The 2025 Summer School of the Confucius Institute at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) concluded with a heartfelt closing ceremony on July 25. The program hosted 90 students from Hangzhou Dianzi University (HDU) for three weeks of academic and cultural exchange.
Among those present at the ceremony were the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Cyprus, Mr. Liu Yantao, the Rector of CUT, Professor Panayiotis Zaphiris, the Directors of the Confucius Institute, Dr. Anna Nicolaou and Professor Xu Hong, the Head and representatives of the Student Affairs Office and the Language Centre of CUT, the volunteer student team, the 90 students from HDU and four accompanying professors.
In his address, the Rector highlighted the growing collaboration between CUT and HDU in both education and research, and expressed his gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for its continued support.
He warmly congratulated the students for completing the program and made special mention of their experiences in Greek language and culture courses, English language courses, computer science, research methodology, and artificial intelligence, as well as the various cultural activities they participated in across Cyprus.
Professor Zaphiris praised the contribution of the academic and administrative staff, the Confucius Institute, and CUT’s volunteer student team, emphasizing the importance of personal interaction and cooperation between the students and faculty of the two universities.
Ambassador Liu also congratulated the participants and commended the excellent organization of the Summer School, describing it as a model of successful academic and intercultural cooperation. He also expressed his sincere appreciation to CUT and the Confucius Institute for their efforts in contributing to the event’s success.
As he noted, since the launch of the program in 2023, six summer/winter schools have already been implemented, hosting a total of 262 Chinese students.
The Ambassador underscored the role of youth as a "bridge" between the two peoples, stressing that the friendship between Cyprus and China is founded on mutual respect and cultural understanding. He invited Cypriot students to visit China to experience firsthand the country’s dynamic modernization and to learn about China’s achievements in innovation and development.
He announced the Embassy’s continued support for youth mobility initiatives through the YES program, Chinese Government Scholarships, and the Chinese Ambassador’s Fund. He affirmed the Embassy’s willingness to maintain close cooperation with CUT, other Cypriot universities, and relevant institutions to further strengthen the strategic partnership between China and Cyprus.
During the event, a video created by the HDU students was shown, capturing moments from their stay in Cyprus and the friendships they built. Special recognition was given to the contribution of the CUT volunteers, whose ongoing presence and support played a key role in the success of the program.
The ceremony concluded with the awarding of participation certificates by the Rector and the Ambassador to the HDU students. As was highlighted, the Summer School was not only an academic journey but also a bridge of deep friendship and collaboration between the youth of Cyprus and China.
31.7.2025