The University of Cyprus and the Sievert Larsson Scholarship Foundation have renewed an agreement providing 20 scholarships worth a total of €20,000 to students facing financial difficulties.

The scholarships will be awarded through the University of Cyprus Student Welfare Association on the basis of academic and socioeconomic criteria.

The scheme is aimed at supporting students who demonstrate strong academic performance while also experiencing financial difficulties that could affect their ability to continue their studies.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the University of Cyprus by rector Professor Tasos Christofides and on behalf of the foundation by its founder, Sievert Larsson.

Also present at the signing were the foundation’s general director Christos Papoutsas and Cleanthis Pissarides, head of the university’s Studies and Student Welfare Service and president of the University of Cyprus Student Welfare Association.

The Sievert Larsson Scholarship Foundation was established by philanthropist Sievert Larsson to provide financial support to high-achieving, capable and promising students in need.

The foundation aims to give students the opportunity to continue their studies without interruption while developing their academic and professional potential.

According to the University of Cyprus Student Welfare Association, the renewal of the donation confirms the long-standing and substantive cooperation between the foundation and the university.

It also reflects the foundation’s continued commitment to promoting equal access to higher education, the association said.

The scholarships are intended to help reduce the financial barriers faced by students and allow them to devote greater attention to their studies and personal development.

For students struggling with living and education costs, the financial support can help ease some of the pressure associated with remaining at university while meeting their academic commitments.

The support can also provide greater financial stability for students whose economic circumstances might otherwise limit their ability to participate fully in university life.

The association said the foundation’s continued support had provided valuable opportunities to dozens of beneficiaries over the years.

It added that the assistance formed part of wider efforts to make the university open, inclusive and accessible to all.

The renewed agreement therefore extends a scholarship scheme that combines academic criteria with financial need, directing support towards students who have demonstrated both academic ability and a need for assistance.