Recent research program announcements by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) have sparked protests at the University of Cyprus. Particularly, the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences (FPAS) feels directly affected by these announcements.

The university states, "There is a clear bias in favor of 'private research entities' and 'private universities.' Additionally, there is a clear bias against older researchers. In the 'POST-DOC' programs, the first two eligible proposals with a business as the contracting entity for each scientific area are prioritized for funding, if available."

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These recent developments, it adds, "are the culmination of a long-term strategy by RIF, which FPAS believes is fundamentally flawed."

The RIF, it continues, is the sole government body supporting research in the Republic of Cyprus, responsible for the allocation of both European and state research funds. "For many years, Cyprus has been a laggard in research within the European Union, spending only 0.82% of its GDP on research compared to the EU average of 2.5%. This is significantly lower than competitors like the United States and China," the statement notes.

The university emphasizes that "there is minimal funding for basic research, which is essential for all departments within FPAS and public universities in general. Huge amounts are channeled to businesses that lack and will not easily acquire a research orientation. Experimental research is not adequately supported, leading to the decline of established research laboratories, which struggle to maintain or renew their equipment or attract new scientists to work in truly research-oriented environments."

"At FPAS, we believe a serious discussion must begin regarding the formulation of state research policy, of which RIF is the main proponent," the university concludes.