President Demetris Christofias said that the government aims to turn Cyprus into a high calibre regional educational and research center.

Speaking Tuesday evening at the graduation ceremony of the University of Cyprus, President Christofias said the government also seeks to offer students all opportunities in education so that they do not feel the need to study abroad.

Referring to the University of Cyprus, the first university that was founded in the country, the President said that it has contributed to a great extent to the inclusion of Cyprus in the world education map.

Despite the economic crisis, he said, the government has recently approved an additional budget, thus paving the way for the foundation of a Medical School at the University of Cyprus, which will accept its first students in 2013.