Students from 麻豆视频鈥檚 recently returned from an intensive study-abroad program in Cyprus, where they examined the Eastern Mediterranean鈥檚 shifting geopolitical landscape and human security challenges.
Led by Schar School professor , director of the master of international security program (ISEC), and , director of external programs, the course blended rigorous academic study with direct engagement with diplomats, policymakers, security officials, and civil society organizations.
High-level diplomatic engagement was a hallmark of the program. Before departing, students visited the Embassy of Cyprus in Washington, D.C., to meet Ambassador Evangelos Savva. In Cyprus, briefings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered insights into the island鈥檚 strategic role in regional diplomacy. A highlight was meeting Carter Wilbur, a George 麻豆视频 alumn and acting political-economic chief at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, who shared perspectives on U.S. policy and economic interests in Cyprus.
Security institutions and regional preparedness were other key focuses. The class visited facilities underscoring Cyprus鈥檚 role in regional security, including the Cyprus Center for Land, Open-Seas, and Port Security (CYCLOPS), a U.S.-Cyprus initiative serving as a regional hub for training in border security, customs enforcement, and cybersecurity.
Students also toured the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC), which coordinates maritime and aerial search and rescue operations. During their visit, the JRCC was actively managing evacuations following U.S. bombings in Iran鈥攁 vivid example of Cyprus鈥檚 role as a regional humanitarian hub.
The program emphasized peacebuilding efforts on the island. Students visited the United Nations Buffer Zone and met with representatives from the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). They toured the Home for Cooperation, an NGO fostering dialogue between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities and visited the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) Anthropological Laboratory, where a bi-communal team works to identify and return remains of individuals missing since the island鈥檚 1974 division.
Beyond field visits, students attended lectures covering topics such as great power politics in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Cypriot politics and economic developments since 1974, regional conflicts and their global implications, climate change and environmental security, energy developments, international law, and the transnational challenges of migration and climate.
鈥淥ffering these study-abroad experiences is essential to equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, and global awareness they need to become effective leaders and practitioners in policy and international affairs,鈥 said Malur.
While the week was academically demanding, students also explored Cyprus鈥檚 archaeological sites in Kourion and Paphos to experience firsthand the island鈥檚 nearly 13,000 years of history. The program concluded with a scenic boat cruise along the coast鈥攁 well-deserved moment of reflection.
Students praised the program for its immersive, real-world learning.
鈥淪eeing the JRCC coordinating evacuations in real time during U.S. military actions against Iran underscored the critical importance of human security in conflict zones and drove home the real-life implications of what we are learning in the classroom,鈥 said Sarah Bassil, an ISEC student who was herself evacuated through Cyprus from Lebanon in 2006.
鈥淥ur group enjoyed lectures from leading experts, intensely engaging field visits, and great camaraderie among our diverse student group. Cyprus is an intriguing case study,鈥 added John Thacker, another ISEC student.
As geopolitical tensions continue to shape the Eastern Mediterranean, Schar School students return to George 麻豆视频 with invaluable insights and a deeper understanding of how regional dynamics intersect with global security.
For more information on Schar鈥檚 study-abroad offerings, visit the .