Sophia Kyriakidou

Areas of Interest

Health Care, International

Honorary Award

Honorary Fellow, 1997

Biography

Sophia Kyriakidou has for many years been involved in the development of healthcare services in her native Cyprus, and in the advancement of nursing education internationally. She has served as a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Advisory Panels on Nursing and as the Head of Management and Development of Nursing Personnel in Cyprus. She has also acted as Advisor on Nursing Issues to the Minister of Health, Cyprus, and has represented the Ministry on WHO Committees addressing Health System Research and Infection Control. In addition to being a freelance consultant, Sophia is currently conducting literature research to enable her to start writing a book on the history of Nursing in Cyprus. Sophia also served on the Board of Directors of the International Council of Nurses (Geneva) for four years, from 1985-1989 and also used to be the Head of the Nursing Department at Philips College, Nicosia.

Sophia has a long-standing interest in professional education, serving as a member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for the establishment of the University of Cyprus. She has worked closely with Anglia Ruskin for a number of years and has played a key role in enabling our University to deliver a highly successful degree programme for nurse educators and for qualified and experienced nurses in Cyprus.

In 1997 Sophia Kyriakidou was made an Honorary Fellow of the University.

Citation

"Sophia Kyriakidou is the Head of Management and Development of Nursing Personnel and Advisor on Nursing Issues to the Minister of Health in the Republic of Cyprus.

Mrs Kyriakidou has had a highly distinguished professional career. In addition to her work on behalf of the nursing profession in Cyprus she has served for 4 years on the Board of Directors of the International Council of Nurses.

She is a member of the World Health Organisation Expert Advisory Panels on Nursing in Geneva as well as in the Eastern Mediterranean region. She represents her Ministry on WHO committees which deal with Health System Research and with the Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Services and on the committee of the Council of Europe which deals with Infection Control.

She has a long-standing interest in professional education. She was a member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for the establishment of the University of Cyprus and under the auspices of WHO is involved in a working group which is considering the contribution of Universities to the achievement of the Health for All targets.

Mrs Kyriakidou has worked closely with APU for a number of years. As a result of her collaboration and support the University has been able to deliver in Nicosia a highly successful degree programme for nurse educators and for the qualified and experienced nurses. This degree has helped to raise the status of the nursing profession and contributes to the on-going improvement in the quality of health care for the Cyprus community."