New Cypriot college goals to go “all in” internationally — science weblog

The newly-branded College of Limassol will see the present establishment – the Cyprus Worldwide Institute of Administration – turn out to be built-in into UoL because the CIIM enterprise college.

The purpose is to launch the brand new, greater college, additionally together with a tech and innovation college and an economics and finance college, with a extra “worldwide technique”.

“There are 11 universities right here in Cyprus, and with solely one million folks – it’s a small market,” stated Theodore Panayotou, talking to The PIE Information.

“With a purpose to proceed to be aggressive right now, you must be worldwide and face that world competitors. That is the one subject to play,” Panayotou continued.

The College of Limassol will purpose to start its courses in autumn in topics resembling enterprise administration, economics and finance, and knowledge expertise, with at the least a “quarter” of the coed physique being worldwide.

Then, Panayotou stated, the purpose is to develop that quantity annually, with a 3rd being worldwide within the second yr and half by the third yr.

Later, colleges of legislation, social sciences and well being sciences will even turn out to be out there.

Whereas the ambitions are very a lot worldwide, the brand new establishment will even look to make lasting ties with the area people.

Panayotou calls Limassol, within the south of Cyprus, utterly totally different to the remainder of the nation, due to its worldwide flavour – vacationers flock to the nation yearly, and an increasing number of huge companies are establishing store within the metropolis.

“We undoubtedly wish to be grounded out there right here as a result of there are numerous alternatives for internships for our college students, the place they will create good relationships with tech firms, monetary firms and transport firms, for instance,” Panayotou stated.

When it comes to worldwide recruitment, the college will begin primarily within the Center East and Southeastern Europe, and likewise look to the important thing market of China.

The Cyprus Worldwide Institute of Administration has already had quite a few Chinese language graduates, a few of which, Panayotou stated, have gone on to turn out to be ambassadors and take senior positions in authorities ministries.

One setback which will come up regardless of the work alternatives out there throughout examine – after six months, non-EU worldwide college students can work as much as 20 hours per week – is the dearth of post-study work alternatives.

“The large draw is the data, the contacts, and the relationships”

Non-EU college students won’t be able to get post-study work visas resulting from Cyprus’ present guidelines; nonetheless, Panayotou insisted that this won’t deter them from gaining benefits.

“The large draw [for opportunities] is the data, the contacts, and the relationships that they will make with firms within the space – in fintech, in transport, in tourism – there might not be a door that’s wide-open to the EU right here, however there’s a window to the remainder of the world.”

A brand new, major campus is underneath building – resulting from be accomplished in 2026 – on the outskirts of Limassol, and in the interim the CIIM’s present campus will likely be in use for courses. As much as 200 undergraduate college students and 150 graduate college students are anticipated within the first yr, along with the 250 graduate college students that will likely be transferred from the present CIIM applications.

An additional 50 graduate college students are additionally anticipated for the January consumption.

“We would like sustainable progress that doesn’t hurt however enhances the coed expertise,” Panayotou famous.