Tension seems to exist between a portion of parents and students with the administration of the European University, on the occasion of the way of teaching followed in the academic year 2021-2022. According to complaints received by “P”, the European University insists on distance learning, while all other universities in the country have returned to teaching with the physical presence of students. According to the complainants' parents, the only information they had was in September 2021 when they were informed that the classes, due to the health condition of the country at that time, would start online and then as soon as the situation improved they would return to lifelong teaching. . Since then, and based on what they claim, the courses have remained online, with students and parents not knowing when and if they will return physically to the university. Exceptions are medical students, who due to the nature of their studies have some courses -mainly laboratory- which they attend for life.
“She has not met her classmates”
The mother of a first-year student, speaking to “P”, expressed her disappointment with the situation that exists, saying that her daughter has not even met her classmates, since she has not been given the opportunity to attend classes in person. She clarifies that when she chose the European University for her child's studies, it was not stated anywhere that the teaching that would be followed for the entire academic year from & # 8217; the university would be entirely online, and that if it had known it would have made some other choice. In fact, she wondered, “why didn't they tell us from the beginning that the lessons would be done online? “If I had known, I would not have sent my child to this university, but I would have enrolled him in a university abroad, such as the Netherlands, which would have been more economical.” At the same time, another parent, speaking to “P”, wondered why, if this method of teaching is followed, there is not, at least, some kind of discount for those who enrolled in the university with the prospect that the courses will be for life. Parents and students who came in contact with “P” expressed their strong concern, as it is the only university that insists on distance education, at a time when everything is abolished from May 1.
“No lost day “
“P” also contacted Mr. Christoforos Hadjikyprianou, managing director and president of the Council of the European University of Cyprus, who stated that everything that the parents claim is not true. He stressed that from the beginning there was information to both parents and students themselves, about the way the university would move. He clarified that due to the fast reflexes and the application of e-learning, it is, perhaps, the only university where not a single day of teaching was lost, while at the same time he underlined that an advanced technology has been installed in the university that allows hybrid teaching. However, members of the academic community of the European University, speaking to “P”, said that this is a decision of the Senate which is basically incomprehensible, while at the same time pointing out the need for students to socialize on campus. They expressed their hope that from September the students will return to normalcy with physical presence.
