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It is indeed a pleasure for me to have been invited to attend and address this flagship event on International Higher Education. The event provides a unique opportunity to exchange views with some of the leading academics and experts of the UK and the continent of Europe, and to share my view on the role of education as an instrument of soft power, especially in view of the challenges and opportunities posed by Brexit. 

We live today in an interconnected world, within a constantly shifting and evolving international environment, that demands an ability to adapt quickly to change, to identify emerging areas of expertise and to develop solutions to very specific problems.

In this globalized environment, any action we take has a magnified impact at a multitude of levels. The decision on Brexit is one such example - an initially political decision which, however, has far-reaching implications for almost every realm of activity within the UK, and also for its partners and neighbours in Europe, and well beyond. By the same token, the role of universities has the potential to go beyond their educational role and to become an instrument of international cooperation and of foreign policy itself. Indeed, higher education is viewed by most developed countries as the driving force and custodian of a knowledge economy, and as a powerful cultural ambassador.

We have all witnessed in recent years the rapid internationalisation of education, a reality that provides the perfect seedbed for the rise of education as a powerful instrument of soft power. Through this internationalisation and the student exchanges it involves, countries convey particular cultural, social, educational and political images of themselves abroad that serve to enhance their global visibility and influence. The English-speaking share of the internationally mobile student market increased from 48% to 57% between 2008 and 2014. The market for Anglophone Higher Education Internationally Mobile Students is estimated to be approximately €50 billion, growing at approximately 5% per year.

Transnational education (TNE) in particular, has the unique ability to take multiple forms, reflecting the range, needs and interests of the partner countries, prospective students and institutions involved. In Cyprus, TNE provides many opportunities for the local economy to move away from its service-based approach, towards a research and innovation focused model.

Cyprus and the UK enjoy historically close ties, particularly in the field of education. The two countries have shared educational values, and in Cyprus the English language is widely taught, spoken and understood. The UK has always been a favourite destination for Cypriot students who have always appreciated the quality and the opportunities the UK can offer to students. This has not been a one-sided relationship. The UK has recognized, especially in recent years, a newly established and dynamic higher education sector in Cyprus with a rapidly increasing momentum that opens up a wealth of possibilities. We have thus witnessed in recent years the establishment of collaboration between UK and Cyprus higher education and research institutions. This collaboration is multifaceted and consists in the delivery of joint and dual degrees, in “franchise” degree agreements between UK and Cyprus institutions, as well as in the operation of satellite campuses of UK universities in Cyprus. Examples of this include:

1. St George’s, University of London and the University of Nicosia, the largest university in Cyprus, which joined forces in 2011 to establish the first medical school in Cyprus which offers, among other programmes, the St George’s graduate-entry four-year MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) programme in Nicosia.
2. UCLan Cyprus, which was established in 2012, and is a branch campus of the University of Central Lancashire and at the same time is a fully licensed and registered University in Cyprus.
3. The KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence (KIOS CoE) operates within the University of Cyprus. In collaboration with the Imperial College London, KIOS has succeeded in securing funding in excess of 40 million euros for the period of 2017-2022. This is the largest and most competitive funding secured for research and innovation in Cyprus which will be implemented as part of the EU’s strategic Horizon 2020 program for “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation – Teaming”.

In 2016, the higher education sector in Cyprus contributed €857 million to the Cypriot economy (or 4.8% of GDP) as well as 9.5k jobs. Cyprus is well-placed geopolitically and linguistically to act as an international hub and knowledge centre for scholars and students, with its higher education institutions driving economic growth at national and international levels. Specific government measures to achieve this include cross-border collaborative arrangements (franchises) with foreign universities, the establishment of programmes in English in universities and the offering of scholarships.  According to the Global Entrepreneurship Index 2017, Cyprus is ranked 43^rd out of 138 entrants in the world for entrepreneurship, and is within the world’s top 30 countries for innovation and the quality of its scientific research institutions.

The House of Representatives in Cyprus, with my colleagues at the House Committee of Education, have coordinated the close collaboration of all the parties concerned, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Culture, to ensure that the already established close collaboration between UK and Cyprus institutions shall continue unimpeded. To this effect, we have succeeded in amending in time the relevant legislation, ahead of the 29 March 2019 threshold, so as to avoid the creation of legal gaps and any ensuing vagueness or uneasiness as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

Speaking from a political point of view, I should emphasize that the implications of Brexit on the daily life of citizens is our major concern. Our aim is to establish those conditions of political, economic and social stability and progress that move society forward. In this respect, we shall spare no effort in ensuring that citizens continue to enjoy the benefits and opportunities of a close collaboration between the UK and Cyprus. The decision taken by the UK to exit the EU is respected by our Government. Throughout the Brexit negotiations, Cyprus has followed a constructive approach, aiming to ensure that ties and collaboration between the UK and its EU partners are not severed but, rather, are restructured. 

Cyprus has proposed that, in view of Brexit, EU and Commonwealth relations should be enhanced, through the initiation of a structured dialogue between them. In the same vein, we would be happy to forge an even closer link with Commonwealth institutions including, but not limited to, the Association of Commonwealth Universities. As a member of the Commonwealth since 1961, Cyprus fully supports the setting up of targeted programmes that promote student exchanges within the Commonwealth, the mutual recognition of degrees and the funding of joint research programmes. This will require: strong information provision, welcoming visa policies, attractive student financing, and a coordinated marketing strategy.

Both Cyprus and the UK have much to gain from an enhanced educational cooperation that takes advantage of the already established TNE collaborations and the possibilities offered by the Commonwealth network. Brexit could be viewed as the catalyst that has brought to the foreground more creative ideas and possibilities that we have not had the incentive to think about before. In a way, Brexit has pushed us all to reexamine, in the most practical sense, education as an instrument of soft power, that can bring together people, institutions, cultures and ultimately countries, even when politics appears to be pulling them apart.

I also would like to add to the following now that this has more relevance than ever with the ongoing procedure of Brexit; when talking about the present and future of Europe, I am confident that instead of focusing on closer integration with the Euro in the epicentre, perhaps it would be better to place further emphasis on using education, culture, and scientific research as the glue that will allow us to forge a closer relationship with each other.

In concluding, allow me to quote Nelson Mandela, who said that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

Thank you for your attention.

(MG)