University of Cyprus elects Marina Neofytou as first female Rector

Marina Neofytou has been elected as the new Rector of the University of Cyprus, becoming the first woman to hold the institution's highest academic position. Following a fourth round of voting, Neofytou secured 214 votes, surpassing candidate Ioannis Yapintzakis, who received 183 votes.

Neofytou is a Professor of Environmental Engineering and the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. Her academic background includes leading the Environmental Fluid Mechanics (EFM) Laboratory and managing several European-funded research projects, such as TRIGGER and EnerCMed, which focus on climate change and energy resilience.

During her previous tenure as Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (2021–2023), she spearheaded the creation of Cyprus's first undergraduate program in Environmental Engineering. Following her election, Neofytou expressed a desire to modernize and increase the efficiency of the university's voting system.