A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on the 9th of October 2019, between the University of Central Lancashire Cyprus and Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), a national charity located in London, UK with a social purpose to inform, educate, safeguard and build digital resilience amongst young and vulnerable people. The signing took place at the premises of UCLan Cyprus in Larnaka. The purpose of the MoU is to provide the framework for the collaboration between UCLan Cyprus and YGAM in the areas of research, students’ internships, teacher training and applied experience.

On behalf of UCLan Cyprus, the Memorandum was signed by the Head of the School of Sciences, Professor Irene Polycarpou, at the presence of Dr. Militsa Nikiforou, Lecturer in Psychology, while YGAM was represented by its Founder & Chief Executive Officer Mr. Lee Willows and Education Director Mr. Kev Clelland. The founder patrons of the charity were also present, Mr. Keith and Mrs Anne Evans.

At the signing ceremony, the Head of the School of Sciences, Prof. Irene Polycarpou, expressed her appreciation and enthusiasm for this collaboration. Prof. Polycarpou, emphasized the lack of specialized professionals in areas such as prevention of pathological gambling/gaming in Cyprus and the need to inform and educate people, especially the young generation, about these issues.

On behalf of YGAM, Mr. Lee Willows thanked and expressed his deep graduate to Prof. Polycarpou and Dr Nikiforou from UCLan Cyprus for the opportunity to collaborate with the University and he said that he is looking forward to a purposeful  collaboration and to sharing insight .