Filenews 26 February 2025 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
Four faculties of the University of Cyprus have entered the frame for offering English-speaking undergraduate programs, an issue that causes strong reactions and has long been before the Education Committee of the Parliament. These are the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Economics and Management, the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and the Faculty of Philosophy.
This, at least, is the information that the parliamentary committee on Education has officially received through a note by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, George Pantelis.
It is noted that this note includes answers to points and questions raised by MPs regarding the bill of the Ministry of Education that provides for the offer of English-speaking undergraduate programs of study by public universities and more generally with the planning that exists by the involved bodies.
Regarding the four faculties, in the note held by "F", it is mentioned that the first contacts between the Departments have begun and the proposals mainly concern interdepartmental-interdisciplinary undergraduate programs of study.
On the question of whether calculations have been made on the level of tuition fees in these programmes, the information that the Commission has received is that this is an integral part of the sustainability report. As it is characteristically noted, it will be determined on the basis of the operating costs of the program and the minimum number of admissions so that the program can operate from a pedagogical point of view.
It is clarified that the operating costs of each program are affected by the pedagogical content and the particularities of the subject of study. " Therefore, the amount of tuition fees will be determined on a case-by-case basis for each specific program of study," the Ministry's note said. It is also emphasized that the proposed tuition fee will be approved by the competent bodies of the university as well as by the competent Minister, while the final decision will be taken by the Council of Ministers.
At this point, the document states that the process of calculating tuition fees is at an advanced stage for the program proposed to be offered by the School of Economics and Management, however, in order to finalize the final amount, the approval of the Regulations before the Parliament is required.
Self-financing and sustainability
Admittedly, the issue of the funding of these programmes, as well as their sustainability, has been raised in all the meetings that the Education Committee has held so far on this issue. The briefing note states that "the programmes will be fully self-financing, i.e. their costs will be covered exclusively by their revenues. The revenues will include tuition fees and any external funding from other organizations or natural persons in Greece or abroad that will be secured by special memorandums. It is clarified that under no circumstances will the University of Cyprus finance the operation of foreign language programs from any revenue related to state sponsorship".
In order to ensure the sustainability of English-speaking programmes, the following main axes are mentioned:
>> Internal and external environment analysis: Identification of strengths and weaknesses arising from the University of Cyprus, as well as opportunities and threats arising from the external environment.
>> Market analysis: Estimation of demand (market size) at international and local level. Statistical and other studies as well as contacts with organized bodies of higher education to assess the needs and potential number of students are some of the tools that will be used.
>> Competition analysis at international and local level to determine its intensity (number of competitive programs, comparison of program content and degrees, tuition fees).
>> Cost estimation: Includes the actual current, operational, managerial and capital expenditure of the program, e.g., the cost of teaching, use of facilities, learning material, information and technological systems, promotion and promotion of the program, etc.
>> Differentiation of the program of study and selection of target market in order to ensure the continuous smooth flow of students over time and consequently the revenues of the program.
>> The financial statement of the programme will be derived on the basis of revenues and expenses (actual costs) over a period of five years.
It is worth noting that in the event that there will be no sustainability of a program, there is no provision for its funding by the Ministry of Education. On the contrary, if programs develop as unsustainable, the Ministry will call on universities to take appropriate action to end the admission of new students to them and abolish them.
Teaching professors and ways of admitting students
According to the information, additional teaching staff will be employed in these programmes, while in inter-university programmes the contribution to teaching work by staff from the collaborating academic institutions is expected to be substantial. The needs are expected to differ for each foreign language study program. The main cost categories of foreign language programs concern teaching staff fees, infrastructure and facilities usage costs and other operating and administrative expenses.
Another hot spot that is of great concern, especially to those who disagree with the offer of foreign undergraduate programs of study by public universities, is whether the places offered to public school students who sit the Pancyprian Examinations are threatened.
On this issue, the note states: "The offer of places in Greek-language programs is not linked in any way to foreign language programs. The number of places offered is determined by completely distinct procedures and criteria and is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Education and then the Council of Ministers". It is also noted: "In Greek-speaking programs, admission is through Pancyprian Examinations and the proposed amendments do not alter in any way the existing admission procedure. In foreign language undergraduate programs, based on the proposed Regulations, admission will be through GCE/ International Baccalaureate or other equivalent international examinations, as the aim is to attract foreign students. It is emphasized that all graduates of secondary schools in Cyprus have the right to claim a place in both categories of study programs (Greek and foreign), based on the admission criteria for each case.
