Life and career
Andreas G. Orphanides was born in Lapithos, Cyprus. He received his undergraduate degree from the School of Philosophy at the University of Athens and pursued his graduate studies in Anthropology and Archeology at State University of New York at Albany. He received his master's degree in 1982 with a dissertation on Bronze Age anthropomorphic figurines in the Cesnola Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, published the following year in Astrom Editions' Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology series. He received his PhD in 1986. His doctoral dissertation, Towards a theory for the interpretation of material remains in archaeology: the Bronze Age anthropomorphic figurines from Cyprus was a continuation of his master's degree research. He was Assistant Director of the Institute of Cypriot Studies at the State University of New York at Albany, as well as Assistant Director and pottery specialist of the University's archaeological expedition in Cyprus (1981-1986).
Orphanides later pursued further graduate studies in open and distance learning at Hellenic Open University. On his return to Cyprus, he taught History, Archaeology and Anthropology at Cyprus College, and eventually became Dean of Academic Affairs there. From 1988 to 2006 he was editor-in-chief of the college's Journal of Business and Society. When the college received university status and became European University Cyprus in 2007, he was elected and appointed Rector, a position he held until 2014, and thereafter he remained Professor of History, Archaeology and Anthropology.
Andreas G. Orphanides was Vice President of the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education from 2005 to 2011, and President from 2011 to 2015, and with these capacities he participated in various bodies of the Bologna Process, such as the BFUG, the E4 Group, and EQAR where he served as its President and Vice President. Recently (2015-2020), he was on the Council of the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education.
Orphanides is also a composer whose works have been performed in Europe and in the United States. He studied both Western classical music and Byzantine music at the National Conservatory and the Kyrenia Diocese School of Byzantine Music at Lapithos. His works include several symphonic and choral pieces, the anthems of the European University Cyprus and the Open University of Cyprus, and the string quartet 'Cyprus Zephyr' which won Second Prize at the 2017 Malta International Composition Competition.
