On Monday, June 10, 2024, the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr. Nicodemos Damianou, along with DMRIDP Senior Officers Mr. Christos Aspris and Mrs. Maria Pantelidou, and Mrs. Nasia Zanti, DMRIDP Communications Officer, visited The Cyprus Institute’s premises.

 

CyI President, Prof. Stavros Malas, hosted the meeting, accompanied by CyI VPO, Dr Michalis Yiangou, CyI Assistant Vice President of Policy and Internal Communications, Mrs. Eleni Sophocleous, CyI Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Development, Dr Konstantinos Kleovoulou, STARC Director, Dr Michel Menu, and CyI Director of Research and Technical Support, Dr Vassilis Tsakalos.

 

The Cyprus Institute is a key pillar of the ecosystem in Cyprus, as well as the wider region, in the field of research and innovation, stated Mr. Damianou during his visit to the Institute. Mr. Damianou, who was briefed on the mission and various research and educational activities of The Cyprus Institute, indicated that the research and innovation ecosystem is the driving force for achieving sustainable development goals and for economic and social growth, positioning Cyprus on the map as a regional center of technology and innovation.

 

At the same time, Mr. Damianou congratulated The Cyprus Institute for its recent award from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, regarding its contribution to research, education, and the promotion of actions to address climate change and mitigate its impacts in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

 

Prof. Stavros Malas, after thanking Mr. Damianou for today’s visit, pointed out that research and innovation are the strongest tools for creating sustainable development. Countries that invest in research and innovation, said Prof. Malas, are those that create sustainable development and are not simply satisfied with economic growth. Moreover, Prof. Malas welcomed the initiative of the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy to evaluate the research ecosystem of Cyprus, setting the bar very high, as he said, so that our country continues to excel in excellence rather than mediocrity.

 

During his visit, Mr. Damianou had the opportunity visit the High-Performance Computing Facility (HPCF) and Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory (USRL).