PRESS RELEASE - UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS

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University of Cyprus Launches its First Joint English-Taught Bachelor’s Degree Programme: YUFE Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies

The University of Cyprus is now accepting applications for the YUFE Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies, an innovative English-taught undergraduate programme starting in September 2026.

Offered within the framework of the Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) alliance, the programme provides students a unique opportunity to study and learn across multiple European universities, benefiting from a flexible and interdisciplinary learning experience.

As contemporary cities face growing environmental, social, and economic challenges, the programme equips students with the knowledge and skills required to contribute to sustainable urban development. Through international mobility, collaborative learning, and flexible study pathways, students develop valuable global experience and skills for the world of tomorrow.

The programme coordinator, Professor Nadia Charalambous of the Department of Architecture, stated: "We are particularly proud to offer this innovative joint bachelor's programme — a first for the University of Cyprus. We designed it with students in mind who want to understand the cities they live in, critically engage with issues of urban sustainability, and actively contribute to shaping the urban future. Through the mobility, interdisciplinarity, and European dimension of the programme, they gain not only a degree of the highest European standards, but also the tools to become true agents of change."

The YUFE Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies promotes a student-centred approach to higher education, enabling participants to shape their own academic journey within a multicultural European environment.

This new programme further strengthens the University of Cyprus’s commitment to innovative, inclusive, and European higher education.

With an open outlook on the world, the University of Cyprus transforms its promise into action.

Applications are now open:

Application deadline for EEA students: 20 July 2026

Application deadline for non-EEA students: 14 June 2026        

For more information and to apply, visit:

YUFE Bachelor – Young Universities for the Future of Europe

Online Information Session – 29 June 2026 (18:00–19:00 EEST)

Join the YUFE Bachelor Live Session hosted by the University of Cyprus, where prospective students will have the opportunity to learn more about the programme, its unique features, admission requirements, and study opportunities.

For further information about the event, please visit:

https://www.yufe.eu/event/yufe-bachelor-live-session-ucy/

Registration is required and can be completed via the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yYe7BSu5SImSRQCfQZN6Hg

The Joint Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies is an interdisciplinary programme focused on urban sustainability, combining knowledge from environmental sciences, economics, urban planning, policy, and social sciences. Its aim is to develop analytical, research, and practical skills to address complex challenges and design sustainable solutions for cities.

The programme has a duration of three years (180 ECTS). The first year provides a common academic foundation, while the second and third years offer flexibility through the selection of YUFE minors and mobility across European universities. The programme concludes with a bachelor thesis.

It has received accreditation from the NVAO (Higher Education Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders), ensuring high European quality standards, and its operation has been approved by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth and the Council of Ministers in Cyprus.

Mobility is a core component: students begin at the University of Cyprus and then study at two to three partner universities, including Maastricht University, University of Antwerp, University of Bremen, University of Essex, University of Eastern Finland, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Sorbonne Nouvelle University, University of Rijeka, and Nicolaus Copernicus University.

Students have the opportunity to choose from a variety of YUFE Minors offered across these partner universities, covering thematic areas such as environmental sustainability, urban planning, governance, economics, and social development. Each Minor corresponds to 30 ECTS and is designed in a blended format, combining on-site courses at the host university with online courses provided by other institutions within the alliance.

The programme’s Intended Learning Outcomes are organised into three main categories: knowledge, research, and transferable skills. In this way, they combine theoretical knowledge with practical and applied competences, responding directly to the needs of the contemporary labour market.

Employment prospects are particularly broad, as graduates can work in local and regional authorities, European institutions, urban planning consultancies, and environmental management organisations. Indicatively, they may be employed as sustainability consultants, officers in municipalities and regional administrations, researchers in think tanks, or professionals in NGOs and international organisations active in climate policy and urban development. At the same time, graduates have the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies in related fields.

End of announcement