The main aim of this thesis was to empirically examine whether increased contact between people from both communities can lead either to the reduction or escalation of ethnic conflict and towards a new laissez-faire for their co-existence under the same state mechanism. To achieve this objective a number of secondary objectives were also addressed: 1. Investigation of the causes and the factors which have led to ethnic conflict in Cyprus. 2. Identifications of the reasons behind the sustained ethnic conflict in Cyprus through the years. 3. Examine whether through the course of an intensive (albeit quiet) conflict in Cyprus, each of the two communities has evolved an ethos of conflict which shapes and manifests the group's social, behavioural and cognitive frameworks, something that in turn serves as the epistemic basis of the conflict. 4. Provision of an empirical framework that would allow the application of the contact hypothesis theory to examine ethnic conflict in Cyprus.

Many contributors to the interdisciplinary field of conflict resolution have emphasised the impact of socio-psychological and psycho-cultural influences in maintaining and perpetuating ethnic conflicts. The review of the literature concerning Cyprus reveals that such factors have been active in the 37 years of ethnic separation between the Greek-Cypriot and the Turkish-Cypriot communities. Although strategies are available to bridge communities and offer prospects for a reconciliation and peace centre on facilitating interaction, contact and dialogue between communities at all levels, it is surprising how little has taken place between the two academic communities on the island. This is in contrast to the picture found in similar conflict cases, such as the ones in Northern Ireland and Israel-Palestine. Despite some notable efforts and collaborations currently in place, the numbers involved constitute a very small fraction of the two academic bodies. The research has aimed at establishing the role of higher education in divided societies, not only by examining theoretically and philosophically its importance as a part of a reconciliation process but also by depicting the opinion of academics from both parts of Cyprus. The research has shown that although they are optimistic about future links, they nevertheless identified major implications stemming out of the issues of ‘recognition’, nationalism, social pressure, the impact of media and the characteristics of the academic cultures in each respective community. These explain the contrast between much good-will and little real action. The analysis of findings includes a discussion of possible strategies to establish an open dialogue between the two academic communities and to facilitate collaborations.