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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Cyprus Keeps Budget On Track As Tax Revenue Grows

by News Editor

August 24, 2026

Cyprus collected and spent €5.43 billion by the end of July 2026, keeping state revenue and expenditure at the same absolute level halfway through the budget year. Revenue had reached 50% of the annual target, compared with 47% for expenditure.

Compared with the first seven months of 2025, both revenue and spending increased by €260 million. Stronger tax receipts were the main reason for the rise in revenue, while higher operating costs, transfers, grants and social benefits pushed expenditure up.

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Tax Receipts Provide A Major Boost

VAT collections rose by €200 million year-on-year to €1.98 billion, while direct tax revenue increased by €150 million to €1.95 billion. Income tax paid by companies and individuals accounted for most of the increase in direct taxation.

The stronger tax performance has helped the government accommodate higher spending without creating a significant deterioration in the mid-year budget position.

Social Spending And Transfers Rise

The increase in expenditure was not driven by public sector salaries and pensions, which remained broadly unchanged at €1.90 billion.

Instead, social benefits reached €1.13 billion, up €70 million from a year earlier, with additional spending directed towards healthcare, education, housing and welfare. Transfers and grants also increased by €80 million to €1.13 billion.

Operating costs climbed by €120 million to €530 million, partly reflecting higher spending on defence and policing, as well as consultancy and research services.

Development Spending Moves Faster

Capital expenditure reached €165.7 million by July, with 32% of the development budget executed compared with a 28% average for the same period over the past decade.

Major allocations included roads, construction projects, government and school buildings, equipment, and water and sewerage infrastructure.

EU-backed programmes are also supporting areas such as home energy upgrades, sustainable transport, electric mobility, digital transformation and skills development.

Debt Repayments Surge

One of the biggest changes came from public debt transactions. Government borrowing inflows reached €1.31 billion, while loan repayments and related outflows exceeded €2.1 billion.

Foreign debt repayments accounted for €2.06 billion, compared with just €60 million during the same period in 2025. Despite the much larger repayments, financing costs remained broadly stable at around €430 million.

A Balanced Mid-Year Picture

Overall, Cyprus’s public finances remain broadly on track. Rising VAT and income tax receipts are supporting higher social, operational and development spending, while the public-sector wage bill remains relatively stable.

The headline €5.43 billion balance between revenue and expenditure therefore tells only part of the story: beneath it, tax collection is strengthening, investment spending is progressing faster than usual, and debt-related cash flows have increased sharply.

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