CHristos THeofilidis

Professor Christos Theofilidis was born in the village of Louvaras in the Limassol district. He completed his Greek studies at Apeiteio Gymnasium in Agros. He studied pedagogy at the Pedagogical Academy of Cyprus and the Teacher Training College of Athens. He furthered his education at the American Universities of Minnesota and Albany. In addition to his initial degree, he holds three Master's degrees and a Doctorate specializing in Educational and Public Administration and in Program Development and Evaluation. Between 1979 and 1983, he worked as a researcher at the Office of Studies and Research at the University of Albany, USA, and simultaneously as an adjunct assistant professor at the School of Education of the same university. He returned to Cyprus for official reasons and from 1983 to 1990 worked at the Pedagogical Academy of Cyprus and the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus as Head of the Training Department. From 1991 to 1992, he served as an assistant professor at the University of Crete. In September 1992, he was elected associate professor at the University of Cyprus and simultaneously became the Chair of the Department of Education, a position he held for six years, establishing teacher and kindergarten teacher education at the University of Cyprus. Recognizing his studies, experience, and written work, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides, and his Cabinet appointed him as President of the Educational Service Commission, a position from which, along with his colleagues, he enforced equal treatment in teacher transfers and meritocracy in their promotions. Since September 2005, he has been working at the University of Nicosia as Associate Dean of the School of Education and Coordinator of Postgraduate Programs, significantly contributing to the evaluation and accreditation of Teacher and Kindergarten Programs and the Master's Program in Education Sciences with three directions: Educational Administration, Theory-Practice and Teaching Evaluation, Special Education. He has published numerous articles in international journals. He is the author of several books, some of which are used as textbooks in higher education. He has participated in numerous international conferences either as an academic instructor or as a representative of Cyprus. He was a key figure in the founding and served as the first president of the Pedagogical Society of Cyprus and the Educational Group of Cyprus.