CYPRUS needs to invest in education in the field of oil and gas exploitation if it is to become a strong energy center in the Eastern Mediterranean.

This was the message conveyed by a workshop held yesterday in Nicosia on developing the oil and gas sector with a focus on education. The workshop was jointly organised by the British High Commission, the School of Engineering of the University of Cyprus (UCY) and the British Council.

UCY Rector Constantinos Christofides said that he would use  the results of the workshop “to shape its agenda for exploiting the new opportunities in the hydrocarbon sector through educational, research and services programmes.

“A decade ago we started the engineering school, which now has four departments, four research centres and two inter-departmental graduate programmes on energy, one of those is a Masters programme in Petroleum Engineering starting in September with 25 students,” he said.

‘We formed an international committee to advise us in creating a new department, with focus in chemical and petroleum engineering. The research activity in the Engineering School is remarkable, supported by external funding in excess of €19 million. In appreciation of its good results we work hard on securing finding for its new building at the campus to start the construction early next year”.

British High Commissioner Matthew Kidd said that skills and knowledge were very important for a country like Cyprus, which wants to have a successful energy sector and become a regional energy hub.

He said that the UK had experience in developing knowledge on the oil and gas industry and expressed the readiness of Britain to offer its knowledge and help to Cyprus in addressing the challenges as a sign of solidarity especially now as the country was going through a difficult period.

Advisor to the Foreign and Commonwealth office and Energy Specialist Angus Miller, in his address, said that Cyprus had the opportunity to develop as a hub both for hydrocarbon recovery and processing and for providing the training and education that would sustain the industry. “In short, to become the local provider of skills with worldwide application”, he concluded.

Permanent Secretary of the commerce ministry Stelios Chimonas speaking on behalf of Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, said that according to a study by the Human Resources Development Authority, it was anticipated that more than 5,000 jobs would be created in the hydrocarbons sector by 2019. “Obviously, all of these jobs will have to be filled by the right professionals, with the right skills and education,” he said.

Published by: www.cyprus-mail.com