Press Releases

It is with great pleasure that I am present today at this important event for our country, which, through the collaboration of the CARDET Research Centre, the University of Nicosia, the University of Groningen, and the University College Dublin strengthens the effort to redefine education, both at local and European level, as required by the continuous and rapid developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. I congratulate all stakeholders for this initiative, which is in line with our own visions and plans for education. 

The Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth thoroughly examines the changes that digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, bring to the educational landscape and is in line with the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 prepared by the European Commission with the key pillars of 1) promoting the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem, and 2) enhancing digital skills and competences for digital transformation. In addition, it is in line with the Council of Europe's Education Strategy 2024-2030 on the transformative power of education. Therefore, the Ministry is active in various directions to achieve the above, recognising the need to redefine the learning process for achieving the vision of a socially just society. 

The vision of the Government, and more specifically of our Ministry, is oriented towards an education that promotes literacy and multilingualism, competences in mathematics, science, technology and engineering, digital competence, personal, social and metacognitive competence, civic competence, as well as the ability of cultural awareness and expression – all of these for the common good and a better society. These cannot be achieved without cultivating skills such as creative and critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, and intercultural skills. This vision takes the path of implementation through the modernisation and updating of the curricula, the first phase of which has been completed and their pilot implementation is under way. 

In addition, since the previous school year, schools have been provided with technical equipment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to support the work of teachers, along with the implementation of the updated curricula. It is important to note that in the same context, supporting material for teachers is under development. This effort could not be done without a large-scale training of teachers, which will empower them to use the supporting material, while adapting them for the teaching and learning process. 

In this context, the triad of Digitally Competent Student, Digitally Competent Teacher, and Digitally Competent School serves as a guide for the actions of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, while encouraging the training and professional support of teachers with the aim of further developing their digital skills and the meaningful pedagogical integration of new technologies in the classroom. 

Digital competence is undoubtedly the key competence nowadays. Artificial intelligence, as an important sector of the digital world, strengthens the effort of cultivating digital skills since it can mark a new era for teaching and learning, in any discipline, when it is used ethically and pedagogically. Our Ministry takes into account in its plans the digital competence frameworks: DigComp 2.2 for citizens, DigComEdu for teachers and DigCompOrg for organisations such as educational institutions, as well as the ethical guidelines of the European Commission on the use of Artificial Intelligence and Data in teaching and learning for teachers. 

To this end, our Ministry is in the process of preparing a Roadmap and Action Plan for the introduction, integration and utilisation of Artificial Intelligence in our education system. The plans include collaborations and synergies with international organisations and other ministries of the Republic of Cyprus and abroad, with AI experts in education from Cyprus and abroad. We critically monitor recommendations, frameworks and good practices for introducing “Knowledge about AI” and “Learning with AI” from Cyprus as well as internationally. We also plan to design and implement teacher training programs on issues related to AI, its use in the classroom, as well as the ethical framework that needs to be taken into account in an educational environment. 

So, we are here today with our prospects open, to respond to today and tomorrow, to reshape the educational landscape in a way that every individual of any age has the foundations to respond to today’s challenges, as well as the flexibility and adaptability to respond to future ones. 

I would like to congratulate all organisers and volunteers of the Summit and thank all the participants for their attendance. 

Thank you. I wish everyone two productive and informative days ahead.

(ΙP/GS/AP)