UNIC and MGIMO to Offer Joint MA Programme

The Rector of the University of Nicosia (UNIC), Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, and the Vice-Rector for Graduate and International Programs at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Andrey Baykov, signed an agreement in December 2018, through which the two universities will launch a common academic project. The signing ceremony took place at UNIC and was attended by H.E. Mr Stanislav V. Osadchiy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Cyprus.

Students enrolled in the dual programme will receive diplomas from both universities upon graduation. The joint academic project will launch in September 2019. Cypriot students will spend their first year in Nicosia and move on to Moscow the following year, where they will defend their thesis under the supervision of MGIMO’s top academics, while Russian students will begin their studies in Moscow and complete their second year in Nicosia.

During the signing ceremony, Vice Rector Baykov remarked that the partnership between the two leading universities, in Russia and Cyprus respectively, was extremely promising and that the creation of this joint programme gives the impetus for collaborations to flourish in many different areas. He also expressed his gratitude to the Russian Ambassador and to the Russian Cultural Centre for their support in this exciting endeavour.

Rector Pouyioutas thanked the Vice-Rector for his visit and noted that it is an honour for the University of Nicosia to collaborate with one of the most prestigious universities in the world. He also thanked the Russian Ambassador for his support in exploring collaborations with universities in Russia and especially for his decisive contribution to achieving this agreement. Finally, the Rector expressed his gratitude to Dr Alina Ratsensko and Alexei Melnikov from the Russian Cultural Centre for their help in this project and for the wider ongoing cooperation between the Centre and UNIC.

On his part, Ambassador Osadchiy wished both universities the best of luck in their joint endeavour and expressed the hope that this collaboration would lead to an increase in the number of exchange students between the two institutions.

The signing ceremony was attended, among others, by Senior Vice Rector Andreas Polemitis, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Edna Yamasaki, and Dean of School of Law Achilles Emilianides.

Official announcement on MGIMO website: https://english.mgimo.ru/news/unic-master