 

Particular emphasis is placed on building young people's confidence in the European Union, and the evaluation of EU policies in terms of their friendliness and effectiveness for young people. During the presidency, two resolutions will be proposed for adoption by the Council, while a leading event is the Youth Conference of the European Association, which will take place in Nicosia from 17 to 20 March 2026, marking the conclusion of the 11th Cycle of the EU Dialogue on youth. 

As far as the field of sports is concerned, as the minister stated, Cypriot presidency highlights sport as a driver of social cohesion, health and and sustainable development.
The two main priorities are: 

• Sports tourism as a lever for sustainable development, with the aim of adopting Council conclusions and organizing an international conference, and
• Physical Activity for Health (PAfH), with an emphasis on active ageing, physical activity counselling and mental health in sports. 

At the same time, the Mediterranean dimension in sport is actively promoted, in the context of European Neighborhood Policy and EU Sports Diplomacy. Finally, the minister noted that Cyprus presidency is accompanied by a rich calendar of high-level events in all sectors, with a particular focus being attached on the involvement of schools, pupils and teachers, who actively contribute through artistic and creative actions.
 

2025

Emerging Technologies

During the 24th Conference of the Educational Group and the Pedagogical Institute on "Emerging Technologies", the minister of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY), commented on the importance of emerging technologies that tend to prevail in the daily life of local and global society.
The minister referred to the increased use of these technologies, especially by the young generation, and the need to focus on risk prevention, exploitation of the benefits and beneficial impact of emerging technologies on the development and progress of children and the educational community, as well as citizens at large.
This need, as well as the importance for the development of digital skills, as the minister mentioned, is also evident through the results of a relevant report by the European Commission. Among other things, it is found that a large percentage of the European population, of all ages, has learning difficulties, and consequently is unable to meet the needs of the labor market. To this end, the European Commission has launched the Union of Skills, which is a project aimed at improving high-quality education, training and lifelong learning.
The ultimate objective of the Union is to reduce the digital divide by providing opportunities for development, both basic and high-level skills, as well as opportunities to update skills on a regular basis for all citizens.
The minister referred to the effort of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY) to adopt a targeted policy, seeking to develop a high-performance digital education ecosystem and enhance skills for digital transformation. Through this policy, an education is sought that is not limited to the acquisition of knowledge, but focuses on the cultivation of competences (knowledge, attitudes and skills) of the 21st century, such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, creativity as well as computational thinking in a digital world. 
 

Modern Education System through the Recovery and Resilience Plan

With the aim of addressing the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, sustainable growth and ensuring the resilience of the EU economy, the European Commission set up in 2020 an emergency and temporary instrument to finance the EU's recovery and exit from the crisis, called next generation EU and a total budget of €750 billion, under the new multiannual financial framework 2021-2027.
The core of the above instrument is the  recovery and resilience facility, with €648 billion (2022 prices) in available loans (€291 billion) and grants (€357 billion) to support reforms and investments that will be implemented by EU member states, in order to mitigate the economic and social impact of the pandemic and make European economies and societies more sustainable.  resilient and better prepared for future challenges as well as the opportunities of the green and digital transitions. 
Within the framework of the recovery and resilience plan, the education system is being modernized - upgrading and strengthening skills with a budget of €84.8 million. Below are the reforms and investments that are expected to be made in education.
Reforms:

1. Addressing skills mismatch between education (secondary and tertiary) and the labour market (€12.6 million)
2. New system for the evaluation of educational work and teachers (€0.6 million)
3. Extension of free compulsory early childhood education from the age of four (€12.2 million)
4. Digital transformation of schools to enhance digital skills and skills related to STEM education (€13.8 million)

E-skills Action Plan – implementation of specific actions (€1.8 million)

Investments:

1. Creation of 2 model technical schools in Larnaca and Limassol (€28.8 million)

2. Training, enhancement and upskilling (€15 million)
   1. Training in digital skills and skills related to the blue and green economy
   2. Entrepreneurship training for the unemployed
   3. Education for people over 55 years old

    

2024

Learning Innovation Summit 2024 – Unveiling the future of learning & artificial intelligence

In a speech on September 13, 2024, the minister of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY), stressed the importance of the international conference: «Learning Innovation Summit 2024 – unveiling the future of learning & artificial intelligence». The conference was made possible through the collaboration of the CARDET Research Centre, the University of Nicosia, the University of Groningen, and the University College Dublin, and it strengthens the effort to redefine education, both at local and European level, as required by the continuous and rapid developments in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. 
The minister commented on the efforts of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY) to thoroughly examine the changes that digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, bring to the educational landscape, which is in line with the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 prepared by the European Commission. 
Reference was made on the key pillars of the summit, being 1) to promote the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem and 2) to enhance digital skills and competences for digital transformation, which is in line with the council of Europe’s education strategy 2024-2030 on the transformative power of education. 
The minister also commented on the vision of the government, and more specifically of the ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY), which is oriented towards an education that promotes literacy and multilingualism, competences in mathematics, science, technology and engineering, digital competence, personal, social and metacognitive competence, civic competence, and the ability of cultural awareness and expression.