This document discusses Junior Achievement programs in Cyprus that engage high school students in entrepreneurship and innovation. It describes a research competition hosted by the University of Nicosia that awards scholarships, a creativity challenge where students develop business ideas using technology, and a company program where students start real businesses. It also mentions Cypriot students participating in international competitions in Italy and Latvia. The goal is to inspire young people and help prepare them for careers in a global economy.

1. Dr Yioula Melanthiou
Assistant Professor, University of Nicosia
Project Coordinator, Junior Achievement, Cyprus
melanthiou.y@unic.ac.cy
Engaging with High School
Students at the University
of Nicosia

2.  5th
Competition in 2013
 477 students and teachers took
part (each group max 7 students)
 Wide array of research topics
Research day - Έρευνα από Μαθητές

3.  Three top schools: received scholarships at
UNIC amounting to €334,000 – first place
also received monetary prize (Γυμνάσιο
Λατσιών, Λύκειο Παλιομετόχου)
 Research Excellence Award for teachers,
School with Most Research Award (12
entries)
 Important Dates - September, February,
April
Research day - Έρευνα από Μαθητές

4.  An international project of Junior Achievement-Young Enterprise
Europe (JA-YE Europe)
 The Creativity and Innovation Challenge is a one-day event where
more than 100 students aged 15-18 from across the country come
together in order to find a solution to a unique business challenge
 Hosted by the University of Nicosia
 2010 – 2011 – 2012 – 2013 (November)
Creativity and Innovation Challenge

5. Consists of:
 Ice breaking session
 Students are grouped together (each group a mix of students from different
schools)
 A challenge is unveiled
 Team work
 Presentations and Jury
 Finalists – Year end competition
Creativity and Innovation Challenge

6. Students have to explain:
The product or service their business would offer,
The challenge it would tackle and
How information and communication technology could help them
achieve their goal
For the Challenge:

7. Creativity and Innovation Challenge

8.  JA-YE Europe aims to inspire and prepare young
people to succeed in a global economy
 JA-YE Europe is Europe’s largest provider of
entrepreneurship education programmes,
reaching 3.1 million students in 39 countries in 2012
 Funded by businesses, institutions, foundations
and individuals
 The JA-YE Company Programme is recognised by
the European Commission Enterprise Directorate
General as a ‘Best Practice in Entrepreneurship
Education’.
JA-YE Europe

9.  Winners of Creativity and Innovation Challenge (2012) travelled to Turin on 24- 26 May
2013
 65 students aged 15-18 yrs from Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Holland,
Portugal, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Cyprus
 4 students from Cyprus accompanied by 1 teacher
 Περιφερειακό Λύκειο Λιβαδιών
 Λύκειο Αγ. Χαραλάμπους, Έμπα, Πάφος
 Ολύμπιον, Λευκωσία
 Α Λύκειο Εθνάρχη Μακαρίου ΙΙΙ, Πάφος
 1 student from Cyprus was in team who won 3rd
Prize
Global Enterprise Project , European
Challenge, 2013 - Turin

10. Global Enterprise Project , European
Challenge, 2013 - Turin

11.  Junior Achievement (JA) Cyprus was founded as a non-profit
organization in 2011
 www.jacyprus.org.cy
 Organized the Creativity and Innovation Challenges
 Will be launching (and training for) the Company Program as from
September 2013
 Pilot
 Public, Technical, Private schools
JA-YE Cyprus

12. JA-YE Cyprus

13.  Launched in 1919
 In the Company Programme students learn how to take a business idea from
concept to reality. They form their own real enterprise and discover first hand
how a company functions. They elect a board of directors from amongst their
peers, raise share capital, and market and finance a product or service of their
own choice. At the end of the programme they present a report and accounts
to their shareholders.
 Develop new skills such as teamwork, leadership, presenting, planning and
financial control as they learn to take responsibility for the success of their
company. It’s the perfect preparation for working life!
 The programme is supported by volunteer advisers from the business world who
are on hand to guide and mentor the companies.
 The JA-YE Company Programme is recognised by the European Commission
Enterprise Directorate General as a ‘Best Practice in Entrepreneurship Education’.
Company program – fact sheet

14.  Different schools participate in Company Program
 End of year competition to choose Best Company Program to
represent country at Trade Fair
 European Trade Fair 2013 – Riga
Company program

15. European Trade Fair 2013 – Riga

16. In 2013, a group of students from a private school in Greece (Κωστέα-
Γείτονα) won the Coca-Cola Social Responsible Business Award at the
Trade Fair in Riga
Coca-Cola Social Responsible Business
Award Goes to Greece!

17. Coca Cola Social Responsible Business
Award Goes to Greece!