The first session with the members of the Council of Scientists "MITIS", the new think tank of the government, was held on Monday at the Presidential Palace by the President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides.
The mission of "MITIS" is to strengthen scientific evidence, strategic analysis and long-term thinking in the context of governance.
At the meeting, welcoming the members of the Council, the President of the Republic referred to the combination of opportunities and challenges that the Republic of Cyprus is called upon to manage, at a time when geopolitical pressures are reshaping the wider region, climate change is accelerating with direct effects on water and energy, digital transformation is profoundly changing the labour market and education and Artificial Intelligence is emerging as an intersectional An influential force in areas ranging from health to national security.
The President, as stated in a statement by the Presidency, underlined that "the integration of scientific thinking into policy-making is not just an option, but a strategic necessity. This is exactly the necessity that the establishment of the Council of Scientists of MITIS in the Presidency of the Republic comes to serve."
He also stressed that through the MITIS Council, the Republic of Cyprus acquires a mechanism that will strengthen the state's ability to plan in a timely manner, prevent risks, seize opportunities and formulate policies with scientific documentation, institutional continuity and a strategic horizon.
Besides, as stated in a written statement by the Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki, today's inaugural session marks the activation of a new institutional tool, through which the Government seeks to utilize the knowledge and experience of distinguished scientists, academics and personalities of international prestige, in areas of critical importance for the course and resilience of the country.
It is recalled that the Council of Scientists of MITIS was established by a Decision of the Council of Ministers and consists of Marina Theodotou, Max Nikias, Theodoros Evgeniou, Panagiota Kendeou, Loizos Loizou, Giorgos Boustras, Andreas Theofanous, Dragan Savic, Charalambos Constantinou and Achilleas Emilianides, who participates as an ex officio member in his capacity as President of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts.
"The work of the Council members will focus on critical issues that directly affect the present and future of the country, such as climate change, water, energy, institutions, defense, digital transition, education, health, natural disasters and the economy," says the Deputy Minister.
It adds that the Council's mission is to produce scientific knowledge and evidence-based policy proposals in the context of strategic foresight, a modern international practice that allows governments to detect trends, risks and opportunities in a timely manner, plan for the future and respond effectively to an environment of increasing uncertainty.
The administrative support of the MITIS Council has been undertaken by the Strategic Analysis and Forecasting Unit, which has been established in the Secretariat for the Coordination and Support of Government Work in the Presidency, under the political supervision of the Deputy Minister to the President.
The Unit, it is added, is a specialized institution, which utilizes practices already implemented in a number of countries, with the main mission of detecting horizons, analyzing emerging issues and integrating strategic foresight into the decision-making process.
The first meeting of the Council concluded with an exchange of views on the priorities and the first thematic areas of work, with the aim of producing concrete contributions that will contribute to the modernization of governance and the strengthening of the resilience of the Republic of Cyprus.
