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Parliamentary Committee Discusses Bill on Equivalence of Study Programs

Published February 25, 2026, 14:13
Parliamentary Committee Discusses Bill on Equivalence of Study Programs

The Parliamentary Committee on Education discussed a bill aimed at establishing criteria for the equivalence and correspondence of study programs, requiring at least three-fifths of the required courses to be common with similar programs in public institutions in Cyprus or Greece. The discussion arose from the need to resolve problems observed in the recognition of academic qualifications. Representatives of the Legal Service and the CYATS stated that a legislative review of a related bill is underway and has been submitted to the Ministry of Education. MP Christos Christofias of AKEL emphasized the need for legislative regulation of the issue, while representatives of the Legal Service and CYATS proposed incorporating the bill proposed by the DISY MPs into the CYATS bill under consideration. This proposal was accepted by the committee members, resulting in a decision to postpone the advancement of the original bill to the Plenary Session until the CYATS bill is amended. The discussion focused on the need for clear and objective criteria for recognizing academic qualifications to avoid injustices and ensure the credibility of the education system. The bill proposed by the DISY MPs was considered an improvement over the existing framework but was deemed preferable to incorporate it into a broader bill covering the entire spectrum of issues related to the equivalence and correspondence of study programs. The decision to postpone the advancement of the original bill to the Plenary Session indicates an intention for a more comprehensive and coherent approach to the issue of recognizing academic qualifications, aiming to ensure the quality and reliability of education in Cyprus.