In the coming weeks, the bodies promoting the creation of a Troodos University, that is the Troodos Network, and the educational organization Mesogeios, expect to have a crucial meeting with the Minister and officials of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, according to the president of the Troodos Network, President of the Platres Community Panagiotis Papadopoulos.
As Mr. Papadopoulos told us, he recently had an informal meeting with the Minister of Education and was told that the meeting will take place within the next few weeks, and that the Minister she wants to see some details and that she is satisfied with the information that has for far been sent to the Ministry about the project. What is requested from the state, as Mr. Papadopoulos mentioned, is the concession of four school buildings, the Pedoulas High School, the Kato Platres Elementary School, the Galata Primary School and the Kyperounta Kindergarten, to the communities, so that through them a license can be granted by the university can secure the necessary license.
Panagiotis Papadopoulos stressed that European resources have been found, as well as people from the region who can support the effort and expressed the belief that if the state responds to the building part, the university will be able to become a reality. He said that representatives of universities that expressed their intention to get involved visited Troodos, saw the sites, spoke with the community leaders and each of them will help and support a school in which it has expertise. Also, a non-profit company has already been set up to facilitate the process.
"From the point of view of universities we are fine, our only problem is the delay and the risk of the project faltering because of it," said Panagiotis Papadopoulos. He reiterated that two (University) schools will operate in Pedoulas. One is a Business school, consistent with the corresponding high school in Lemithou. This school will be undertaken by the University of Western Macedonia, which operates in five different cities, whose rector will also give the Troodos University the know-how of "remote management". The Arab Academy of Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, from Egypt, will operate the School of Agribusiness, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Poland’s Lublin University of Technology, which specializes in Rural Development and Technology will be housed in Galata, along with operation of an agricultural high school in Evrychou.
Kyperounta will host the humanities and Mediterranean studies, with the Catholic University Pope John Paul II Catholic University, from Poland. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management will operate in Pano and Kato Platres, and Moniatis, in three different buildings, in collaboration with Mesogeios" and a group of Swiss universities with which the organization already cooperates, The president of the Platres community pointed out that once the government gives the green light for the concession of the buildings, it will take three years for the university to be able to operate, since the schools will have to be registered, the buildings will have to be configured and equipped and at the same time the dormitories for students will have to be organized.
He added that it is positive that there are community leaders and residents of Troodos who are ready to rent houses or rooms to students, or to create student studios, while there is also investment interest in creating student residences in all four communities. Panagiotis Papadopoulos said that through the European City Facility program, a study is being completed so that a network of electric buses and electric bicycles can operate covering the communities around Troodos and that there is also an investor who is interested. Sources from the Ministry of Education told "Entrepreneurial Limassol" that the concession of three government buildings to a private initiative is a complex matter, but it is not impossible, and that some more details will be requested regarding the viability of the project.
