The Open University of Cyprus (OUC, est. 2002) is a distance education public university delivering teaching to students not physically present in a traditional educational setting, via a state of the art technological infrastructure and educational methodology. It offers 29 undergraduate and Master's programmes and 10 doctoral programs, in Greek and English to almost 8500 students. OUC follows the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Some of the programs are joint with Universities in Cyprus, Greece and the USA as a result of a large network of international collaborations.
The SBAA Environmental Department provides advice and policy on all environmental matters within the Sovereign Base Areas in support of British Forces Cyprus and encourages good ecological and conservation practices in order to meet statutory requirements. Among other duties and responsibilities forthe environment, SBAA ED manages the Akrotiri Education Environmentaland Information Centre which is part of the Cyprus network for environmental education.
The SBAA has been working towards the ASL’s protection forover 20 years and has successfully implemented several projects that have improved the environmental conditions of Akrotiri Peninsula. Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre will be utilised for outreach activities and laboratory equipment. SBAA ED will lead the establishment of PMRs and regulating access in selected areas of ASL ecosystem.
The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) within Uni Kent was founded in 1989 with a mission “to conserve biodiversity and the ecological processes that support ecosystems and people, by developing capacity andimproving conservation management and policy through high-impact research”. In 2019 DICE awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognitionof our “pioneering education, capacity building and research in global nature conservation to protect species and ecosystems and benefit people”.
DICE members have led more than 30 Darwin Initiative projects, illustrating their ability to achieve conservation, poverty alleviation and capacity building goals. Our wealth of experience and expertise in conservation projects,sustainability assessments and public engagement places us in an idealposition in regards to the successful undertaking of sustainability appraisal component of this project.