Innovation Europe > News > Innovation EU Vol2-1 > The Open University of Cyprus (OUC)

The Open University of Cyprus (OUC) is a newly established (2002) state university in Cyprus that accepted its first students in 2006 and had its first graduates in 2008. The Open University of Cyprus is the first and only Higher Education Institution in Cyprus that provides open and distance education at undergraduate (BSc) and postgraduate (Master and PhD) level. The Open University of Cyprus also offers training and vocational programmes aiming to satisfy the increasing demand for lifelong learning and continuing education.

In open and distance learning, students have the opportunity to study at their own time, location and pace without attending formal lectures, as is the case for conventional universities, efficiently utilising the distance-learning teaching methodology of the Open University of Cyprus by means of an innovative high-technology electronic platform providing the educational material in an interactive environment among students and professors.

At the Open University of Cyprus students are given the opportunity to pursue or complete university education that for any reason (work, family, special needs) they were not able to do in the past; they can further enhance their studies at any of the three cycle programmes offered in several subject areas, aiming at career progression through the open and distance-learning methodology.

The degrees awarded by the Open University of Cyprus are equivalent to those of all accredited universities worldwide, regardless of their teaching methodology. All programmes at the Open University of Cyprus are structured on the basis of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). In this way, students have the opportunity to interchange between conventional universities and the Open University of Cyprus (for example, through the Erasmus Programme).

Part of what makes a successful university is a strong record in research and the Open University of Cyprus places great emphasis on this. Among other projects, the Open University of Cyprus promotes research programmes aiming towards the development of methodologies and corresponding high technologies for open and distance learning. One of the major strategic goals for the future for the Open University of Cyprus is to increase the number of research projects undertaken by the University at both national and European level.

Currently, the Open University of Cyprus offers five academic programmes with corresponding research topics pursued at national and international levels:

• The Management of Health Units (postgraduate level programme): research interests deal with Health issues, such as “Sexually transmitted diseases”, “Epidemiology”, “Quality of Public Health Systems”, “Emigrants and the Health System”, “Management and Assessment of Health Units”, “Measurement of Health System Performance”, “Problems and Issues of Health Workers” etc.
• The Educational Studies (postgraduate level programme): research interests include “Women in Education”, “Educational Leadership”, “Multiculturalism and Social Justice in Primary Schools”, “Intercultural and Peace Education”, “Poststructuralist Theories in Education”, “Social Justice Pedagogies”, “Distance Education”, “Discursive, Political and Cultural Aspects in Curriculum and Pedagogy” etc.
• The Hellenic Civilization Studies (undergraduate level programme): research interests deal with “Ancient Greek and Latin Theatre”, “New Comedy and the Theatrical mask”, “Excavations of Ancient Artefacts”, “Historical Geography and Prosopography” etc.
• The Information Systems (postgraduate level programme): research interests deal with “Applied Information Systems”, “Information and Communication Technologies”, “GIS”, “Multimedia” “ICT in Secondary Education”, “Internet-related Risks for Young Adolescents”, “Web 2.0” etc.
• The Business Administration (postgraduate level programme): research interests deal with “Banking and Finance”, “Administration of Semi-governmental Organizations”, “Public Administration”, “Banking Portfolios”, “Administration of Private Companies” etc.

In summary, the Open University of Cyprus is a new and dynamically expanding university, operating on the principles of open and distance learning and consistently promoting lifelong learning, in an innovative, high-technology and pedagogically sound learning environment. The Open University of Cyprus aspires to accommodate the ever-growing needs of modern society for quality-driven university programmes at all levels in key sectors of the economy, and to become one of the best universities in the geographic area around Cyprus.

Open University of Cyprus
13-15, Digeni Akrita Avenue
Adamantio Building,1055 Nicosia, Cyprus.
Tel: +357 2241 1600
Fax: +357 2241 1601
E-mail: admissions@ouc.ac.cy
Website: www.ouc.ac.cy