The Cyprus Institute is a non-profit research and education institution with a scientific and technological orientation. Formally established in 2005, the institute started operations in 2007. The Cyprus Institute is organized around two major complementary academic structures: the college and the research centers. The research centers are being developed first in conjunction with post-graduate studies. The undergraduate education will be implemented in a second phase. The institute as a whole is based on this duality. The institute operates under the aegis of the Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation (CREF), which is governed by a board of trustees.