Prof Panayiotis Zaphiris is since 2020 the Rector of Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) and since 2022 the Chair of the Cyprus Rectors’ Conference. He is a Professor at the Multimedia and Graphic Arts Department of CUT. He holds a PhD in Human Computer Interaction from Wayne State University, USA. He is also a graduate of Engineering Systems and Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA. Prior to returning to Cyprus, he was a Reader at the Center for Human Computer Interaction Design of City University of London, where he founded and led the City Interaction Lab (funded by the Vodafone Foundation). Prior to City University, he was a researcher at the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University where he took a PhD in Human Computer Interaction (HCI). His research interests are at HCI with an emphasis on participatory design and social aspects of Computing focusing on designing interactive systems for the elderly and the disabled. Prof Zaphiris has participated in more than 20 funded research projects with a funding of more than 7 million euros. He has published over 250 academic articles in well-known academic journals and international conferences. Recent related research activities include leading the academic management of the Youth Makerspace Larnaka (the 1st Makerspace founded in Cyprus), being the PI of HORIZON 2020 TWINNING project NOTRE and a founding member of CYENS a Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus focusing on Interactive media, Smart systems and Emerging technologies.