Cyprus eyes stronger ties with China in higher education sector

China and Cyprus have agreed to closer ties in the fields of higher education and science, as the government seeks to promote the island as an international educational and scientific centre of higher education.

The Memorandum of Understanding agreement, which will run from 2022 until 2026, was signed on Friday during a ceremony at the education ministry between China’s ambassador to Cyprus, Liu Yantao and Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou.

The signing of the MoU is part of the education ministry’s efforts to upgrade and strengthen relations between Cyprus and other countries in the fields of higher education and science.

A statement noted that the continuous strengthening of relations between Cyprus and China in higher education was a priority for the government, since China is a major centre of university studies, research and innovation on an international level.

“The ministry of education hopes that the further strengthening of cooperation in its areas of competence with the ministry of education of the People’s Republic of China, as well as with other bodies of higher education, will bring common benefits to the two states,” Prodromou said.

The MoU, the statement added, will act as a catalyst for the strengthening of exchanges both at state level and higher education Institutions. It will also allow for the sharing of educational curricula within the framework of initiatives at higher education institutions between the two countries and offer language teaching programmes and joint research projects.