Since the beginning of the current academic year, “the Cypriot universities, anticipating that unfortunately the pandemic will continue to exist as a threat to our social fabric and academic community and for 2021, we have announced in time and are currently implementing all our services. including the final exams of the current semester in online form, at the same time having the possibility of blended (mixed) form of education, when and where allowed by the relevant protocols “, said, in his statements to KYPE, the President of the Synod of Cypriot Rectors University, Rector of the University of Neapolis Paphos, Professor Pantelis Sklias.
He noted that an exception to this rule are the courses of the Curricula, which by their nature have the character of laboratory or practical content, for which special regulations apply.
Asked to comment as President of the Synod of Rectors on the decision of the Ministry of Education and Religions of Greece that the educational process of undergraduate and postgraduate programs of the spring semester 2021 be carried out only using distance education methods and whether it affects or follows the same line and in Cyprus, Mr. Sklias said that there is no issue of the same line.
“Decisions concerning the manner of providing the educational process, including the evaluation procedures of our students / three, are taken by the Senates of the University Institutions, having weighed the decisions of the State with the relevant safety and health protocols of the whole society, as well as the quality data of the Higher Education in accordance with the European quality standards and the instructions of the DIPAE Institution for adaptation to them “, he added.
As he said, “I can assure you that the university institutions in Cyprus, with the assistance of the state, have reacted in a timely and valid manner, while preserving the prestige, validity and reliability of diplomas and academic functions.”
Asked how the situation is currently in Cypriot universities due to the pandemic and whether the exams will be conducted normally, Mr. Sklias said that since the beginning of this academic year, “our universities predict that unfortunately the pandemic will continue to exist. as a threat to the social web and our academic community and for 2021, we have announced in a timely manner and are currently implementing the provision of all our functions, including the final exams of the current semester, in online form, while having the possibility of blended ( mixed) education, when and where permitted by the relevant protocols “.
“Exceptions to this rule are the courses of the Curricula, which by their nature have the character of laboratory or practical content, for which special regulations apply. Furthermore, we have the capacity and the will to continue our operation smoothly in accordance with the above, for as long as required, contributing and strengthening the efforts of the State to return to normalcy and mitigate all the adverse social and economic consequences of the pandemic in our country. “, concluded.
