The Institute (CII) was established in 2004, based on the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the Harvard School of Public Health. in 2025, the CII was legally established by the Cyprus House of Representatives as the first Public Health Research Unit in the country (G.O.P. 174/2025). The Institute is officially part of the School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT).
The Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health is the longest-standing scientific entity in Cyprus that focuses exclusively on the study of the impact of environmental factors on public health. Since its establishment in 2004, it has offered specialized educational and research programs, while over time it has substantially contributed to society through initiatives, epidemiological studies and interventions on key issues related to environmental and public health, with particular emphasis on chronic disease prevention and control, including health promotion and education. The institutionalization of the Institute strengthens its development and sustainability, promotes extroversion and creates fertile ground for the expansion of its international collaborations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, making it the strategic pillar of public health in the region, and beyond.
The Institute was established in 2004, based on the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the Harvard School of Public Health. This agreement had also included the creation of an endowment, which operates to this day (Harvard Cyprus Program) at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in Boston, supporting the implementation of research activities in Cyprus and the wider region, in collaboration with the Institute. In 2009, the Institute was integrated into the Cyprus University of Technology, based on a tripartite agreement with the Harvard School of Public Health and the Republic of Cyprus. After the end of the official collaboration with HSPH in 2016, it continued its upward trajectory within the School of Public Health, utilizing the know-how and experience acquired through the valuable transatlantic collaboration with Harvard University.
Since its establishment, the Institute has established itself as one of the most reputable academic and research institutions in the field of Environmental and Public Health in the Republic of Cyprus. With a presence spanning over two decades, it consistently offers successful postgraduate and doctoral programs, conducts important population-based public health studies, and produces scientific data with substantial social impact. It has created an international network of more than 200 alumni – Cypriot and international – who excel in Europe, America, Asia, and Africa, contributing to the visibility of Cyprus on a global level. During the last ten consecutive years, it has been annually organizing the international Public Health Conference, offering an open platform for information and communication on health issues between scientists, policymakers and civil society.