UNIC Hosts and Co-organizes with British Council a Round Table Discussion on Internationalisation of Higher Education

UNIC Rector Professor Pouyioutas: “As the globe shrinks due to digitalisation, international collaborations become crucial to the success and sustainability of organisations”

The British Council, in collaboration with the University of Nicosia, successfully organised a round table discussion on the Internationalisation of Higher Education. The event took place on Thursday, 18 May, 2023, at the University of Nicosia. The objective of the round table discussion was to address the challenges and present emerging trends and opportunities for institutional partnerships between the United Kingdom and Cyprus in the field of Higher Education.

The round table discussion commenced with a welcome message and introduction to the concept of Internationalisation by Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, Rector of the University of Nicosia, who expressed his gratitude for the participants’ presence and emphasised the importance of international collaboration in advancing higher education.

Ms Anastasia Andritsou, Director of British Council Greece, also delivered a welcome message, highlighting the significance of the event and expressing her enthusiasm for the fruitful discussions that would take place during the session. Ms Pantelitsa Michael, Education Manager, British Council Cyprus, presented very interesting statistics pertaining to UK Higher Education and Cyprus.

Mr Ben Rawlings, British Deputy High Commissioner, Cyprus expressed his strong support in enhancing the existing collaborations in Higher Education between the UK and Cyprus.

During the round table discussion, Mr Mark Crossey, Assistant Director, Policy Global Engagement at Universities UK International, presented a comprehensive overview of UK-Cyprus Transnational Education, providing valuable insights into the current landscape and future prospects of international collaboration between the two nations in the field of higher education. Furthermore, Mr. Crossey delved into the topic of UK Internationalisation of Higher Education, shedding light on key strategies, priorities, and successful initiatives that have facilitated the global engagement of UK universities.

The discussion session was a collaborative and interactive platform where all participants (Vice Rectors and International Partnership Officers from Cypriot Universities) actively engaged in sharing their perspectives, experiences, and challenges related to internationalisation and institutional partnerships.

The event provided a unique platform for networking, collaboration, and the exploration of potential partnerships between the UK and Cyprus in the higher education sector.