From Classrooms to Festivals: Cyprus Celebrates EU Code Week
21/08/25
CyRIC (Cyprus Research and Innovation Center), as the national coordinator for EU Code Week in Cyprus, has been actively empowering educators, students, and communities through a series of inspiring events. From hands-on workshops to large-scale festivals, these activities highlight the power of coding, creativity, and innovation in education.
Workshop for Educators on Teaching Computational Thinking
📍 Cyprus Pedagogical Institute – April 6, 2024
This hands-on workshop equipped educators with innovative strategies to introduce computational thinking and coding into their classrooms.
Highlights included:
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A full demonstration of the Rangers Coding Game, a board game that teaches coding concepts through play.
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Guidance on integrating the game into everyday lessons and where to download it.
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Practical exploration of free programming resources from Code.org and the EU Code Week platform.
The event successfully blended creativity, pedagogy, and technology, leaving teachers inspired and ready to bring coding to life for their students.
Trainer Education on Astro Pi Programming with Python
📍 European University Cyprus – October 20, 2024
In collaboration with CCS and the European project #code4europe, CyRIC hosted a trainer education seminar on the Astro Pi platform.
Educators explored how to program the Astro Pi computer with Python, the same technology used on the International Space Station. Participants left with hands-on experience, training materials, and certificates of participation.
The seminar, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry (ΥΠΑΝ), played a key role in promoting coding literacy and digital skills in Cyprus.
“AI, Coding, Robotics, Unplugged!” – Teacher Training Event
📍 Home for Cooperation, Nicosia – October 12, 2024
Educators came together for a free, creative training session supported by the EU Representation in Cyprus, CyRIC, and UNFICYP.
Key presenter Alexia Alexandrou, EU Code Week Leading Teacher, led game-based and unplugged activities, making coding fun and accessible. The event emphasized practical, innovative ways to integrate AI, robotics, and coding into the classroom.
Teachers left equipped with new tools and ideas to inspire their students in digital learning.
CyRIC at Youth Tech Fest Cyprus
📍 The Warehouse, Limassol – February 1, 2025
At the Youth Tech Fest Cyprus, CyRIC showcased its projects, including EU Code Week under the Code4Europe initiative.
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Over 4,000 students, 800 educators, and 200+ schools participated.
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CyRIC’s booth engaged visitors with coding, innovation, and digital tools for the future.
This vibrant celebration of creativity and technology highlighted the importance of preparing the next generation for digital careers.
Encouraging Future Female Coders
📍 Pedagogical Institute, Nicosia – June 11, 2025
A special event dedicated to inspiring 6th grade girls to explore coding featured workshops led by passionate educators:
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🤖 Lego Spike Essential – amusement park rides with Christiana Christoforou
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🎮 Minecraft Education – “Chicken Rain” coding challenge with Zoe Kanari
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📱 Micro:bit – interactive coding with Marinos Ilia
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🎲 Rangers Coding Game – unplugged algorithmic thinking with Elisavet Agapiou
With the support of CyRIC and the RobotHeadz team, the event showcased how early exposure to coding builds confidence and creativity among girls.
Building and Programming Robots with Edison – Ambassador Activity
📍 Xylofagou Primary School A – November 1, 2024
EU Code Week Ambassador Alexandros Kofteros introduced students in Years 4–6 to robotics with the Edison robot.
Students progressed from EdBlocks to EdScratch programming, building obstacle courses and solving challenges in teams.
Key benefits included:
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Hands-on learning through robotics
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Teamwork and communication skills
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Increased interest in STEM subjects
This engaging activity perfectly reflected EU Code Week’s mission to make coding fun and accessible.
The Smart Greenhouse – Leading Teacher Activity
EU Code Week Leading Teacher Elisavet Agapiou guided students through the innovative project “The Smart Greenhouse”, combining AI, IoT, and sustainability.
Students designed and built greenhouse models with micro:bit, Nezha Inventor’s Kit, and sensors to automate plant growth.
Achievements:
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Showcased at Youth Tech Fest 2025, Science Fair 2025, and the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute conference.
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Received a distinction at the 7th Panhellenic Open Technologies in Education Competition.
The project highlighted how coding can be used for real-world problem-solving and environmental awareness.
Through these inspiring activities, CyRIC and EU Code Week Cyprus continue to foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and digital empowerment. From young learners to educators, every event proves that coding is not just a technical skill, but a pathway to confidence, collaboration, and a brighter future.
