The University of Cyprus, although very young, has managed to chart a remarkable course in academia, with its position in the world rankings being constantly upward. In just 30 years of operation, it has managed, according to Times Higher Education, to be ranked in the top 400 universities in the world, and to stand next to academic giants abroad. In the few years of its operation, the University of Cyprus has developed dynamically and has to show remarkable research work. Its development continues, with the addition of new schools and departments. At the present stage it hosts about 7,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and 700 positions of academic and administrative staff, while it is expected that in its final form it will host about 10,000 students.
At the top in 2022
The University of Cyprus is included this year, for the seventh consecutive year in the top 100 new universities internationally, this time occupying the 99th place, despite only almost 30 years since the admission of its first female students. The results of the ranking of the best “new” universities in the world, ie universities that have been operating for less than 50 years (The 2022 Times Higher Education Young University Rankings), were published by the Times Higher Education. The University of Cyprus is ranked 99th among the “most ambitious new universities”, which are now competing vigorously with the dominant traditional universities. In recent years, the University of Cyprus has managed to be ranked in the top universities and in the three most recognized ranking lists; Shanghai List (Academic Ranking of World Universities), Times Higher Education World University Rankings and QS World University Rankings. At the same time, the results of the “QS World University Rankings: EECA” for 2022, which were published at the end of 2021, again rank the University of Cyprus among the top universities in the category and more specifically in 53rd place. The EECA category includes top universities from 24 countries, including Russia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, and Turkey. The University of Cyprus is ranked for the third consecutive year in the top universities in the Emerging Europe and Central Asia & # 8211; EECA region. This ranking this year evaluates the 450 best universities and the 53rd place places the University of Cyprus in the top 12%, while it is ranked as the top university in Cyprus. This is a very honorable result that shows the commitment of the University of Cyprus to excellence, but also its competitiveness. The dynamics of the University of Cyprus, however, is not only in the impressive upward course of the academic institution, but also in the successes of the graduates themselves, who are accepted to continue their studies, in academic giants.
< p> At the 8th best university
A more recent example is that of Ioannis Papadopoulos, a fourth-year student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who was accepted for a postgraduate degree – Master in Energy Science and Technology (MEST program) – at ETH Zurich, one of the best and most renowned academic institutes in both Europe and the world. Specifically, the ETH Zurich based on the QS ranking is ranked as the 8th best university in the world and the 4th best in the field of engineering and technology. The admission criteria are considered to be very strict and the selection process of the candidates is extremely selective. Speaking in numbers, the acceptance rate for all Master programs offered by ETH Zurich for 2020 was 27%, while for the MEST program in particular, only 1 in 4 candidates was accepted in 2021 (25% acceptance rate). Ioannis's admission to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich is perhaps one of the most honorable honors for the University of Cyprus, as it proves beyond doubt that the level of its graduates is as high as that of the best universities in the world.
< p> Vice President of EMMY
Mr. Charalambos Charalambous, Associate Professor and Vice President of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, speaking to “P” about this success, said: “John is that case of a student, which causes admiration and enthusiasm in teachers. With his dedication, hard work and diligence he managed to be accepted for his postgraduate studies at one of the top universities in the world. We are proud of his achievement which is the continuation of other similar successes by students of the HMMY department in the previous years. “These students are our best ambassadors abroad but also in the Cypriot labor market in general.”
“Hard work is rewarded”
The rich and at the same time demanding curriculum offered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Cyprus, which is now valued worldwide, enables students to be exposed to different fields of Electrical and Computer Engineering and therefore choose the field in which they wish to specialize through a host of possibilities. Hard work and consistency in academic assignments are rewarded and rewarded, as they offer employment opportunities at the university's research centers to excellent students, which contributes positively to the student's effort and development. For example, Ioannis had the opportunity and the honor to work as an assistant researcher under the supervision of the vice-president of the department, Professor Charalambos A. Charalambous and the director of the FOSS Research Center, Professor Georgios I. Georgiou.
“The thorough academic knowledge offered but also the valuable research experience gained during my years of study at the University of Cyprus, have undoubtedly cultivated my mechanical culture and I want to believe that they make me ready to stand on an equal footing with other graduates. Giants like Harvard, MIT, etc. they do not scare me. I believe that you are not born excellent-capable but you become with goals and of course with hard work, perseverance and patience that I have already been taught correctly at the University of Cyprus “, says Ioannis, speaking to” P “. At the same time, regarding the level of graduates of the University of Cyprus, he states that he considers the fact that most of them are either now in key administrative positions in Cyprus and abroad, or excel in the academic chairs of leading universities, undoubtedly confirms that the University of Cyprus is will of course continue to be high in the world rating rankings. He emphasizes that he considers it the duty of the graduates to never forget and to continue to mention and represent worthily the place, the university and the people next to whom they started their course, their first steps. “It's the least we can do.”
