Cyprus

Cyprus has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since February 2008.

Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

General information on higher education

Higher Education in Cyprus is provided by public and private universities and public and private institutions of higher education (non-university). The National Qualifications Framework is aligned with the European Qualifications Framework structure for higher education corresponding to short cycle programs (level 5), four-year programs leading to a bachelor degree (level 6), postgraduate education leading to a Masters (level 7) and postgraduate education leading to a Doctorate (level 8).

National external quality assurance requirements

Higher education institutions (public and private at university and non-university level) undergo external evaluation, both at programme and institutional and department level. Local higher education institutions are also required to accredit their transnational provision (cross-border higher education) in member states or third-party countries. External Quality Assurance is governed by the provisions of “The Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education and the Establishment and Operation of an Agency on Related Matters Law, of 2015” and its subsequent amendments (see link below).

External programmatic evaluation and accreditation
Is compulsory for all programmes of study offered by higher education institutions and it takes place every five-years.
Institutional evaluation
A systematic evaluation of all higher education institutions, taking place every five years.
Departmental Evaluation
It is a compulsory evaluation for all departments at universities and it takes place every five-years. In some cases there is a concurrent evaluation of study programmes within the department carried out together with the Departmental Evaluation.
Evaluation and accreditation of a study programme
a systematic evaluation carried out every five years. For PhD programmes additional areas of assessment are included i.e. selection criteria and requirements, proposal and dissertation.

EHEA key commitment

Fully aligned with the ESG

A fully functioning quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, in which all higher education institutions are subject to regular external quality assurance by an agency that has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) through registration on EQAR

Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

Cross-border quality assurance

Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

All higher education institutions may choose an EQAR-registered agency for their external evaluation (but not accreditation). The higher education institution is expected to obtain the prior consent of the National Agency (CYQAA) before the procedure.

Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: EQAR registration and prior consent needs to be obtained from the Cyprus national QA agency.
Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): (e.g. criteria to be used): own criteria
Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: final decision is to be taken by the Cypriot Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education based on the outcomes of the external QA activity carried out by the EQAR-registered agency.

Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

European Approach available to some higher education institutions or only under specific conditions

Higher education institutions may use the European Approach

Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

Permalink

https://data.deqar.eu/country/45/

Further information

Fully aligned with the ESG

Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

European Approach available to some higher education institutions or only under specific conditions

Registered agencies operating in Cyprus

Governmental Membership in EQAR