With more than 7.000 students, 104 laboratories and 750 faculty and staff members, the University of Cyprus (UCY) is a young and rapidly expanding university (established in 1989). There are 23 departments and 13 research units and centres, covering a broad spectrum within the life, social, natural and engineering sciences. It is considered to be the leading university and the most active research institution in Cyprus. UCY is the biggest employer in Cyprus for young graduates and researchers. It currently employs about 550 young scientists using external research funds.
UCY has implemented a large number of research projects funded by the European Commission, the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation and several public and private research organizations. In 2016 research funding from external sources reached €11 million. 42 new grant agreements were signed with a total budget for UCY of €7 million.
UCY is currently participating in 113 EU-funded projects, out of a total of 146 research projects. These EU projects are funded under Horizon 2020, Erasmus+, Life, Cost Action, FP7, Interreg and EU Structural Funds. Since the establishment of European Research Council (ERC) in 2007, UCY managed to win 14 ERC projects. More specifically, it was awarded 5 Starting Grants, 1 Consolidator Grant, 2 Advanced Grants and 5 Proof of Concept Grants. These numbers are very impressive due to the fact that ERC funds only top researchers in Europe with excellence as the sole criterion for selection, helping them pursue great ideas at frontiers of knowledge.
UCY recently won 3 Teaming Projects funded by Horizon 2020, out of the total of 31 proposals selected (out of 169 submitted) from across the EU. Among them, UCY received two “Teaming in Excellence” grants worth €15 million each, for the development of independent research units. One of the two proposals was ranked 1st amongst the ICT proposals and 5th in the overall ranking.
UCY coordinates 19 Marie Skłodowska-Curie projects funded both under the 7th Framework Programme and Horizon 2020. Apart from Individual Fellowships, it participates in ITN and Rise Actions. Attention should be given to the fact that UCY has successfully implemented 41 Marie Skłodowska-Curie projects.
A portion of the University’s external funding comes from the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation (RPF). Within the next months, UCY expects to be awarded a significant number of research projects, under the Restart 2016-2020 Programme for Research, Technological Development and Innovation of the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation. From the beginning of 2017 until November 2017, UCY submitted 238 proposals within this Programme and is waiting for the outcomes of the evaluation process. UCY has considerable expertise and technical knowhow in the execution of research projects. UCY’s administrative services can provide very high level services, in planning, implementing and monitoring projects.
UCY established the Centre for Entrepreneurship in 2015. The Centrer’s main goal is to educate, support, mentor and help students and new researchers to network and to become effective entrepreneurs. Finally, it is worth mentioning that UCY has endorsed the Charter and Code (C&C) for researchers in 2010 and has implemented the HRS4R project for the development of a Human Resources Strategy for Researchers.
- 2017 – UCY Ranked 228th by UI GreenMetric Ranking of World Universities 2016 (Best 516 Green Universities Worldwide from 74 countries)
- 2017 – UCY Ranked 696th by Webometrics/Ranking Web of Universities (Best 1.000 Universities Worldwide for 2016)
- 2017 – UCY Department of Accounting and Finance Ranked 187th by Brigham Young University (Amongst 1093 Universities Worldwide for 2016)
- 2017 – UCY Ranked 52nd by Times Higher Education World University Rankings (Top 200 World Universities Under 50 years old for THE Young University Rankings list)
Contact Person
Dr. Shaunna Ioannidou
