George Demosthenous

Prof. George Demosthenous is the Rector of Frederick University. Between 2011 and 2013 he served as Minister of Education and Culture. Until his appointment, Dr Demosthenous was a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Vice Rector at Frederick University.

George Demosthenous obtained the Diploma of Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from National Technical University of Athens. Throughout his studies he maintained a scholarship from the Republic of Cyprus and State Scholarships Foundation of Greece and has also been the recipient of a series of awards and distinctions. His scientific work mainly focuses in the domains of Manufacturing Processes and Engineering Design, fields in which he has developed a rich body of work with publications in esteemed international academic journals and execution of a large number of funded research projects as scientific coordinator.

In his academic career he has shown considerable involvement in matters of academic quality and excellence – as Vice Rector he was assigned the responsibility of external evaluation of all academic programs of the University from ECPU whilst as Rector he is responsible for the strategic plan for promotion of educational quality, in close collaboration with the Committee of Quality Assurance.

As Minister of Education and Culture he promoted several actions within the educational reform framework such as the new Curricula, the extension of Music Schools and Zones of Educational Priority, the introduction of Post-secondary Institutes of Vocational Education and Training and the founding of Cyprus University’s Medical School. As President of the Ministers Council during the Cyprus Presidency of the European Commission he promoted matters including the recognition of non-formal and informal education, addressing the illiteracy problem, excellence in tertiary education, social inclusion and participation of youth in democratic life and a holistic approach to cultural governance.

Professor George Demosthenous was also the President of the Foundation for the Management for the European Lifelong Learning Programmes (2010-2011) and member of the Cyprus Scientific Council. In the period 2006-2010 he represented Cyprus in the “Committee for Materials, Physics and Nano-technologies” of the COST EU program. He has also participated in various Scientific and Organizing Committees of national and international conferences.