Professor Chris Pissarides

Professor Chris Pissarides, the Nobel Prize winning economist, will meet with alumni from the University of Essex and prospective students at a special evening being held at Eleon Leisure Park in Nicosia today (Friday 15 March).

The event will offer 85 alumni and 30 prospective students, plus their guests, the chance to meet one of the world’s most celebrated economists who has also recently taken on a key role within the Cypriot Government as head of the newly formed economic policy council.

Professor Pissarides who gained a First in economics and completed a Masters at Essex, will talk about his memories of the University and his academic career including his work on the economics of unemployment, especially job flows and the effects of being out of work, which led to him receiving the 2010 Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences.

Jo Rogers, from the University's Development and Alumni Relations Office, said: “This is a unique chance for our alumni and prospective students to hear Professor Pissarides speak about his work and his recollections of his time at Essex.

“We are immensely proud of Professor Pissarides’ achievements and delighted he has maintained close links with the University and our Department of Economics throughout his career. Those links were celebrated last year when the University awarded Professor Pissarides an honorary degree.

“The evening will also be a great chance to network with fellow Essex alumni. We have incredibly strong links with Cyprus and more than 200 Cypriot students are studying at Essex at the moment. The support of our alumni community and their success helps Essex continue to be one of the most popular destinations for students from Cyprus looking to study at a UK university.”