The Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology Institute (CNTI) is a non-profit, non-Governmental independent organization active in programs with future orientation in areas related to human brain-modern technology-social transformation and the repercussions of relevant research for humanity.

Founding history

The Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute was founded through the initiatives of Yiannis Laouris

Yiannis Laouris

Yiannis Laouris is a social and business entrepreneur. He is a neurophysiologist and systems scientist trained in Germany and the US, who has also become known for his socially responsible work and scientific contributions in the fields of peace and development through the application of modern...

 and a team of repatriated Cypriot scientists with the support of ex-Minister of Education and Culture Dr. Chrysostomos Sofianos

Chrysostomos A. Sofianos

Dr. Chrysostomos A. Sofianos is a Cypriot educator who became known because of his role in advocating and strategizing the educational reform of Cyprus in the eighties from the post of the Minister of education, and of a party leader.-Positions held:...

, District School Inspector Dr. Christodoulos Laouris, the Bishop of Paphos

Paphos

Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...

 Chrysostomos  (now Archbishop of Cyprus) and three prominent foreign academics Prof. Dr. Sc. Med. Peter Schwartze

Peter Schwartze

Peter Schwartze is a neurophysiologist, systems scientist and cyberneticist well known in the ex- German Democratic Republic.Schwartze studied medicine and specialized in Neurophysiology. He studied and worked at the universities of Rostock, Greifswald and Leipzig...

 (Germany), Prof. Dr. Med. Habil. Uwe Windhorst

Uwe Windhorst

Uwe Windhorst is a German neuroscientist, systems scientist and cyberneticist,who was born in Bremen, Germany in 1946...

 (Germany/Canada), and Regents Prof. Douglas Stuart

Douglas G. Stuart

-Biography:Douglas G. Stuart is a Regents' professor emeritus of Physiology at the University of Arizona. He became a naturalized US Citizen in 1961...

 (USA). It was registered on the 6th of November 1991 and launched its activities in 1993. Between 1994 and 1999 it expanded its operations hosting a number of peace related projects. It was re-structured in year 2000 modifying its original Constitution to embrace projects aiming in the development of an active civil society in Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

, as well as projects with international scope, especially those that involve the application of technology towards bridging the literacy, economic and digital divides (Development and IT Education). At the end of 2005 it evolved into a larger organization with a pure international orientation integrating all its activities under one umbrella and a new name, Future Worlds Center

Future Worlds Center

Future Worlds Center is a non-profit, non-Governmental independent organization active in programs with future orientation in areas related to positive social change, social entrepreneurship and transformation.-Founding history:...

.

Promoting innovation

CNTI launched in 1993 an innovation fair under the running title “Innovation-Technology-Social Progress Fair.” The Ministries of Commerce & Industry, Education & Culture, as well as Labour & Social Insurance, were collectively engaged in order to signify the economic, academic and job-creating facets of promoting innovation. The Fair was mainly supported by the Cyprus Development Bank

Cyprus Development Bank

The Cyprus Development Bank , , was established in 1963 as a public company to promote economic development in Cyprus...

,the Bank of Cyprus

Bank of Cyprus

Bank of Cyprus is a major Cypriot financial institution. In terms of market capitalisation it is the country's second largest company.As of December 31, 2005, the Group's Total Assets reached C£13,22bn and the Group's Shareholders' Funds were C£818mn . At 30 September 2008, the Group's Total...

 and CYBER KIDS.

RTD for children and vulnerable groups

Many of CNTI’s projects aimed the exploration of childrens’ and special needs individuals’ attitudes towards and interactions with information technologies. In 2005, CNTI launched a number of projects that promote and implement research in the field of safer use of the Internet; Cyberethics, Cyprus’ Safer Internet Center, which includes a Hotline

Cyprus Safer Internet Hotline

- Basic Information :The Cyprus Safer Internet Hotline is a service provided by the Cyprus Safer Internet Center project, coordinated by the Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute . The Hotline promotes the safe use of the Internet in Cyprus...

 and a Helpline

Cyprus Safer Internet Helpline

- Basic Information :The Cyprus Safer Internet Helpline is a service provided by the Cyprus Safer Internet Center project, coordinated by the Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute . The Helpline ensures that children and adolescents but also adults have the opportunity of conversing with...

. CNTI has also founded the Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture

Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture

The Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture has operated in Cyprus since 2005.The funding for the establishment of the URVT came originally from the European Council decision to establish the European Refugee Fund II for 2005–2010...

.

Actor for regional peace

CNTI pioneered with a number of projects in the promotion of peace and reconciliation in Cyprus. The Technology for peace

Technology for peace

Technology for Peace is a Cyprus based peoples' initiative launched in 1995 to serve the needs of peace pioneers on the divided island.-History:The peace portal was born because it was deemed needed. What led to its birth was neither the availability of relevant technology nor the availability of...

 initiative in 1997 aimed to capitalize on the proliferation of the Internet as a means to bear the communication barrriers between the northern and the southern parts of divided Cyprus. Other notable peace projects include the Civil Society Dialogue

Civil Society Dialogue project in Cyprus

The Civil Society Dialogue Project in Cyprus follows the negative outcome of the referendum in Cyprus for the re-unification of the island , which took place on the 24th of April 2004. A number of Cypriot peace pioneers launched the Civil Society Dialogue Project aiming to provide opportunities for...

, the Act Beyond Borders and Everybody's song

Representing Cyprus world-wide

CNTI scientists represent Cyprus in a many European and international networks such as COST 276; COST 219ter ; COST 298; COST 2102; Insafe

Insafe

Insafe is a European network of Awareness Centres promoting safe, responsible use of the Internet and mobile devices to young people. It is co-funded by the Safer Internet Programme.- Mission :...

, Inhope, EDEANetc.

Awards

CNTI and several of its members have been honored with various prestigious awards, such as the Innovation and Quality in Services Award

Innovation and Quality in Services Award

Award presented yearly by the Employers & Industrialists Federation of Cyprus to one company, which has pioneered through innovation and provided services and/or products of extraordinary quality. The ceremony is conducted in the presence of the President of Cyprus who traditionally delivers the...

 in 1996 for the development of the Cyber Kids curriculum, the The Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies Medal in 2005, the Cyprus civil society award in the category of social inclusion

Cyprus civil society awards

The Cyprus civil society awards were established in 2008 as part of a United Nations funded project aiming to strengthen the role of civil society in Cyprus...

in 2006 etc.