Parliament has approved legislation allowing public universities to offer undergraduate degree programmes in foreign languages, ending a seven-year legislative delay that university rectors describe as a crucial first step towards internationalisation.
The University of Cyprus will be permitted to offer six foreign-language programmes plus two interdisciplinary ones, totalling eight programmes, whilst the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) can provide three foreign-language programmes plus one interdisciplinary programme, totalling four.
University of Cyprus Rector Tasos Christofides said institutions are not ready for immediate implementation, noting required certification procedures through the relevant authority DIPAE must be completed first. He indicated universities could begin offering foreign-language programmes from September 2026 at the earliest.
“The parliament approved tonight the draft regulations regarding the provision of foreign-language undergraduate study programmes by public universities,” Christofides wrote on social media following Thursday evening’s vote. “Several restrictions have been imposed that one would not find in other countries.”
The University of Cyprus has an existing interdisciplinary programme in the School of Economics and Management that could be among the first to operate under the new framework.
CUT Rector Panayiotis Zaphiris welcomed the legislation as “a substantial first step and noticeable progress towards strengthening the internationalisation of public university education in Cyprus” after more than a decade of public and parliamentary discussion.
Zaphiris expressed concern about specific restrictions incorporated by parliament’s Education Committee, describing them as creating “unnecessary hardship” for internationalisation goals, though he said these appeared to reflect external pressures rather than university concerns.
Education Minister Athina Michaelidou described the vote as a “historic milestone and critical step” that had been pending for seven years. She said the legislation strengthens public universities’ international outlook, expands opportunities to attract foreign students and creates new prospects for international collaborations.
The minister said Cyprus is investing in higher education both as a public good and as a fundamental economic development pillar, adding that the government aims to position Cyprus as a regional knowledge and innovation hub.
The legislation also includes institutional provisions for establishing branches of foreign universities in Cyprus under strict and transparent regulatory frameworks.
Both rectors acknowledged the legislation represents a beginning rather than completion of internationalisation efforts, with Christofides comparing the achievement to “the first metre of a hundred-metre road”.
