Marina Neophytou, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, was elected the new Rector of the University of Cyprus on Wednesday, securing 214 votes in the fourth round of counting. She is the first woman to serve as Rector of this academic institution.
“We are setting out together for the future,” Neophytou said following her election, thanking everyone “for their trust.”
The results of the vote for the Rectorship early in the afternoon. Announcing the results at the University of Cyprus Sports Centre, the Returning Officer for the 2026 Rectoral Elections, Savvas Christodoulou, said that the total number of electors was 486. A total of 437 votes were cast; there were 432 valid ballots and 5 invalid ballots.
In the first count, he noted, Ioannis Yapintzakis received 121 votes, Sofronis Clerides 68, Fofi Constantinidou 44, Marina Neophytou 106, and Eleni-Tatiani Synodinou 89, while there were four blank ballots.
In the second count, Ioannis Yapintzakis received 128 votes, Sofronis Clerides 82, Marina Neophytou 118, and Eleni-Tatiani Synodinou 95, while there were five blank ballots.
In the third count, Ioannis Yapintzakis received 145 votes, Marina Neophytou 136, and Eleni-Tatiani Synodinou 133, while there were nine blank ballots. In the fourth round, the Returning Officer stated, Ioannis Yapintzakis received 183 votes and Marina Neophytou 214, “resulting in Marina Neophytou becoming our new Rector.”
In her post-election remarks, Neophytou stated that the voting system needs to change to become faster, more efficient, and more modern, and thanked the electoral committee.
“The community has decided; it has spoken. We are moving forward together into the future,” said Neophytou, thanking everyone “for their trust.”
Marina Neophytou received congratulations from the outgoing Rector of the University, Tasos Christofides, and other colleagues.
Following the election of the new Rector, voting began for the Vice-Rectors of International Relations, Finance and Administration, and Academic Affairs. Nominees for the position of Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs is Georgia Panayiotou, Professor in the Department of Psychology, and for the position of Vice-Rector for International Relations, Finance, and Administration Antonis A. Ellinas, Professor in the Department of Social and Political Sciences, and Marios D. Dikaiakos, Professor in the Department of Computer Science.