History

GAU was founded in 1985 and has grown from its small beginnings with just seven students to being the 6,000 strong university that it is today only 27 years later.  From its very inception, GAU has maintained close contractual ties with universities in North America and Europe.  GAU was one of the first university in Cyprus to receive recognition from YOK (Turkish Higher Education Council). This was followed by recognition from YODAK (Higher Education Council of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus).  These required national accreditations were followed by a number of program accreditations and international recognitions.  In June 2007 we celebrated our 19th graduation commencement  when more than 300 graduates earned their degrees, who will go on to advanced studies or to excellent jobs in Europe, the region and the World.

In 1995 GAU started its expansion into the international higher education sector.  Since then educational partnerships have been developed in India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, the USA, the UK, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong.  These partnerships include student and faculty exchanges and the opportunity for students to experience different cultures and learning experiences.

The initial vision of the founders was to establish GAU as the pre-eminent institution of higher learning for the professions.  The university now includes degree offerings in Business, Banking and Finance, Marketing, International Relations, Political Science and Public Administration, Law, Engineering, Architecture, Communications and Education.

In the year 2000 the GAU Ten Year Strategic Plan was published.  It envisions a campus with 10,000 students by the Fall of 2010.  They will be supported by a balanced set of facilities and faculty.  Throughout its 21 years of development the management, faculty and staff of the university have balanced the requirements for growth, with the need for high levels of quality, both in teaching and in the overall experience of each student.

Throughout its 27 year history, GAU has sought to optimize its use of the latest in technology and teaching methods.  While we have one of the highest Ph.D. to student ratios, we also have the highest computer to student ratio.  For the past five years the GAU library has been at the forefront of the revolution in library science; the implementation of digital library resources.  Many classes now include Power Point presentations and MP-4 download versions of the lectures.  The entire campus and all dormitories have WiFi throughout.  GAU TV and Radio also broadcast selected lectures and seminars for student and faculty viewing. 

The next ten years will be ones of further growth.  The degrees offerings will continue to expand, with offerings in Marine Science, Transportation Management, and a range of two year degrees.  GAU already has established itself in Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey for the purpose of providing many of its course offerings for the general public as well as for those interested in earning a full degree. New campus buildings for sports, administration and the dedicated teaching buildings for several existing faculty will be completed in 2008.

The future is indeed bright.