The Municipality of Paphos and the American University of Beirut (AUB) signed Friday an Agreement for the establishment of an AUB campus in Paphos, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and the US Assistant Secretary of State of State Lee Satterfield.
“The United States is proud of the bilateral relationship with the Republic of Cyprus, a valued partner and a center of stability, democracy and prosperity in the eastern Mediterranean and beyond”, said in her speech at the ceremony US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield.
Satterfield echoed Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and thanked the Republic of Cyprus and the Cypriot people for all they are doing to support Ukraine “against an unwarranted, unprovoked, and unjust war by Vladimir Putin.”
“While the bilateral relationship between our governments is strong, so is the relationship between the American people and the people of Cyprus. People-to-people ties between the United States and Cyprus are foundational to our successes across various areas of engagement. Our people-to-people exchanges provide a model that allows us to expand upon our shared values, shared security, and shared prosperity”, she said.
She added that they were proud of the long partnership with the American University of Beirut, a model of American values and education standards and a beacon in the region and the world. For more than 150 years, she added, AUB has provided the highest-quality American-style education to students from around the world. The U.S. government’s commitment to AUB, she noted, is reflected in over $150 million in support over the last two decades.
“Today is a historic day for the American University of Beirut, for the people of the Republic of Cyprus and for global higher education. The United States is deeply committed to international education and supports Cyprus’ goal of becoming an educational hub in Europe and AUB’s goal of becoming a truly international institution. We welcome opportunities for more Americans, from more diverse backgrounds, to take part in study abroad. And, we welcome more international students and scholars to our classrooms to learn alongside American peers and share their views and cultures”, said Satterfield
Mayor of Paphos Phedonas Phedonos, said that the establishment of a University in a small town assumes a particular and unique significance that cannot be compared with any other event in the living path of this town.
“Our small town with the long and rich history is especially honoured tonight by the arrival of the American University of Beirut”, he said.
As he said, the presence of such a great University in Paphos will undoubtedly bring to the town some of the most talented and smart young people from all countries in our region.
Regarding the American University of Beirut, he said that few universities around the world have the tradition, history and influence that this University has.
“For decades it was the only and leading University in the Middle East, a tradition that continues today, despite the difficulties and competition that arise from time to time, and remains among the 220 top Universities in the world. Tonight, Pafos is conversing with the cities of our neighbourhood, promising that in the coming years it will play an important role in spreading knowledge, the principles of humanism as shaped by the Renaissance and liberal ideas as they originated in ancient Greece and reached as far as nowadays”, he said.
He also said that the new University can reliably and effectively function as an ambassador of the theory of peace and democratization through the promotion and transmission of quality high education.
In his speech member of AUB Board of Trustees and Chairman of the International Advisory Council of AUB, Ambassador Frank G. Wisner, said that by inaugurating a new campus of the American University of Beirut, “we are adding a page in our University’s history and to America’s contribution to higher learning in this region”.
“Thanks to the generosity and foresight of the Republic of Cyprus and the Μunicipality of Pafos, we are now able to extend our University’s contribution to the development and dissemination of knowledge across the Eastern Mediterranean”, he noted. He furthermore said that AUB opens its doors in Paphos determined to develop fully in the decade ahead a new campus.
He also said that the new institution will serve as a demonstration of United States’ interest and commitment to the Eastern Mediterranean.
“As educators and scholars, we know we stand on hallowed ground. In today’s world institutions of higher learning are mindful of our debt to the civilization of which Cyprus is apart and to which Cyprus has made important contributions” he said.
President of AUB Dr. Fadlo R. Khuri said that the establishment of the new campus in Cyprus will enrich the interchange of ideas, knowledge, and purpose that is already taking place at the campus in Beirut, and spread the unique culture of the university, enhancing both AUB’s diversity and its excellence simultaneously.
He also mentioned that American University of Beirut has deep ties to Cyprus, as generations of Cypriots attended the university over many decades, tapering off only during the final years of the Lebanese Civil War.
President of AUB said that the University will welcome students in fall 2023 where they will enroll in undergraduate and graduate courses in politics, philosophy and economics (BA); psychology (BA); computer science (BS); industrial engineering (BS); engineering management (MS); business administration – management (BBA); and business analytics (MS). This campus will be an integral part of AUB. There will be extensive interaction with the Beirut campus in the form of student exchanges, faculty exchanges, collaborative research projects, expanded online and hybrid learning opportunities, etc.
