The University of Nicosia (UNIC), as a partner of the NEOLAiA European University Alliance, participated in the Alliance’s working meetings held at the University of Salerno, Italy, over December 2-4, 2025. The meetings were an important milestone, as they took place after approximately two years of intensive collaboration and implementation of actions aimed at transforming the European higher education area and strengthening the regional impact of universities.

The University of Nicosia was represented by a large group of academics, researchers, administrators and students, led by the University’s rector, Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, who sits on the Alliance’s Rector’s Administrative Council. This strong presence underscores the University’s steadfast commitment to leveraging the opportunities offered by the Alliance, both in terms of teaching and research and in terms of student experience and social contribution.

During the meetings, a rich set of activities took place, including NEOLAiA Agora, thematic sessions related to the Alliance’s key pillars, as well as Work Package meetings, where teams from all institutions/partners presented progress, coordinated next steps, and explored new synergies for the coming years. Particular emphasis was placed on issues of digital transformation, enhanced mobility, social inclusion, regional development and open science, areas in which the University of Nicosia plays a key role as leader of the “Digital Transformation” Work Package and co-leader of the “Open Science” Work Package.

During a special roundtable discussion, UNIC Rector Pouyioutas, and the Rectors of the other eight universities discussed the Alliance’s strategic directions. The dialogue focused on long-term strategic planning, strengthening the regional dimension, promoting diversity and inclusion, further expanding opportunities for student and staff mobility, and deepening digital cooperation within a common European higher education ecosystem.

Rector Pouyioutas highlighted the significance and scope of UNIC’s presence in the Alliance.

“Through its participation in NEOLAiA, the University of Nicosia continues to strengthen and upgrade its international recognition, offering students, teaching/research and administrative staff access to new forms of mobility, joint study programmes (under development), inter-university interdisciplinary research networks and innovative social contribution activities,” he noted. “Active involvement in the Alliance’s work confirms the University’s strategic orientation towards a modern, open and digitally advanced European university education.”

About the NEOLAiA European University Alliance

The NEOLAiA Alliance has been awarded €14.4 million in funding from the European Commission for a period of four years, as part of the European University Alliances programme.

Among other things, the Alliance’s main strategic objectives are to strengthen and acquire a common digital identity for its members, digitise the educational environment, promoting tolerance, diversity and inclusion, investing in research and contributing to society and culture, supporting democracy, offering innovative solutions for global health and providing high-quality education.

Along with UNIC, the network includes leading, young, extroverted and innovative universities that are ranked among the best universities in the world, according to the main university rankings: the University of Jaén (Spain), the University of Tours (France), Bielefeld University (Germany), Örebro University (Sweden), the University of Salerno (Italy), Šiauliai State University of Applied Sciences (Lithuania), “Ştefan Cel Mare” University of Suceava (Romania) and the University of Ostrava (Czech Republic).

For more information about the University of Nicosia and its participation in the NEOLAiA European University Alliance, please visit: https://neolaiacampus.eu/