P²DF - Personal
& Professional
Development

Opportunities for
our faculty and staff
to enhance their skills

The Personal and Professional Development Center at Frederick University aims at providing a range of development opportunities to faculty and staff that will enable them to enhance their professional and personal skills and ultimately reach their full potential.

Given our academic environment, personal and professional development activities can take the form of training opportunities, both supply and demand-driven (workshops, seminars, informal discussions, Teaching and Learning Day), mentoring programs, service opportunities (Active Citizenship) so as to maximise interaction and active participation.

The efforts of the Center have been supported by the establishment of the Michael Frederickou Awards which aim to recognize and award actions that promote the core values of the Founder and the University, as expressed in its mission pillars.

As of 2022, the P²DF Center has developed and implemented the ‘Rule for Staff Training’ to ensure its smooth operation.

P²DF’s activities are planned and implemented through two processes:

  • The Center’s Board and Sub-Committees proactively identify training needs and develop targeted training programs (Push Process)
  • All formal bodies of the University, such as Senate Committees, Departmental Committees, and Administrative Services, may request from the Center to incorporate activities that are deemed beneficial or necessary to the operations of the University (Pull Process). If they wish to develop a training program, they should contact the P²DF Board at pdfcouncil@frederick.ac.cy.

The breadth of the Center’s tasks is very wide, from improvement of pedagogical techniques, training on new technologies and dissemination of policies and procedures, to promotion of values, communication of organizational goals, and personal well-being. To achieve this, the Center is governed by the P²DF Board and is supported by 7 Sub-Committees with their own portfolio.

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The Board

Responsibilities of the Board include:

  • Definition and review of the training and development policy of the University and the scope of the Center’s role
  • Development and implementation of the “Rule for Staff Training’, which was approved by the University’s Council.
  • Identification of targets areas to be examined by the Center
  • Oversight of the operational management and assessment of results
At present, the P²DF Board comprises the following members:
NamePosition
Ms Natassa Frederickou President of the Council
Prof. Costas Kyriakou Vice Rector Quality Assurance and Academic Excellence
Prof. Michalis Komodromos Vice Rector Research, Development and International Relations
Prof. Rita Panaoura Dean, School of Education & Social Sciences
Prof. Costas Mantzalos Dean, School of Arts, Communication & Cultural Studies
Ms Andrea Athanasiou Director, Studies & Student Welfare Service
Ms Diana Isaia Director, Finance Service
The 7 Sub-Committees

The P2DF Program is developed through the collaboration between the Centre’s Board and Sub-Committees.

  1. Personal & Professional Development

Development and empowerment of the academic and administrative staff of Frederick University with the overall aim of personal and professional self-improvement in the below fields:

  • Leadership and organization (communication skills, leadership and organizational skills, office administration skills, project management)
  • Empathy and emotional intelligence in the workplace (social and emotional intelligence, reconciliation between work and family / personal life)
  • Diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in the classroom (empowerment of women in academia, diversity in the workplace and in the classroom, values ​​and skills needed to develop and build a culture of diversity and inclusion)

Coordinator: Dr Petroula Mavrikiou
Members:
Dr Andreas Constantinides
Prof. Costas Mantzalos
Ms Vasso Peristiani
Ms Natalie Christophides
Ms Melinda Michael

  1. Teaching & Assessment

Coordinator: Dr Nicoletta Christodoulou
Members:
Dr Marios Pelekanos
Prof. Costas Mantzalos
Dr Nikleia Eteokleous
Dr Petroula Mavrikiou
Prof. Rita Panaoura
Dr Manos Pavlakis

  1. Building Strong Relationships with internal and external stakeholders

Trainings are focused on developing the skills, tools and mechanisms for building, sustaining and enhancing strong and positive relationships with the University’s internal and external stakeholders. Basic principles of customer service, empathy, empowerment, community engagement and community partnerships are at the core of the initiatives of this sub-committee.

Coordinator: Andrea Athanasiou
Members:
Ms Natalie Christophides
Ms Anastasia Frederickou
Ms Christina Karaolidou Chattalas
Ms Victoria Avraamidou

  1. Integration of SDGs in the Operations of the University

Development and provision of quality education for academic and administrative staff that will facilitate the integration of Sustainable Development Goals in all the dimensions of the University’s operation (academic, administrative and social outreach). The objectives are to inform the university community about the SDGs and raise the awareness on the relevant issues, as well as to provide quality training that will transfer the competences and skills necessary for the academic and administrative staff to effectively integrate the SDGs in their professional practice.

Coordinator: Dr Chrysanthi Katzi
Members:
Dr Marios Pelekanos
Dr Nicoletta Christodoulou
Dr Byron Ioannou
Prof. Costas Mantzalos
Prof. Milton Demosthenous

  1. Research & Innovation

Provision of training and information to the university staff on issues related to research and innovation, and specifically on the below topics:

  • Training and updates on opportunities, but also on rules and procedures for participation in research projects, preparation and submission of proposals and financial management of funded projects
  • Development of skills for writing scientific articles and using relevant tools
    Interconnection with European and International Research Networks and ways to integrate with them
  • Interconnection with the Business & Industrial fabric of Cyprus
  • Transfer of know-how and exploitation of research results, preparation of business plans and creation of start-ups. 

Coordinator: Dr Andreas Constantinides
Members:
Mr Alexis Onoufriou
Dr Nicoletta Christodoulou
Prof. Milton Demosthenous
Mr Nectarios Nicolaou

  1. Regulations - Procedures

Timely and effective communication of University policies, regulations and procedures to current and new faculty and administrative staff members, and tracking of updates and changes to all the above as a result of changes in related state Laws and regulations that directly and indirectly influence University operations.

Coordinator: Prof. Milton Demosthenous
Members:
Ms Andrea Athanasiou
Dr Byron Ioannou
Ms Vasso Peristiani
Dr Petroula Mavrikiou

  1. Information Systems & Software

Promotion and enhancement of the continuous development of knowledge and skills of the academic and administrative staff in regards to the use of information systems and software. Goals are:

  • To continuously record, discuss, and prioritize the needs of the academic and administrative staff in terms of training and development in information systems and software use.
  • To suggest professional development trainings for the academic and administrative staff based on the priorities given by departments, academic and administrative staff and the University services.
  • To contribute to the design, development and delivery of professional development trainings on information systems and software.
  • To oversee the delivery and the successful implementation of the professional development trainings on information systems and software.
Coordinator: Dr Nikleia Eteokleous
Members:
Dr Andreas Constantinides
Dr Byron Ioannou

 

Future Trainings

The Personal and Professional Development Center at Frederick University aims at providing a range of development opportunities to faculty and staff that will enable them to enhance their professional and personal skills and ultimately reach their full potential.

Such opportunities take the form of training activities, both supply and demand-driven.

Here you can find the descriptions and new dates of the trainings for the current academic year.

For all our past trainings, where you can find resources such as recordings, presentations, links and helpful material, please click here