Cyprus
On the whole, institutional autonomy in Cyprus is rather limited. It is the lowest-ranking higher education system on financial autonomy, while organisational and staffing autonomy are rated as “medium low”. Academic autonomy is rated as “medium high”.
Cypriote laws prescribe detailed selection criteria and a four-year term of office for the rector. A majority of external members included in the university board are appointed externally. Regulations concerning internal academic structures are unusually strict in Cyprus, where the law lists faculties and departments by name. Universities may not establish new ones without the government’s permission.
Cypriote universities receive their public funding as a line-item budget, and are unable to keep a surplus. They may only borrow money and sell their buildings with the approval of an external authority, which also sets the level of tuition fees.
While staff recruitments are carried out independently by institutions, salaries are prescribed for both academic and administrative staff. Dismissals are tightly regulated: senior administrative employees may only be dismissed in their first two years of employment and the highest academic staff members, i.e. professors, cannot be dismissed at all.
Cypriote universities are more autonomous regarding academic affairs. Institutions may freely select their quality assurance mechanisms and agency and design all academic content. Restrictions are placed on the choice of instruction language. Bachelor courses can only be taught in Greek and Master’s programmes may only be offered in another language if they are also available in Greek. All academic programmes must be approved by the ministry of education.
Organisational weighted 50% unweighted 49%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
25% Selection criteria for the executive head
The law states that the executive head must hold an academic position
This applies to 13 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey
The law states that the executive head must hold a doctoral degree
This applies to 8 other countries: Finland, Flanders, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Sweden, Turkey
The law states that the executive head must come from within the university
100% Dismissal of the executive head
The procedure for the dismissal of the executive head is not stated in the law
This applies to 9 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
This applies to 17 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Hesse, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey
57% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
External members are partly appointed by the university and partly by an external authority
0% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Faculties/other academic structures are listed in the law
This applies to 2 other countries: Luxembourg, Slovakia
60% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities are only allowed to create not-for-profit legal entities
This applies to 5 other countries: Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey
Financial weighted 23% unweighted 18%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
This applies to 24 other countries: Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Greece, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom
0% Type of public funding
80% Ability to borrow money
Universities can borrow money with the approval of an external authority
This applies to 5 other countries: France, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Spain
0% Ability to keep surplus
60% Ability to own buildings
Universities can sell their buildings with the approval of an external authority
This applies to 7 other countries: Estonia, France, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Switzerland
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 5 other countries: Austria, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Turkey
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 5 other countries: Austria, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Turkey
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Staffing weighted 48% unweighted 46%
100% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 18 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 22 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom
0% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for all staff
0% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for all staff
40% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 5 other countries: Austria, Flanders, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland
60% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
43% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
The law states who has to be included in the selection committee
Other restrictions
29% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Academic weighted 77% unweighted 69%
60% Overall student numbers
Universities negotiate with an external authority
This applies to 10 other countries: Brandenburg, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hesse, Iceland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
60% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
This applies to 9 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 21 other countries: Brandenburg, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hesse, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom
40% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
Other restrictions
40% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
Other restrictions
40% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Other restrictions
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 23 other countries: Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can only offer degree programmes/courses in the national language
83% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction only if the programme is also offered in the national language
This does not apply to any other country.
100% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities can select quality assurance mechanisms freely according to their needs
This applies to 3 other countries: Austria, Iceland, Switzerland
100% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities can choose the quality assurance agency freely according to their needs (including agencies from other countries)
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Hesse, Iceland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Switzerland
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 24 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Greece, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom