The Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) was established by law in December 2003, and enrolled its first students in September 2007. It is a new, public, and independent University and has set high values concerning its academic character, legal status, organizational and administrative structure; it’s characterized by its high level procedure for staff selection, and its relationship with the state. Two university departments are involved in the ORGANIKO project:
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science: Offers a B.Sc. degree in Agricultural and Food Sciences with specialization in three basic areas: a) Crop Science and Technology, b) Animal Science and Technology (including fisheries and aquaculture) and c) Food Science and Technology. The research programmes and the course curricula in all three specialization options, focus on the development and adoption of new scientific methods and technological applications. Particular attention will be given to such cutting-edge research areas as the field of modern biotechnology and its multiple applications in plant and animal production, the food industry and the environment.
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health: An international research, education and technology initiative for the environment and public health. The Institute offers two postgraduate MSc programs; one in Environmental Health and another in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Both are taught in English. Recently the Institute has begun to offer research training leading to the PhD in environmental and public health. Through its association with the Harvard School of Public Health, the Institute has been able to establish three Masters of Science programs and a PhD.
The Agricultural Research Institute is a Department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, of the Republic of Cyprus. The ARI was founded in 1962, after the independence of Cyprus, in cooperation with the Special Development Fund of the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture and became the property of the Government of Cyprus in 1967. It conducts research aiming to create and transfer knowledge for the development of the primary sector and to solve problems at the farmer’s level. The research results are transferred to stakeholders through modern educational programs and dissemination tools. Its research activity strengthens rural development and contributes to the adoption of a sustainable rural policy and innovation offer.
The team of ARI researchers participating in the project, have extensive research experience in the area of agricultural systems and in particular in the disciplines of soil and environmental microbiology, molecular biology, agroeconomics, plant nutrition and irrigation as well as molecular breeding and nutrient cycling in soils. Our group has more than 100 publications in scientific journals and conferences that are related with the subject of proposal. Moreover, ARI is heavily involved in farmers and agriculturist training. The facilities and the infrastructure of ARI can support and reach the tasks set since is equipped with state of the art equipment and open field facilities.
Dionysia Fasoula
Ioannis Ioannides
The Department of Environment is the main contact point for environmental matters, including climate change and adaptation for the Government of Cyprus. The environmental dimension is now part of all institutional levels of our society and is expressed through the enforcement of the relevant national legislation. The mission of the Department of Environment and the objectives to be achieved, are closely connected to the broader understanding of the environmental dimension in our society. Today more than never before, the NGOs and the society are involved and express their opinion in all the levels and the main processes of development and environmental monitoring.
Our mission at the Department of Environment is to gradually contribute in strengthening the environmental dimension to the maximum extent, and constitute a major factor contributing appropriately to the other two dimensions in the decision making process (social & economic). This will be the main driver towards sustainable and green infrastructure development. As professional civil servants we believe that our goals are relevant and along with the objectives of the E.U environmental acquis, always taking into account the specificities of our Island, and focusing at sustainable development.
The Kyoto Club is an Italian no-profit organisation created in 1999 to reach the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets agreed by Italy through the Kyoto Protocol and the EU climate change goals. Its current 239 members and partners include: 34 local authorities, 13 university and research institutions, 14 public transport companies and mobility associations, 4 national banks, 33 ESCos and energy consulting bodies, 70 private companies involved in energy efficiency and renewable, 8 environmental certification agencies, 7 sustainable media organisations, 23 utilities (electric, heat and water management), 12 waste and recycling management companies and 21 professional and environmental umbrella organizations.
The main Kyoto Club’s activities relevant for the project are: (A) Training courses for local authorities on the Covenant of Mayors and SEAPs (B) Legislative and technological workshops to get updated, with experts of the sectors dealt with, about the latest developments (C) Support provided for environmental certification processes (D) Information through the Kyoto Club web site and QualEnergia, the bimonthly magazine and Internet portal (E) Position papers on the issues monitored by the Kyoto Club, with targeted contributions by the organisation’s Thematic Working Groups (F) Analysis and visibility to the best practices developed by the Kyoto Club members. The Kyoto Club is active within the Climate Change Group of Italy’s Local Agenda 21 Network, is on the Board of the ECEEE (European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) and has been one of the founding members of the EUASE (European Alliance to Save Energy). It has observer status with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.