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In a move that’s set to shake up the local university scene, three of Greece’s largest public universities are opening campuses in Cyprus, and unlike back home, they’ll be charging tuition.
According to Kathimerini's Dortia Yiannakou, the University of Athens (Kapodistrian), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the University of Thessaly are making their way across the Aegean, taking advantage of Greece’s new law on higher education that promotes extroversion and international expansion. Their goal? To attract students not just from Cyprus, but from across the Middle East and India, too.
The first to hit the ground running is the University of Athens, which aims to open its Nicosia branch as early as next October. It plans to launch with four schools, Health Sciences, Economics, Education, and Philosophy, housed in well-known sites across the capital.
Larnaca is also getting in on the action, with the University of Thessaly planning to open a veterinary school in Athienou, the first of its kind in Cyprus under the public university umbrella. Local authorities are supporting the plan, but there’s a hiccup: current laws don’t yet allow public land to be used for such educational purposes, leaving the matter in limbo for now.
Paphos is on the radar, too. The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is eyeing the city as a possible base for its own branch, with a final decision expected next year. According to Cypriot law, any university setting up in Cyprus must run at least three faculties to get licensed.
But the academic exchange isn’t one-sided.
The University of Nicosia is planning to expand into Greece, with plans for a new campus in Elliniko. If all goes well, it will open in the 2025-26 academic year and include a medical school, a nursing school, and possibly a law faculty. It’s also planning luxury student housing across 25,000 square meters, a significant investment signaling that Cyprus’ largest private university wants a solid foothold in Greece.
