Student body, VOIS accused of being used as an online 'smear campaign' by Greek Cypriot

A student body in North Cyprus, VOIS, a platform that represent international students in North Cyprus universities has rejected accusations it is a “Greek Cypriot-funded” part of an online “smear campaign” aimed at stopping others from studying in North Cyprus.

The head of Voice Of International Students (VOIS) in Cyprus group, Emmanuel Achiri last week told a workshop aimed at identifying foreign students' problems that their aim was “not to paint North Cyprus as a bad choice for higher education”.

We are here to speak about students' experience; both negative and positive . . . to find sustainable solutions to those problems . . . not to apportion blame, Mr. Emmanuel.

Meanwhile, representatives of the TRNC's universities met last week at the Higher Education, Planning, Supervision, Accreditation and Coordination Board (Yödak) to devise a strategy to counter “negative perceptions” of the sector.

Eral Osmanlar, head of trustees at Bahçeşehir Cyprus University, in the meeting blamed VOIS Cyprus for an online “smear campaign”, allegedly funded from South Cyprus, which he said warned overseas students that they could face sexual exploitation, mistreatment and discrimination in the TRNC.