The introduction programmes in foreign languages at Cyprus’ public universities “does not undermine public schools”, the University of Cyprus and the Cyprus University of Technology (Tepak) said on Tuesday.

The universities were reacting to a statement released earlier in the day by teachers’ trade unions Oelmek and Oltek, the secondary school parents’ association, high school pupils’ association Psem, and University of Cyprus students’ association Fepan, which warned the programmes will mean university applicants will be subject to “unequal treatment” in the future.

In response, the universities asked, “do public schools adequately prepare our young people for the demands of today and tomorrow?

“If they do not, it is obviously not because legislation is being prepared to introduce foreign language programmes which are not currently offered.”

They added that the new programmes “will not in any way affect the admission of students through the Pancyprian examinations” to Cyprus’ two public universities, adding that the number of places available to would-be students who take those examinations is established and guaranteed.

“Any reports to the contrary have been made to spread fear and provoke reactions which do nothing but harm our public universities and education more broadly,” they added.

They went on to say that the laws being discussed on the matter are “balanced” and “include the necessary safeguards”, and added that any amendments to that legislation in parliament would “lead to time-consuming procedures and insurmountable obstacles”.

We are in an era in which universities, especially in Europe, are investing in becoming more international, competing with each other, they said, adding that this is “particularly true at the level at which our universities belong.

“The question is simple: do we want to move forward, or to be held hostage by vested interests and fears? This question must be answered clearly and answered now,” they said.

The five organisations had earlier expressed their “strong disagreement” to the introduction of programmes in foreign language, saying they would “undermine public schools” and “circumvent the Pancyprian examinations as a procedure for admission to universities”.

They added that such programmes would “create unequal treatment between people who attend public and private schools” and would also “open wide the possibility of students paying tuition fees for existing undergraduate programmes”.

They also said it is “provocative” that the University of Cyprus is planning to run foreign language programmes “while it has not yet completed its development and important disciplines such as dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and others are not yet offered.

“The university’s primary goal should be to be complete in an academic and scientific sense,” they added, while also saying that they plan to meet with President Nikos Christodoulides, House President Annita Demetriou, and political party leaders to discuss the matter.

The back and forth comes after the two university’s rectors had called for the “immediate passage of legislation” to allow for foreign language bachelor’s degree courses to be taught at their universities.

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou had earlier told the House education committee that European Union law already provides for the offering of foreign language programmes at universities.