Newsroom
The lease agreement allowing the University of Cyprus to use the historic Faneromeni School building will not be canceled, Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos confirmed to K on Monday, dismissing speculation about a potential change of plans, according to Kathimerini's Dorita Yiannakou.
“There is no question of canceling the agreement,” Prountzos said, stressing that the municipality stands by its commitment to transferring the university’s Architecture Department to the iconic site in the old city.
Athens University Shows Interest, But Deal Already in Place
His comments follow reports that the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), which is setting up a Cyprus branch in Nicosia, had shown interest in using the same building. However, the Archbishopric of Cyprus, which owns the property, has already signed a lease agreement with the University of Cyprus.
Under the deal, the Faneromeni School building will be leased to the state to house the Architecture Department as part of an urban renewal project funded through the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan. The project aims to breathe new life into the old city, and construction must be completed by 2026—though the tender process has yet to start.
New Wing to Be Built for Architecture Department
Because the Faneromeni School alone cannot fully meet the department’s needs, a new extension will be built next to it, funded by the government. The addition, located on Aeschylou Street, will include architecture labs, a lecture hall, student design studios, and office space.
Uncertainty Over NKUA’s Nicosia Campus
Meanwhile, NKUA’s plans for a Cyprus campus remain unclear. The initial proposal was to house the university at Tarsi Arcade, at the end of Ledra Street. Despite high renovation costs, Mayor Prountzos said the municipality is committed to the project and has not ruled out other locations.
“There’s no decision to abandon Tarsi Arcade,” he said, adding that talks are ongoing about allocating additional buildings to NKUA.
New University to Offer Diverse Programs
NKUA’s Cyprus branch plans to offer programs in nursing, medicine, psychology, philosophy, economics, and education sciences. The university will also provide English-language programs and aims to open as soon as possible.
While the main campus will be in Nicosia, officials have not ruled out expanding to another city, though no final decision has been made.
