Faculty & Staff
Our reputable faculty and dedicated industry experts bring together academic excellence, policy relevance and industry expertise to deliver a world-class educational experience.
15+
Average Years of Experience
100%
PhD holders or Professionally Qualified Instructors
International experience from:
European Union, US, UK, Norway, Switzerland, China, Singapore.
Our experts
Directors
Irene Karamanou
Professor (Accounting)
Qualifications
Ph.D. in Business Administration (Penn State University)
M.Sc. in Marketing/Management (Penn State University)
CPA
About
Irene Karamanou, Ph.D., CPA, is a Professor of Accounting at the University of Cyprus. Her research focuses on capital markets, particularly how accounting disclosures and regulation influence investment decisions and financial intermediation in global markets. She has published in respected academic journals and actively contributes to advancing knowledge in financial reporting and disclosure practices. Dr. Karamanou combines academic expertise with practical insights, preparing students to navigate the complexities of financial information in a global economy.
Andreas Milidonis
Professor (Finance)
Qualifications
Ph.D. Risk Management & Insurance (Georgia State University)
B.Sc. Actuarial Science & Mathematics Minor (Penn State University)
About
Andreas Milidonis, Ph.D., is a Professor of Finance at the Department of Accounting & Finance at the University of Cyprus. His research covers finance, risk management and insurance and is largely relevant to policy and industry. He has published several articles in finance journals such as the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Journal of Financial & Quantitative Analysis. He has also published extensively in insurance and actuarial journals such as the Journal of Risk & Insurance, while his work has won prestigious awards and research grants.
He has consulted major policy institutions such as the European Central Bank, the Central Bank of Cyprus, the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Education. Andreas is also a leader in financial literacy and financial education initiatives. He is member of the Cyprus Financial Literacy and Education Committee, under the Central Bank of Cyprus.
His CV includes academic appointments at the University of Manchester (UK), and the Nanyang Business School, NTU, Singapore. Prior to moving to the UK, he completed his Ph.D. in Risk Management & Insurance (awarded in January 2007) at Georgia State University (USA), partly funded by the Society of Actuaries. His undergraduate degree was completed with honors in 2001 (First in class; Schreyer Honors College), in Actuarial Science (Minor in Mathematics) at the Pennsylvania State University (USA).
Academic Experts
Evangelos Benos
Qualifications
Ph.D. Economics (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
About
Evangelos Benos, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Cyprus. He previously served as Professor of Finance at the University of Nottingham and as Senior Economist at the Bank of England. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research spans market microstructure, high-frequency trading, and financial infrastructures such as centralised clearing and payment systems. Dr Benos has published widely on derivatives, fixed income markets, and securities settlement, contributing to both academic knowledge and policy debates. With a strong background in teaching and policy advisory roles, he integrates theory with practice, preparing students for the evolving challenges of global financial markets.
Jiyuan Dai
Qualifications
Ph.D. (Finance/Accounting)
About
Jiyuan Dai, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the University of Cyprus. She received her Ph.D. from IESE Business School and previously worked at universities in Spain.
Her research focuses on corporate governance, ESG, and international financial markets, with particular emphasis on sustainable finance and the effects of regulation on investment decisions and corporate emissions. Her work provides empirical evidence on the impact of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) on portfolio decarbonization and firms’ environmental performance, and has been published in the Journal of Accounting and Economics.
At the University of Cyprus, Dr. Dai teaches Financial Accounting and Management Accounting, combining academic rigor with practical insights into global business.
Dimitris Papadimitriou
Qualifications
Ph.D. Finance (London School of Economics)
M.Sc. Financial Economics (University of Oxford)
B.A. Mathematics (University of Cambridge)
About
Dimitris Papadimitriou is an Assistant Professor in Finance at University of Cyprus. He holds a PhD in Finance from London School of Economics, an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of Oxford, as well as a BA in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge. Prior to joining King's, he was a Lecturer in Finance at King's College London (KCL) and at the University of Bristol. His research interests include theoretical and empirical asset pricing, behavioural finance, market microstructure and portfolio management. In his research, he studies how information, agency frictions and consumer behaviour affect financial decision-making processes. Dr. Papadimitriou is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and his work has been published in journals such as the American Economic Review, the Financial Review and the Journal of Financial Research. His work has been presented in conferences such as the NBER Asset Pricing Meeting, the Adam Smith Workshop, the World Finance Conference and the FMA’s Applied Finance Conference, and he has also conducted projects with policy institutions such as the Central Bank of Greece. While in King’s College London, he has also served as the Director for their new BSc in Data Analytics for Business and Finance. Finally, he has taught a number of undergraduate and postgraduate modules, including Financial Management (II), Principles of Finance, Asset Pricing, Microeconomics for Management Studies, Advanced Corporate Finance theories, Stochastic Calculus for Finance and Quantitative Methods for Finance and Risk Analysis.
Stylianos Papageorgiou
Qualifications
Ph.D. Political Economy (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, 2018)
M.Sc. Engineering and Policy Analysis (Delft University of Technology, 2014)
Dipl. Electrical and Computer Engineering (National Technical University of Athens, 2011)
About
Stylianos Papageorgiou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance at the University of Cyprus. He completed his doctoral studies at ETH Zurich, where he wrote his dissertation on the domestic and international political economy of banking regulation. He also holds an MSc in Engineering and Policy Analysis from Delft University of Technology and a Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens.
Stylianos’ research spans the fields of political economy and finance theory. His work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Review of Corporate Finance Studies.His ongoing research projects focus on the interaction between electoral politics, credit markets, and labor. Before his doctoral studies, he completed a traineeship at the European Central Bank. He has also engaged with industryand public audiences, including the Swiss Bankers Association on bank lobbying and the University of Cyprus “Free University” lecture series on bank runs.
He teaches Financial Management at the undergraduate and MBA level, as well as Decentralized Finance, covering blockchain technology and its applications.
Adamos Vlittis
Qualifications
Ph.D. Accounting (University of Florida)
M.Sc. Finance (Imperial College London)
B.A. Business Administration (University of Cyprus)
About
Adamos Vlittis, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Accounting in the Department of Accounting & Finance at the University of Cyprus. His research focuses on voluntary and mandatory financial disclosures, corporate governance, and employee benefits, with particular emphasis on the stewardship and valuation role of disclosure and the role of governance mechanisms in firm decision-making. He has published several articles in accounting and finance journals such as the Journal of Corporate Finance, Financial Management, The British Accounting Review, and the Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting.
He earned his Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Florida in 2005, following an M.Sc. in Finance from Imperial College London and a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Cyprus. His academic experience includes teaching and administrative roles at several higher-education institutions in Cyprus, and he regularly serves as an ad hoc referee for international accounting and finance journals.
Costas Xiouros
Qualifications
Ph.D. Finance (University of Southern California)
M.Sc. Financial Mathematics (University of Warwick)
B.Sc. Accounting & Finance (University of Warwick)
About
Costas Xiouros has been an Associate Professor of Finance at BI Norwegian Business School since 2010. He also served as a Lecturer at the University of Cyprus between 2011 and 2013. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Southern California, as well as an MSc in Financial Mathematics and a BSc in Accounting and Finance from the University of Warwick. His research focuses on general equilibrium asset pricing, with particular emphasis on the determinants of expected returns, asset price fluctuations, and the impact of investor heterogeneity on asset prices and the broader economy. His work has been published in leading academic journals such as the Review of Financial Studies and the Journal of Financial Economics, and he is actively engaged in international research collaborations. He has extensive teaching experience across all levels - BSc, MSc, PhD, and executive programs - covering topics such as Strategic Asset Allocation, Asset Pricing Theory, Financial and Enterprise Risk Management, Derivatives, Financial Management, Investments, Real Estate Finance, and Business Economics.
Industry Experts
Nektaria Hadjiyianni
Industry Expert
Qualifications
FCCA, ICPAC
M.Sc. International Business with Employment & Human Resources (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
B.Sc. Applied Accounting (Oxford Brookes)
Professional Certificate in Life Insurance & Insurance (Insurance Institute of Cyprus)
About
Nectaria Hadjiyianni, FCCA, is an Accounting and Finance lecturer and professional banker with expertise in financial and managerial accounting, financial reporting, and financial statement analysis. She holds a degree in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University and a Master of Laws in International Business with Employment and Human Resources from Cardiff Metropolitan University, and is a Fellow member of ACCA and a member of ICPAC.
She has extensive experience in retail banking and serves as a part-time trainer, delivering both academic and professional programmes in Accounting and Finance, including ACCA qualifications, with a focus on core and advanced financial accounting subjects.
Christopher Kazantzis
Industry Expert
Qualifications
FCCA, CPFA
M.Sc. Corporate Risk & Security Mgmt (Southampton)
B.Sc. Applied Accounting (Oxford Brookes)
About
Christopher Kazantzis, B.Sc., M.Sc., FCCA, CPFAcct, is Lecturer in Accounting at the University of Cyprus. He holds a B.Sc. in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University and an M.Sc. in Corporate Risk and Security Management from the University of Southampton. Since 2010, he has taught professional courses in Cyprus and abroad, specialising in audit, risk management, and ethics. At the University of Cyprus, he teaches Audit I and Audit II, preparing students for careers in auditing and assurance. He also delivers professional training for ACCA and ICAEW candidates, with a focus on forensic audit and continuous professional development. His academic and professional contributions reflect a strong commitment to advancing auditing education and practice.
Antonis Loyides
Industry Expert
Qualifications
FCA (ICAEW)
B.A. Accounting/Finance/Economics (Sheffield)
About
Antonis Loyides has a BA (Hons) in Accounting, Finance and Economics from the University of Sheffield (UK), he is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA – ICAEW) and has been a member of ICPAC’s Accounting Standards Committee for 10 years.
For 11 years (10 on a full-time basis), he taught advanced level professional courses leading to ICAEW, ACCA, and AIA exams. He also presented numerous seminars on IFRS.
In his professional career, Antonis became the IFRS and Training Partner of Grant Thornton Cyprus, providing IFRS internal and external consultancy, as well as organising and lecturing in-house trainings (IFRS and audit) and external trainings on IFRS to clients and other mid-size audit firms. He also led significant banking projects (e.g. Asset Quality Review for ECB – SSM), given considerable experience in banking.
Antonis combines teaching experience since 2001, with a practical professional experience of more than 14 years, bringing together knowledge and application.
Stelios Markoulis
Industry Expert
Qualifications
Ph.D. Finance (Bayes Business School)
M.Sc. Shipping, Trade & Finance (Bayes Business School)
M.Sc. Accounting & Finance (London School of Economics)
B.Sc. Business Studies (Finance)
About
Stelios Markoulis studied finance at Bayes Business School (BSc, MSc, PhD) and the London School of Economics (MSc). He has been teaching a broad range of finance modules at the University of Cyprus since 2014 and served as an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Bayes Business School, London, from 1999 to 2024.
His research focuses on empirical finance, with emphasis on bank defaults, bank regulation, and bank valuation. His work has been published in journals such as the International Journal of Finance and Economics, Global Finance Journal, and the International Review of Economics and Finance. In the past, he also did research in shipping finance, including shipping initial public offerings and the micro- and macroeconomic determinants of shipping stock returns.
In addition to his academic CV, Stelios also held several managerial positions in the financial services sector. He served as Senior Corporate Finance Manager and Head of Investment Banking at Laiki Investments, the investment banking arm of Laiki Group, then one of the two largest financial institutions in Cyprus. Within this context, he gained extensive experience in large corporate finance projects, including initial and seasoned equity offerings, parallel listings, bond issues, M&As, and company valuations. Following that, he was Head of Deposits and Investments at Laiki Bank’s Retail Banking Division, where he was responsible for the structuring of deposit and investment products for the bank’s retail clients.
Evi Papacleovoulou
Industry Expert
Qualifications
LL.B. Law (Cyprus)
Accreditations: Cyprus Bar, CIArb, Ministry of Justice
About
Evi Papacleovoulou is Visiting Lecturer in Business Law at the University of Cyprus. She is also a practicing lawyer with over fifteen years of professional experience in corporate, commercial, and international law. A qualified mediator and arbitrator, she holds credentials from the Cyprus Bar Association, the Ministry of Justice, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Her areas of expertise include negotiation, dispute resolution, litigation, and intellectual property. In addition to her legal practice, she contributes to the academic community by teaching and conducting research in business law. She is committed to mentoring students, advancing scholarship, and supporting society through pro bono work and professional initiatives.
Costas Seraphim
Industry Expert
Qualifications
ACA (ICAEW)EMCC Accredited Coach
BA Economics (University of Essex)
Approved Trainer – Cyprus Human Resources Development
Authority (CyHRDA)
About
Costas Seraphim, BA, ACA, EMCC, is Professional Qualifications Lead, Tutor, and Consultant with extensive experience in accounting education, professional training, and professional development. He specialises in financial reporting, auditing, and professional accounting qualifications, with a strong focus on bridging theory with practice. He has taught ICAEW and ACCA courses since 1994 and has delivered professional training internationally across Europe, the Middle East, and other regions.
His professional career includes senior leadership roles in professional education, notably as Head of PwC’s Academy Cyprus for 13 years, as well as Director of the School of Professional Studies and Head of ICAEW Courses at Cyprus College. He continues to collaborate with PwC’s Academy while operating independently as a consultant. Costas has also contributed to the development of IFRS and ISA textbooks in Greek, served in governance roles within ICPAC, and is an accredited EMCC business coach and an approved trainer under the Cyprus Human Resources Development Authority.
Academic Experts
Milto Hadjikyriakou
Industry Expert
Qualifications
Ph.D. Statistics (UCY, 2010)
M.Sc. Statistics (UCY, 2006)
B.Sc. Pure Mathematics (UCY, 2004)
About
Milto Hadjikyriakou, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Cyprus. He earned his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Cyprus. His research focuses on stochastic processes, dependent random variables, and probability inequalities, with publications in international journals such as Advances in Applied Probability and Communications in Statistics. Dr. Hadjikyriakou has presented his work at major international conferences and contributed to European-funded research projects. He is a founding member of the Cyprus Statistical Society and has served as Chair of its Board. His teaching includes probability, time series, operational research, and advanced statistics, where he emphasizes rigorous analysis and applied problem-solving.
Constantinos Kourougiannis
Qualifications
Ph.D. Economics (UCy)
M.Sc. Finance & Economics (LSE)
B.Sc. Mathematics & Statistics (UCy)
CFA Charterholder
About
Constantinos Kourougiannis, Ph.D., CFA, is Lecturer in Finance at the University of Cyprus and Executive Director at Easternmed Asset Management Services. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Cyprus, an M.Sc. in Finance and Economics from the London School of Economics, and a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Cyprus. His expertise covers asset management, portfolio strategies, and sustainable finance. Dr. Kourougiannis also serves as President of CFA Society Cyprus and Chairs the CIFA Sustainable Finance Committee. He has delivered training seminars on UCITS, MiFID, and alternative investments, while also mentoring young professionals through the CFA Institute Research Challenge.
Industry Collaboration
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Applied Learning
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Practical Tools
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