RISE aims to build the first research centre in Cyprus focusing on Interactive media, Smart systems and Emerging technologies with a view to becoming a centre of excellence empowering knowledge and technology transfer in the region. The effort is a joint venture between the three public universities of Cyprus (University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, Open University of Cyprus), the Municipality of Nicosia (coordinator), and two renowned international partners, the Max Planck Institute for Informatics (Germany) and University College London (UK). If RISE is funded through to the second round, it will act as an integrator of academic research and industrial innovation, towards the sustainable fuelling of the scientific, technological, and economic growth of Cyprus and Europe.
There is a great need in Cyprus to empower academia and industry to excel in their research and development activities as well as to interact through a centralized knowledge and expertise transfer hub that RISE as a research centre is designed to be. Key identified indicators of success in similar research centres are all met in Cyprus, such as a high rate of tertiary education attainment among adults (CY, 39.3%, a record for EU with a total average of 28.2%) openness indicated by a 14% population trend fuelled primarily by foreigners (20% of total population) and EU nationals (13% of the population) second only to Luxemburg , as well as the world renowned academic institutions collaborating through synergies with RISE.
RISE will operate by embracing the motto “Inspired by Humans. Designed for Humans.”, producing technologies to work “in the wild”, as its guiding philosophy. Such a focus, geared towards applications and going beyond the traditional academic confines, is expected to bring direct tangible benefits to the local society, but also to ensure the prospects of an economically viable operation of the Centre.
Our plan is to host RISE in the heart of Nicosia, as part of the strategy of the city to foster the development of an innovation and creativity ecosystem, with a core in its central area. We believe that RISE will be catalytic in this respect: by complementing other infrastructures and services in this area; by mobilizing significant knowledge networks and social capital; by providing a solid scientific base that will encourage the development and application of new technologies and innovative entrepreneurship; by offering support to the start-up community and established innovation companies. The establishment and operation of RISE in the historic core of Nicosia, at the heart of the designated Quarter of Creative Industries, allows specifically the materialization of these synergies while giving a breath of fresh air by turning the island’s (and Europe’s last) divided capital into an innovation hub.
The inclusion of labs equipped with key emerging technologies will be a first for the country enabling the incorporation of scientific methodologies and state of the art techniques into the research and product development pipeline of entities in Cyprus while minimizing their risk and costs.
The high calibre pool of science, engineering and business talent with multinational experience that exists in Cyprus coupled with a highly educated workforce and the synergies with leading European organizations, such as MPI and UCL, will ensure a constant supply of experts and innovators that will be empowered by RISE as a resource to succeed. The geographic location of Cyprus at the crossroads between Europe Asia and Africa, as well as Cyprus membership in the European Union and Eurozone since 2008 and direct access to a large pull of RTD funding, will add to the sense of opportunity for international entities to collaborate with Cyprus utilizing the RISE resources.
RISE’s business plan is aiming to empower research in Cyprus, foster innovation and expand opportunities that will act as a catalyst to the expansion of RTD activities, aiming at both high scientific impact as well as in bridging the gap between research and societal impact. RISE’s business plan ensures the long term sustainability and growth of the research centre by adopting established successful practices in Europe repurposed to the Cypriot reality.
