Cyprus International Institute for the Environment and Public Health

The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the government of Cyprus have established an international research, education, and technology initiative for the environment and public health to address key environmental issues in Cyprus and the Mediterranean region. Towards this end, two new research and training entities have been created: The Cyprus International Institute (CII) for the Environment and Public Health located in Nicosia, Cyprus, and the HSPH-Cyprus Program (HCP) located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

The Cyprus International Institute (CII) for the Environment and Public Health
The Institute enhances the skills and overall capacity of researchers in Cyprus to address present and future societal needs of Cyprus and the region. In addition, the Institute attracts scientists from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and US who come to Cyprus for training, research, and conferences.

The HSPH-Cyprus Program (HCP) in Boston
This program brings qualified students from Cyprus and the region to study, train, and earn a degree at the Harvard School of Public Health, and collaborates with CII to develop and execute in-depth research.

Benefits to the Region:

Cyprus Will Become a Global Laboratory By becoming an international center in environment and public health research and education, the knowledge and technology generated by this new initiative can be shared with countries and regions around the world facing similar environmental challenges.

Regional Meeting Ground Culturally-rich and ideally situated at the crossroads between East and West, North and South, Cyprus offers an ideal site for a new international research institute, and the The Republic of Cyprus serves as a regional meeting ground for environment and public health research and training.

Harvard Presence in the Region The initiative brings many Harvard faculty and students to the region to teach and conduct research, providing a rich exchange of ideas with the region’s cadre of scientists, professionals, and government officials, as well as with the general public.

A New Generation of Experts Through educational programs in Cyprus and the education of graduate students from the region in the US at the Harvard School of Public Health, the initiative trains a new era of scientists and specialists who will use their expertise to protect the environment and safeguard health.

International Collaboration:
Through programs in both Cyprus and Boston, we promote:

Cutting Edge Research
This will yield results which can be immediately applied. The initiative helps Cyprus and the region to develop local expertise in environmental health research and will ultimately generate important discoveries benefiting the environment, human health, and the economy.

Education
The initiative provides top-quality education and training in environmental, occupational, and public health to students, scholars, and mid-career professionals. Short courses and a world-class, one-year post-graduate program in environmental health are offered in Cyprus. The HSPH-Cyprus Endowment has been established to provide scholarships for master’s and doctoral students as well as post-doctoral research training at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Outreach
The initiative disseminates important information on the environment and health to professional and lay audiences in the region as well as to audiences which may have little or no scientific background through:

International and regional conferences

Guest lectures at universities and public organizations

Professional career development activities in the environment and public health for professionals

Informative events for lay audiences

Regular communication through the media and via the Internet