Cyprus Sets The Benchmark: 74% Of Master’s Students Are Women In 2022

Cyprus is rewriting the rulebook on higher education in the European Union. According to Eurostat data, the island nation recorded the highest percentage of women in master’s programs among EU member states in 2022 while also boasting one of the strongest showings in doctoral studies.

Master’s Programs: A New Standard In Gender Equality

In 2022, Cyprus enrolled 9,359 master’s (or equivalent) students, of whom 6,948 were women—a striking 74.2%. This figure outpaces other EU nations, with Poland (67.3%) and Lithuania (66.1%) trailing behind. Across the EU, women make up 58.6% of master’s students (905,678 out of 1.5 million), a majority in every country except Luxembourg, where gender parity prevails.

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Doctoral Studies: Climbing The Ladder

Cyprus isn’t stopping at master’s programs. At the doctoral level, 83 out of 143 students in 2022 were female (58.0%), placing Cyprus second only to Latvia (59.6%) and ahead of Lithuania (57.4%). In comparison, the EU-wide average stands at 48.5% (48,079 out of 99,204).

A Decade Of Progress

Over the past decade, the EU has seen a slight decline of 0.4 percentage points in the share of women in master’s studies—driven by modest decreases in 12 countries, ranging from -0.1 in Slovenia to -3.6% in Hungary. In stark contrast, the share of women in doctoral studies has grown by 1.0 percentage point overall, with Cyprus registering the most impressive surge: an 8.0 percentage point increase from 2013 to 2022.

Implications For The Future

These figures highlight Cyprus as a leader in fostering gender equality in higher education, a crucial factor for driving future innovation and leadership. With such a robust commitment to empowering women at the highest academic levels, Cyprus is not only setting a benchmark for the EU but also paving the way for a more diverse and dynamic knowledge economy.

As the global spotlight increasingly focuses on diversity and inclusion, Cyprus’ standout performance in both master’s and doctoral studies signals a promising shift toward a more balanced and innovative future in higher education.

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Evel Elects New President As Maria Theocharous Takes Over For 2026–2029 Term

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

November 12, 2026

Maria Theocharous has been elected president of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Evel), taking over from Yiannis Tsouloftas for a three-year term covering 2026–2029. Theocharous previously served as the chamber’s vice-president for tourism.

The leadership transition marks a new chapter for one of Cyprus’ main regional business organisations, with the new board set to represent the district’s key economic sectors.

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New Leadership Emphasises Cooperation

The chamber’s annual meeting brought together government, business and local authority representatives, including Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michael Damianos, Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) president Stavros Stavrou, Limassol district local government organisation president Yiannis Tsouloftas and Limassol mayor Yiannis Armeftis.

Speakers highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between public authorities and businesses in supporting Limassol’s economic development.

Representatives of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber (CSC) also congratulated Theocharous on her election and thanked the outgoing president for his cooperation. The CSC described Evel as a longstanding partner, noting the chamber’s contribution to Limassol’s business development over more than six decades.

Tsouloftas Reviews Six Years As President

In his final address, Tsouloftas reviewed the chamber’s work between 2020 and 2026, highlighting its advocacy for major infrastructure projects and efforts to address development challenges across the district.

He also outlined initiatives to remove obstacles facing local businesses, accelerate development plans and improve the conditions for economic activity.

Tsouloftas will remain involved as immediate past president, providing continuity during the transition.

New Board Covers Key Business Sectors

The new board includes representatives responsible for the chamber’s main portfolios:

Ilikos Charalambous, vice-president for commerce
Vasos Demetriades, vice-president for industry
Christos Nicolaou, vice-president for services
Nicolas Agiomamitis, vice-president for tourism
Ilias Theodorou, vice-president for finance
Demosthenes Mavrellis, vice-president for innovation and technology
Ilias Neocleous, honorary secretary

Other board members are Minos Agathocleous, Marios Antoniou, George Demetriou, Anastasios Kounoudis, Marios Constantinou, Xanthos Nemptsas, Antonis Pappas, Charalambos Pattichis, Chrysis Petousis, Farah Shammas, Andreas Tsouloftas and Kyriacos Hadjiathanasiou.

Costas Ioannides, Agathi Katsi, Anna Petraki, Filippos Filis and Tonis Hadjiloucas have been appointed members by distinction. The chamber also highlighted the growing participation of women in business leadership and decision-making.

Chamber Recognises Longstanding Contributions

The annual meeting also recognised businesses and individuals for their contributions, including members who have maintained continuous membership for 50 years.

Tributes were paid to three former contributors to the chamber, Tonis Antoniou, Dimi Mavropoulos and Andreas Laou, in recognition of their service.

Under Theocharous’ leadership, Evel begins its 2026–2029 term with a board covering commerce, industry, services, tourism, finance and innovation. Its priorities include continuing to represent Limassol businesses and advocating for the investment and cooperation needed to support the district’s economic growth.