University of Cyprus

Striving for excellence in education, research and innovation, has rendered it one of the leading institutions in Europe, evidenced by its continuously elevated rankings (placed 601-700 in the Shanghai List 2020). At the same time, its international outlook, partnering with top institutions internationally and participating in the ERASMUS Programme, have ranked UCY #84 in the Top 200 World Universities under 50 years old Category of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020. Its 8 faculties and 22 departments offer a range of high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, whilst its numerous, highly cited researchers, including a Nobel laureate in Economics, give UCY a cutting edge.

Description
The University of Cyprus (UCY) based in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is a modern institution established only three decades ago.  This has contributed to its unique dynamism and innovative character. Striving for excellence in education, research and innovation, has rendered it one of the leading institutions in Europe, evidenced by its continuously elevated rankings. Aspiring to function as a beacon of science and creativity, UCY envisions an ethical future as a leading institution in the greater Euro- Mediterranean area.
With around 7.000 students, 113 laboratories and 800 faculty and staff members, UCY is a rapidly expanding university and the biggest employer in Cyprus for young graduates and researchers. It currently employs about 700 young scientists using external research funds. Its 8 faculties and 22 departments offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, whilst its numerous, highly cited researchers give UCY a cutting edge.All programmes of academic study function under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), furthermore awarding the Diploma Supplement with DS Label.

International Outlook
UCY is globally networked and actively contributes to European and international scientific developments.  Its international outlook has ranked it #84 in the Top 200 World Universities under 50 years old Category of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020 and #601-700 in Shanghai List 2020)
UCY’s involvement in the international arena is many-folded.  UCY maintains strategic cooperation with top institutions internationally through the signing of Bilateral Agreements of Cooperation (http://www.ucy.ac.cy/ir/en/international-cooperation/bilateral-agreements-of-cooperation), which provide for the exchange of students and staff, organization of conferences, research cooperation and the provision of joint programmes.  UCY has been also actively participating in the ERASMUS Programme since 1997.At the same time, UCY is an active member in more than 60 international university networks and associations (at both institutional and departmental level) (http://www.ucy.ac.cy/ir/en/international-cooperation/networks-organizations), such as the Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe (UNICA), the International Association of Universities (IAU) and the European Universities Association (EUA).  UCY’s leading role in the wider Euro-Mediterranean region is also evidence by its Rector’s participation in the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED).
One of UCY’s most recent achievements is its participation in the university alliance YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8VmnGhYM0E&feature=youtu.be) with 9 other European universities. YUFE is one of the 17 alliances of European universities selected by the European Commission to develop and implement the first models for a European University. YUFE is a major strategic partnership established between ten young research-intensive universities from as many European countries, joining forces with four associated partners that have core competencies in employability and inclusiveness. The YUFE alliance aims at bringing a radical change in European higher education by establishing itself as the leading model of a young, student-centred, non-elitist, open and inclusive European University. A unique ecosystem linking universities to communities, YUFE will be based on cooperation between higher education institutions, the public and private sector, and citizens across Europe.

Research
UCY is considered the leading university and the most active research institution in Cyprus. UCY implemented a large number of research projects funded by the European Commission, the national Research and Innovation Foundation and several public and private research organizations. In 2019, research funding from external sources reached €22 million. UCY is currently participating in 306 projects. 125 are EU-funded projects under Horizon 2020, Erasmus+, Justice, Life, Cost Action, and Interreg.
Within Horizon 2020, UCY ranks 1st in Cyprus with 116 research projects and with a total funding of over €58 million from January 2014, the start date of H2020 program until June 2020. UCY ranked 142^ndin securing funding among the nearly 36,000 organizations participating in the Program and 107th among all the academic institutions involved. This is an honorable distinction for UCY since it surpasses, in absolute numbers, other famous and much larger universities of Europe. In general, UCY excelled in all pillars of H2020. Since 2017, UCY secured 3 Teaming in Excellence projects (for the development of independent research centres aiming at becoming Centres of Research Excellence, two of these three grants are worth €15 million each).
UCY ranked 1st in securing funding in the pillar “Spreading Excellence” from all organizations from the 27 WIDENING countries. Under this pillar, UCY secured 19 research projects with total funding of €28.3 million (3 Teaming Phase 2 - €23million, 7 Teaming Phase 1 - €1million, 1 Era Chair - €2.5million, 3 Twinning - €1.1 million and 5 Widening Fellowships - €765.706).
Since the establishment of European Research Council (ERC) in 2007, UCY managed to win 16 ERC projects. More specifically, it was awarded 5 Starting Grants, 3 Consolidator Grants, 2 Advanced Grants and 6 Proof of Concept Grants. These numbers are very impressive due to the fact that ERC funds only top researchers in Europe with excellence as the sole criterion for selection, helping them pursue great ideas at frontiers of knowledge.
Currently, UCY implements 22 Marie Sklodowska-Curie projects. Apart from Individual Fellowships, it participates in ITN and RISE Actions. UCY has successfully implemented 57 Marie Skłodowska-Curie projects.
A considerable share of the University's external funding comes from the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), where UCY was awarded a significant number of research projects, under the “RESTART 2016-2020 Programme for Research, Technological Development and Innovation”. From the beginning of 2017 until June 2020, UCY secured over 163 research projects with total funding of over €27 million. These funded projects include New Research Infrastructure Units, large scale Integrated Projects with big consortia, cutting-edge Research Excellence projects and Post-Doctoral Fellowships.
UCY is one of the eight young universities within “The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE)”. YUFE’s mission is to create one of the very first 'European Universities' that will bring a radical change in European Higher Education by establishing itself as the leading model of a young, student centred, non-elitist, open and inclusive European University. A unique ecosystem linking universities to communities, YUFE will be based on cooperation between higher education institutions, the public and private sector and citizens across Europe.
UCY established the Centre for Entrepreneurship in 2015. The Centre’s main goal is to educate, support, mentor and help students and new researchers to network and to become effective entrepreneurs.
Ιt is worth mentioning that UCY has endorsed the Charter and Code (C&C) for researchers in 2010 and has implemented the HRS4R project for the development of a Human Resources Strategy for Researchers. The implementation of the Charter & Code principles by research institutions render them more attractive to researchers looking for a new employer or for a host for their research project. The European Commission recognizes with the 'HR Excellence in Research Award' the institutions which make progress in aligning their human resources policies to the 40 principles of the C & C, based on a customized action plan/HR strategy.

UCY Research Centres/Units

• Archaeological Research Unit
• Center of Modern Greek Studies
• KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence
• FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy
• Nireas International Water Research Center
• EMPHASIS Research Centre
• Center for Applied Neuroscience
• Center for Field Studies (UCFS)
• Research Centre for Gender Studies
• Molecular Medicine Research Center- CY-Biobank
• Oceanography Centre
• Economics Research Centre
• Center for Banking and Financial Research
• The Cyprus Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU)

Faculties and Departments (http://ucy.ac.cy/en/about/administration/faculties-and-departments)

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
Department of English Studies
Department of French and European Studies
Department of Turkish and Middle Eastern Studies

MEDICAL SCHOOL

FACULTY OF PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCES
Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Department of Computer Science
Department of Physics
Department of Chemistry

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND EDUCATION
Department of Education
Department of Social and Political Sciences
Department of Law
Department of Psychology

GRADUATE SCHOOL

FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT
Department of Business and Public Administration
Department of Accounting and Finance
Department of Economics

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Architecture
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

FACULTY OF LETTERS
Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
Department of History and Archaeology
Department of Classics and Philosophy

UCY and International Rankings 2020 (http://ucyweb.ucy.ac.cy/GoverningBodies/en/performance/rankings)

• Ranked #601-700 by the ShanghaiList
• Ranked #501-600 by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings Ranked #84 in the Top 200 World Universities under 50 years old Category (Times Higher Education World University Rankings)
• Ranked #195 in the Top European Universities Category (Times Higher Education World University Rankings)
• Ranked #477 by the QS World University Rankings
• Ranked #101-150 by the QS World University Rankings by Subject in the field of Archaeology
• Ranked #201-250 by the QS World University Rankings by Subject in the field of Education
• Ranked #665 by Ranking Web of Universities
• Ranked #192 Best Universities with Environmental Actions by UI GreenMetric

ERASMUS+ Programme
UCY has been participating in the ERASMUS+ Programmesince 1998. Until now, more than 2500 UCY students have spent 1 or 2 semesters at European universities, and more than 2100 incoming students have spent 1 or two semesters at UCY. Currently, UCY has around 730 Erasmus Bilateral Agreements with universities in Europe. UCY also participates in the Erasmus+ International programme that supports cooperation for mobility with third countries.

EURES
In November 2019, UCY became a EURES partner.EURES is a cooperation network designed to facilitate the free movement of workers within the EU 28 countries plus Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.The network is composed of: the European Coordination Office (ECO), the National Coordination Offices (NCOs), EURES Partners and the Associated EURES Partners.
Partners in the network may include Public Employment Services (PES), Private employment services (PRES), trade unions, employers' organisations and other relevant actors in the labour market. The partners provide information, placement and recruitment services to employers and jobseekers, whereas the European and National Coordination Offices oversee the organisation of the activities at European and national level respectively.
Moreover, EURES has an important role to play in providing specific information and facilitate placements for the benefit of employers and frontier workers in European cross-border regions. In practice EURES provides its services through the portal and through a human network of around 1000 EURES advisers that are in daily contact with jobseekers and employers across Europe.