The University of Thessaly, the 3rd largest public university in Greece, covers a wide range of scientific fields and is organized into eight Schools and 35 Departments. It offers a total of 106 Postgraduate Study Programs, including 16 interdepartmental, six inter-institutional, and two international programs. It also offers one undergraduate program in Medicine taught in a foreign language and nine postgraduate programs in foreign languages. A primary concern of the University of Thessaly is the continuous modernization of its departmental curricula, in line with international academic trends and the institution’s internationalization strategy.
The University of Thessaly today announces its intention, following the approval of the Senate and the Board of Governors, to establish a Branch in Cyprus in accordance with the legislation in force in both countries. The Branch will be based in the Municipality of Athienou, in the district of Larnaca.
The establishment of the Branch falls within the University's internationalization strategy, which constitutes a core pillar of the institution. To this end, a delegation from the University of Thessaly—composed of Rector Prof. Charalampos Billinis, Vice-Rector for Innovation, Internationalization, Partnerships, and Digital Governance Prof. Chrysi Laspidou, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Quality Assurance Prof. I. Anagnostopoulos, and Dean of the School of Health Sciences Prof. G. Fthenakis—visited Cyprus. A key role in this initiative is played by Professor Emeritus Mr. D. Vavougios.
The University delegation met with His Beatitude Archbishop George of New Justiniana and All Cyprus, the Minister of Education Ms. Athina Michaelidou, the Mayor of Athienou Mr. K. Kareklas, the President of the Athienou School Board Ms. M. Kolokou, and the President of the Center for Research and Training on Sustainable Development (CERTS) Mr. A. Drakos. All parties agreed to cooperate in promoting the establishment, development, and operation of the University of Thessaly Branch in Athienou, Cyprus.
To begin the Branch’s operation, the Mayor of Athienou and the President of the School Board pledged to take all necessary steps to make available the former Athienou Primary School—donated in 1925 by the late Michail Georgiou—as the initial premises of the Branch. At the same time, the Mayor committed to exploring the provision of additional facilities to support the Branch's launch. Mr. Drakos announced a land donation to the University of Thessaly from his estate, located on the Sapouna Plateau, which falls within the specialized development zone of the Athienou Local Plan (2012 and 2020), for the construction of the Branch’s permanent facilities.
The first academic unit to be established will be the Department of Veterinary Medicine, bringing public university-level veterinary studies to Cyprus for the first time. The University of Thessaly’s Veterinary Department is certified by the National Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) with a grade of A, ranks within the 101–150 range in international rankings, and was recently evaluated positively by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education. Like Thessaly, the Athienou area has significant livestock production, which will enable synergies between the new department and Cyprus’s primary sector, helping to highlight the agri-food sector in both countries.
Other academic units will follow, as decided by the University Senate, based on a call for expressions of interest from the Rector to all departments of the University, taking into account the institution’s development strategy and Cyprus's educational needs.
The University of Thessaly expresses its deep gratitude to His Beatitude Archbishop George for his acceptance and strong support of the decision. It also thanks the Minister of Education for supporting the University’s request, the Mayor Mr. K. Kareklas and the President Ms. M. Kolokou for their active assistance and provision of the Branch’s first facilities, and finally, Mr. A. Drakos for recognizing the necessity of establishing a Branch in Athienou and for his generous donation toward the development of its permanent buildings.
In the coming period, the University of Thessaly will take the necessary institutional actions in both Greece and Cyprus to promote the launch of the Branch’s operation.
