The rate of the alkaline catalysed hydrolysis of cyanoacetamide was investigated in the presence of ethanol and ethylene glycol up to 60 wt % in the temperature range 25 to 45+0.1°C The reaction rate decreased with the progressive addition of ethanol, while in case of ethylene glycol decreased up to 40 wt % then increased. The isocomposition and isodielectric energies of activation and the thermodynamic parameters of activation were calculated and discussed in terms of solvent effects. The influence of the dielectric constant of the solvent mixture on the reaction rate was discussed. A mechanism was proposed to account for the effect of the solvent on the reaction rate.