Academic excellence, distinctions in research and teaching, and the community impact of individuals and their actions were honored during the presentation of the Michael Frederickou Awards 2024, held on June 26 at the Nicosia Municipal Theater.

The Awards, presented in memory of the University's founder, Michael Frederickou, were presented for the fourth consecutive year as part of the Awards and Honors Ceremony for the top Undergraduate and Postgraduate Graduates and Doctoral Program Graduates of Frederick University. The Michael Frederickou Awards recognize excellence in teaching, research, and contribution to society, and are awarded to members of the academic, research, and administrative staff, as well as to students and alumni of Frederick University.

The MF Awards 2024 were presented with the support of Chevron Cyprus, the Ioannides-Dimitriou Law Firm, and Vassos Eliades Ltd.

The awards were presented by the President of the University Council, Ms. Natassa Frederickou, and Dr. Mary Koutselini, President of the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Dr. Nikodemos Damianou, the President of the Academy of Athens, Professor Stamatios Krimizis, the Rector of Frederick University, Professor George Demosthenous, members of the University Council, and distinguished guests.

The Awards

The Michael Frederickou Teaching Excellence Awards

Dr. Manos Pavlakis, Coordinator of the MA in Educational Administration and Leadership. Dr. Pavlakis' courses encourage independent, critical, and original thinking and teamwork, where students are invited to question and analyze different perspectives and develop their own ideas in an inclusive learning environment.

The Michael Frederickou Excellence Awards in Research & Innovation

Dr. Paris Fokaides, Associate Professor of the Engineering School and lead researcher of the Sustainable Energy Research Group. Dr. Fokaides was awarded in the "Overall Impactful Research Activity" category, for his significant international research work in the field of energy and building energy efficiency.

Dr. Marios Lestas, Associate Professor of the Engineering School and lead researcher of the INTRA lab - Intelligent Networks and Transportation Systems Laboratory, and Dr. Christina Oikonomou, a key member of the CyIRG research group, a reference group in Cyprus and the wider region for the study of space weather. The two researchers stood out in the category "Significant improvement in research activity”, in terms of academic publications and/or attracting international collaborations and funding, as in the previous year, they showed significant increases in the key indicators of research output monitored by the University.

The Mobile Devices Laboratory (MDL), which received the award in the category "Entrepreneurial Initiatives," for the significant activities of its members in promoting innovation, transferring know-how, and collaborating with the business sector. The award was received by the Director of the Mobile Devices Laboratory, Dr. Andreas Constantinides, Researcher and Associate Professor at the Engineering School of the University.

Sustainable Development Goals Awards

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are fully aligned with the core values of Frederick University and have been integrated into its mission. As a testament to the importance the University places on achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, four related awards were presented to:

Dr. Nikolas-Georgios Eliadis, a member of the research team of the University's Nature Conservation Unit, who, through the implementation of significant basic and applied research programs, has made decisive contributions to understanding and protecting ecological processes in natural ecosystems. Dr. Eliadis was the Project Manager of the internationally awarded LIFE-KEDROS project, under which management and resilience enhancement measures were designed and implemented for the habitat of the Cyprus Cedar.

Dr. Anna Louise Merry, Assistant Professor in the Department of Arts and Communication and lead researcher of the Spatial Design and Artefact Research Unit who, through research, design, and educational initiatives, focuses on sustainable and inclusive design. Additionally, through her work, she promotes innovative approaches such as integrating the New European Bauhaus into art and design education, giving her students the opportunity to engage in ongoing projects related to the principles of sustainable design.

Dr. Chrysanthi Katzi-Beltran, Associate Professor and President of the Department of Education Sciences, and Ms. Victoria Leonidou, a member of the teaching staff of the Department of Arts and Communication, for applying pedagogical approaches in their courses that promote and enhance sustainability skills in their students. During the academic year 2023-24, they collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research to develop and design a series of educational board games about the Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus.

Mr. George Koutsikas, a student in the Business Administration Program, for promoting sustainability, actively working to improve the quality of life in his community, and empowering young people. Mr. Koutsikas participated with a scholarship in Princeton University's Law and Public Administration research program, and his team secured funding from the European Culture Foundation to implement their proposal to encourage youth participation in public affairs. Additionally, this year he was recognized by the Global Peace organization as a future Leader and received a full scholarship to participate in the Leadership program at Cambridge University.

The Michael Frederickou Award for an Outstanding Student or Graduate

George Xekalakis, a doctoral student in the Civil Engineering program supervised by Dr. Petros Christou. His research focuses on evaluating risks in buildings from natural disasters. In his dissertation submitted in May, he developed a tool for assessing the seismic risk of buildings in Cyprus and abroad, which is ready to be utilized by relevant authorities.

The Michael Frederickou Best Thesis Award

The awards were given to the best postgraduate or doctoral thesis in the University's five Schools:

School of Education and Social Sciences: Kyriaki Erotokritou, Doctoral Program in Social Work, Social Policy and Administration

Engineering School: George Xekalakis, Doctoral Program in Civil Engineering

School of Health Sciences: Maria Panagi, Doctoral Program in Health Sciences

School of Arts, Communication & Cultural Studies: Marios Paschalidis, Master's Program in Visual Arts

School of Business & Law: Victoria Heinzel, Doctoral Program in Management

A particularly moving moment during the Ceremony was the awarding of Dimitris Giannakou, a first-year student in the Department of Civil Engineering, with the Heroic Act Award. Dimitris was driving from work to the University when he noticed that another driver in a nearby vehicle had lost consciousness. Acting immediately, he tried to open the driver's door, which was locked, and broke the rear seat window to get him out. He called an ambulance and provided as much assistance as he could until it arrived. The driver of the vehicle, Raphael Aletras, informed the University of the incident, expressing his gratitude for the student's lifesaving intervention. Dimitris received the award to prolonged applause from the audience.

The ceremony was accompanied by the "Prometheus" String Quartet throughout its duration, consisting of musicians Nikos Pittas and Heraklis Mitellas on violin, Nikolas Papageorgiou on viola, and Stelios Pittas on cello.