LIVING THE VISION

Over the last 10 years, a strategic vision has vaulted the University of Malta onto the world stage. Multimillion capital investments have facilitated the construction of advanced buildings and cutting-edge equipment to support research that turned the Institution into a third generation university. Along with a big research boost, new initiatives have transformed the infrastructure helping to acquire the funds needed to start turning university research ideas into innovation and business. The fundamental recasting of the Academic Collective Agreement, and restructuring of administration, has helped enhance academic and student work. Being a world-standing university has supported local socio-economic growth with a quadrupling of evening courses for adult learning, construction of a sound research infrastructure, festivals to engage the public, and a research trust fund that has seen new collaboration with industry, private individuals, and NGOs. We have grown. This is how. EDITORIAL Edward Duca & Patricia Camilleri

DESIGN & CREATIVE DIRECTION Jean Claude Vancell

COPYEDITING Veronica Stivala

PROOF READING Patricia Camilleri, Daphne Pia Deguara

PRINTING Gutenberg Press, Malta

VIDEO James Moffett, Graziella Scicluna, Monica Farrugia

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITERS Prof. Ing. Kenneth P. Cassi Camilleri Camilleri LIVING THE VISION Patricia Camilleri Patricia Camilleri John Cordina Prof. Sandro Caruana Dr Edward Duca Dr Ing. Glenn Cassar Lars Lorenz Prof. Maureen Cole Natasha Padfield Prof. Vicki Ann Cremona Veronica Stivala Dr JosAnn Cutajar Dr Jean-Paul De Lucca ISBN 978-99957-0-982-2 PHOTOGRAPHY Dr Edward Duca Copyright © University of Malta, 2016 Elisa von Brockdorff Kevin Ellul Mark Casha Prof. Raymond Ellul The right of the University of Malta to be identified as Publisher of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Act, 2001. Dr Edward Duca Dr Hector Fenech John Grech Jacqueline Fenech University of Malta, Msida, Malta James Moffett Tel: (356) 2340 2340 Karl Grech Fax: (356) 2340 2342 Jean Claude Vancell Veronica Grech www.um.edu.mt iCreatemotionStudio.com Prof. Joseph N. Grima All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of Tufigno Photo & Video Lewis Holland research and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a Services Prof. Andrew Jones retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. V-Squared Media & Wilfred Kenely Entertainment Kunsill Studenti The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this magazine are correct and active at the time of going to Universitarji (KSU) press. However the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no INFOGRAPHICS Dr Jackson Levi Said guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate. Lars Lorenz Andy Linnas Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any Dr Alessio Magro have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to SPECIAL THANKS Carmen Mangion include any necessary credits in any subsequent issues. Prof. Juanito Camilleri, Dr Maria Meilak Rector Prof. Matthew Montebello Prof. Luciano Mulé Stagno Robert Abdilla Prof. Richard Muscat LIVING THE VISION Stephanie Abood Martina Pace is a bookazine by Stefania Agius Fabri Dr Ing. Andrew Sammut Prof. Kevin Aquilina Prof. Charles V. Sammut Alexandra Attard Annalisa Schembri Prof. Maria Attard Bernard Schembri THIDEAS • MALTA • RESEARCHINK • PEOPLE • UNIVERSITY Prof. Nikolai Attard Prof. Russell Smith Joe Azzopardi Perit Christopher Spiteri Keith M. Azzopardi Robert Sultana Tyron Baron Prof. Alex Torpiano Christian Bonniċi Jean Claude Vancell Colin Borg Elisa Vella Edward Borg Prof. Angela Xuereb Prof. Noellie Brockdorff Prof. Ing. David Zammit Prof. Ing. Victor Buttiġieġ Mangion Prof. Ernest Cachia Marvin Zammit Prof. Gordon Calleja Prof. Kristian Zarb Adami CONTENTS

PEOPLE & PERSONALITIES The power to empower 8 People & professionals: the rise of University's finest assets 14 Keeping a small town running smoothly 20 My alma mater 27 How to make an engineer 34

RESEARCH & KNOWLEDGE A rags to riches story 38 Think research, think Malta 44 Collaboration matters 50

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION Turning university ideas into business 54 Enterprising entrepreneurs 60 Printing magic 64 The art of gaming 65 A healthy microwave 66

BUILDINGS & SPACES A vision in stone 70 University reborn 79 Campus 3.0 83 A time for technology 86

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH Engage, engage, engage 90 Minding the University's business 94 Bridging gaps 96 A bite-sized education 100 A lighthouse reinvented 102 Intersecting boundaries 104 ontents C 3 ACHIEVEMENTS & MILESTONES

2006

Prof. Juanito Unblocking of First graduate Faculty of ICT Construction Camilleri promotions process ceremonies at established commenced on elected with Association Valletta Campus new IT Services rector of Commonwealth building Universities 2011 2010

First Discover Faculty of Media Institute for Faculty Honoris Causa conferred Launch of the University & Knowledge Tourism, Travel of Health on Ban Ki-moon, Mr Knowledge Open Day held Sciences and Culture was Sciences Efthimios E. Mitropoulous Transfer Office established established established and Mr Bernard Kouchner (KTO)

2012

UoM Centre for Acquisition of Honoris Causa conferred First edition of Refurbishment Research Biomedical Hotel Kappara on Sir Jack Goody, THINK magazine of Library Trust (RIDT) Cybernetics by MUHC Dr Ann Williams and published and first set up established Mr Joseph Muscat Science in the City festival held

Honoris Causa Mobile Institute of TAKEOFF Updated Academic conferred on Dental Clinic Aerospace Business Collective Agreement Prof. Jeremy completed Technologies (IAT) Incubator signed by Boissevain and Prof. established set up Prof. Matthew William H. Bannister Montebello 2015

Memorandum of Over 250 Erasmus Launch of Centre Construction of Launch of Understanding students joined 952 for Traditional PostDoc Labs Newspoint, signed with international full-time Chinese Medicine commenced C&AR news CERN students making it the portal largest number ever of overseas students at UoM

Laboratories New facilities Signing of agreement Memorandum of Memorandum of of Centre for of Institute for concerning the Understanding Understanding Molecular Medicine Sustainable Energy construction of the signed with signed with PBS and Biobanking in Marsaxlokk University Residence Heritage Malta inaugurated completed and Community Complex

4 2006 – 2016

2007 2008

International Setting up Start of installation of Construction Project Honoris Causa Foundation of APQRU AIMS (Administrative commenced on Support conferred on Studies and PVC* Information new Faculty of Team (PST) Mro Roberto Benigni Programme Management Systems) ICT building set up revised 2009

Centre for Significant Confucius Start of Recast Academic International Resilience and upgrade of Institute restoration Collective Agreement Collaborative Socio-Emotional Library digital established works at Valletta signed by Dr Ing. Programmes set up Health established resources Campus Victor Buttiġieġ

2013

Faculty for School of Centre for English Honoris Causa Opening of Social Wellbeing Performing Arts Language Proficiency conferred on the Centre for established established established Mr Joseph Calleja Entrepreneurship & Business Incubation

2014

Institute of Space Honoris Causa Opening of the Institute of Mutual recognition Opening of Science & Astronomy conferred on Faculty of ICT Digital Games of degrees IT Services (ISSA) established Dr Albert Ganado Building established agreement signed Building between Malta and China 2016

Refurbishment First Outstanding Honoris Causa awarded Arts Lecture Over 700 Research commenced Alumni Achievement to Dr Desmond Morris, Theatre degree quadrupled at the theatre, Award Ceremony Mr Guido Lanfranco, refurbished programmes since 2006 Valletta Campus Dr David H. Trump and on offer Prof. Michael Camilleri

Around 2,500 Almost €40 11,856 students, Centre for Staff numbers Over 40,000 papers in peer- million in about 17 times Molecular almost doubled living UoM reviewed Journals research funding more than in 1970 Medicine and since 2006 alumni obtained since Biobanking 2006 established

*APQRU: Academic Programmes Quality & Resources Unit / PVC: Programme Validation Committee 5

PEOPLE & PERSONALITIES THE POWER TO EMPOWER Outgoing rector Prof. Juanito Camilleri has transformed the University of Malta both in terms of its infrastructure as well as its mindset. Despite the great strides it has made in the past ten years, he believes the revolution is still to come. This change needs the political class to give it the autonomy it deserves. He speaks frankly to Dr Edward Duca. & P ersonalities P eople 8 Photo by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com deas are cheap. But, as the saying goes, aim was to become a modern third generation execution is key. When trying to manage and university based on three pillars: teaching, steer a university full of academics brimming research, and outreach. When Camilleri was with their own ideas, the implementation of any elected rector in 2006, some had criticised the idea needs incredible strategic manoeuvering. UoM as being simply a glorified secondary school. IProf. Juanito Camilleri (University of Malta During the last decade, teaching programmes [UoM] rector from 2006 till 2016) appears to have been rationalised and the day and evening have succeeded in not only coming up with good course portfolio expanded. The UoM now has ideas, but in deftly implementing them in order over 700 degree programmes. ‘We worked very to lead the UoM through major infrastructure hard to build the notion of quality assurance and transformations and changes in mentality, resulting develop the systems to support it.’ The University in an upgrade of both its outer layer and inner invested a lot in blended learning, which fuses core. Yet Camilleri is skeptical of this analogy, traditional and online education (using Moodle to and insists that the revolution is still to come. implement a virtual learning environment). The He identifies the first collective agreement for University also invested in the Library’s digital academics (see pg 14) signed under his watch as resources and built the IT services centre as the a fundamental game changer. The agreement, he underlying eLearning infrastructure to support recalls, made it very clear that the University’s a novel form of education (see pg 26). & P ersonalities P eople 9 Since 2006 research has doubled and doubled again in ten years government-allocated annual budget. It skyrocketed, with publications and ‘the results speak for themselves.’ can only augment its finances through quadrupling in the space of ten years Camilleri does not identify the EU funding, industry collaborations, (see pg 44). ‘We have shown that what exponential increase as his doing postgraduate programmes, and we thought was unachievable in the alone, but rather the people around non-European students—amounting past is achievable even for a small him. ‘I think many [members of staff] to around 20% of the total budget country like Malta,’ asserts Camilleri. started to believe they could achieve sustained over the past years. This He underlies that ‘yes, research more and got down to achieving makes long-term strategies and is important for the country; yes, more. When you see the aggregate plans difficult since budgets are spawning companies from university of all that achievement, that is really unpredictable. Camilleri admits that intellectual property is possible, as the game changer—it is all about ‘[the government] has systematically is having a committed academic creating the right environment.’ increased the University’s budget and administrative staff focused on The ‘can do’ culture is ‘still in its so that the progress we have creating the jobs of tomorrow. […] We formative stages.’ Camilleri points registered was possible’. He values have shown that things have become out how the University is ‘creating the contributions of all political better and must become even better.’ enabling environments where some parties in government, and gratefully A flourishing university transforms of [its] very best brains are choosing acknowledges the sustained increase a country. The UoM’s outreach to stay [t]here because they feel that in funding during his tenure. Yet, he projects have been greatly expanded although there might be better facilities stresses that ‘the University must (see pg 98). The past few years abroad they can still have Malta as outgrow what any government can have seen NGOs for the first time their base and grow academically.’ or cannot afford […],’ going as far as in Malta fund research through the to say that ‘we need to find [a new] University’s Research Trust (RIDT), financial model. We need to find some ENGINE UPGRADE while the University boasts a slick special purpose vehicle to give the research magazine called Think to A thorn in the UoM’s side is that it University financial autonomy. This tell its own stories. UoM has also cannot plan far ahead. The reason freedom should allow it to generate reached out into local communities is that its finances are dictated by a substantial funds for research and having invested in the Cottonera give it the legal stature necessary Resource Centre, targeting an area to forge its own partnerships with of Malta with the fewest graduates. We have shown business and civil society. The University must invest in spin-out that what we companies to build its own future.’ AN EMPOWERED This new financial model needs UNIVERSITY thought was to be realistic. It needs to ‘correlate Camilleri’s most significant unachievable desired outputs to the investment achievement is probably ‘the change input required.’ Every student costs in mentality and mindset’ that he in the past the UoM money depending on induced. ‘A change in the semantics of is achievable the course they undertake. Every power, where power is not the power student must be supported by an to chastise, nor the power to clip even for a acceptable standard of research wings, but rather where power is the small country and administrative infrastructure. ability to empower and give space for Camilleri believes that what others to grow. […] I think this is why like Malta. is holding the UoM back is ‘that the [UoM’s] budget and profile have the political class have yet to be grown.’ The institution’s income has Prof. Juanito Camilleri convinced of University’s dire need & P ersonalities P eople 10 for the necessary financial and administrative autonomy.’ Camilleri does not see the current picture as negative, but as a work in progress. The results achieved are not the revolution required for UoM to enter the next league. ‘For the University to continue to operate as a cornerstone of our economy and society we need a quantum leap forward.’ Looking to the future, a new law is being drafted: ‘The University of Malta Act’. Camilleri hopes that ‘we will get this one right.’ With any luck, the law will recreate the UoM as a new ‘public equivalent body,’ a quasi-public entity. ‘The University of Malta would be empowered by an act of law. Within it, there would be all the necessary cross checks and balances for UoM to be transparent and accountable, while governing itself without a financial or administrative leash.’ The government’s current funding mechanism for the UoM needs to change. ‘It should reflect the underlying cost of education of the student Photos by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com by Photos cohort in hand, bearing in mind that the cost of training doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, lab-based to evolve into a client to service- will be more bureaucracy, not less, scientists, and others is intrinsically provider relationship with government even if it is smart bureaucracy.’ different,’ maintains Camilleri. A covering the true costs for the services That bureaucracy needs to translate formula-funding mechanism should it receives,’ a powerful statement. into accountability. Currently, ‘it is be agreed to, the University has Camilleri is disappointed that practically impossible to fire anybody already conducted a detailed analysis this new financial model, and legal because of an unwieldy process with of the cost-base of each type of and operational framework have layers upon layers where inefficiency diploma/degree programme it offers. not yet been implemented. ‘I have and mediocrity can hide.’ His biggest Therefore the cost of each student, on not managed to convince either dismay it seems are a handful of a programme by programme basis is administration of the fundamental academics who ‘cause 90% of the known, and the subvention required change required. If you want the issues and bad feelings. […] Sometimes to adequately fund the education of University to develop a different, they are right, sometimes they are not, a student body can be determined improved persona then we need to but once issues are duly debated and quite accurately.’ He believes that, change its DNA, we need a new engine decided, people ought to put personal ‘the relationship between government model!’ However, these changes feuds aside and work as a team to and the University of Malta needs will bring more responsibility. ‘There move on. This very small & P ersonalities P eople 11 minority tend to see things their business emerging from the UoM are A VISION, A HOPE way or “no way”! Again this lack of needed to drive the country forward. teamwork is frustrating.’ At times But there is more to be done. ‘There Over the past decade campus life has certain academics follow ‘their own needs to be another fundamental become much richer. The library is agendas and do not always act in game change that could not have full of students all year round, while the University’s best interests.’ happened ten years ago,’ he expounds. the canteen becomes incredibly noisy I think we have proven that this can over lunch. Student organisations be a world-class university. […] Had have flourished, with students gaining A UNIVERSITY FOR MALTA it not taken so long to get this far, I credits for work outside of their course The University and the Maltese would have been very happy to lead through the DegreePlus programme Islands are inextricably intertwined, the next phase […] but it’s a good (informal courses from journalism so much so that Camilleri refers to thing that a new administration is to badminton are available). But the institution as ‘the beating heart coming in to actually pick up from this Camilleri demands more. He envisages of the islands.’ Because of this, then, point and place this particular debate a university with a ‘bohemian style the UoM must adopt an approach on the agenda.’ That great debate is of education.’ Teach the subject but that infuses it within society. the UoM’s financial model, and its allow students to ‘wander, perhaps For Camilleri the UoM is paramount legal and operational framework. aimlessly, in what it is that makes to the development of Malta’s identity. ‘The Maltese identity,’ he believes, is not only drawn from its past but refined by current ‘thought processes and sensitivities, that nurture an understanding, reflection, and introspection which help build a contemporary Maltese psyche.’ The corollary to this, is that intellectual thought should be cultivated. Camilleri notes however, that ‘there isn’t one perspective that needs to dominate others, but that it is the whole process of debate, the level of intellectual engagement, the research that takes place, the

minds that are developed, that are Video Services & Photo Tufigno by Photo important.’ These, he asserts, ‘are Rector Prof. Juanito Camilleri together with the President of Council, Dr Michael Sciriha, Pro- Rectors Prof. Alfred Vella, Prof. Mary Anne Lauri, Prof. Joe Friggieri and Prof. Richard Muscat, the crucial ingredients that will make and the College of Deans. Malta sustainable.’ They will define what it means to be Maltese: ‘The intellectual activity at University should be driving and feeding our democracy.’ I think we have proven that this Camilleri gives tremendous value to can be a world-class university. […] the University, noting how it ‘has never been as important to Malta as it is Perhaps it’s a good thing that a new today.’ As Malta continues to diversify administration is coming in to […] place its economy and build economic resilience, the ideas, values, and this particular debate on the agenda. & P ersonalities P eople 12 Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff von Elisa by Photo

Faculty of Arts Library.

them them, what it is that they building ‘communities of scholarship currently being constructed, will help want to be in this society of ours.’ where the delivery of what one needs nurture this. ‘Start-ups and company He also believes that University to know is done in the most enjoyable spinoffs are very important for a life needs to be vibrant. The UoM way, with a community of people university.’ The Knowledge Transfer should have ‘a continuously open acting as role models. Ultimately, Office and Takeoff Business Incubator library, with recreational facilities this melting pot will translate into are trying to create this movement. The open 24/7.’ These aspirations need what it means to be Maltese in this university experience needs to become planning and financing. The necessary globalised ever-changing world.’ ‘more cognitive and more meaningful infrastructure has been penciled With the staggering technological to create learning experiences that into a master plan (see pg 82). This developments underway, a university one cannot gain anywhere else but ‘plan could take another 20 years should help answer the question ‘What on a vibrant real-world campus.’ to achieve but at least there is a does it mean to be human?’ This is a The lofty heights Camilleri sees need greater vision we can strive towards.’ question that needs interdisciplinary a ‘change in our engine model.’ Despite The strategy goes beyond Camilleri work between arts, sciences, and every a long list of successes, he sees that a or his rectorship. It seeks to create field in between. ‘We need postdocs lot more work is needed. More so, a ‘performance spaces and laboratories: who think outside the box to create revolution is needed that would change a research and creative milieu that clusters of excellence or to project the very essence of both the University nurtures minds and hearts,’ while raw talent.’ A post-doctorate centre, and Malta—a practical dream. & P ersonalities P eople 13 People & professionals The rise of University's finest assets

An institution comprises a group of individuals who conglomerate to work towards a common goal. The University of Malta has come a long way. Cassi Camilleri speaks to past University of Malta Academic Staff Association presidents Prof. Ing. Victor Buttiġieġ and Prof. Matthew Montebello as well as support staff representative on Council Stephanie Abood. & P ersonalities P eople 14 Photo by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com by Photo

he University of Malta (UoM) is a view mirror. Since then, positive changes have been complex organisation, home to 14 made for the benefit of academic and support staff. faculties, 114 departments, and Two game-changing collective agreements have countless institutes and centres. been signed by UMASA Presidents Buttiġieġ and However, while its makeup may Prof. Matthew Montebello, and pushed forward Tbe unique, it still abides by the old adage that by the outgoing rector, Prof. Juanito Camilleri. an organisation is only as good as its people. One agreement provided academics with sorely- Working conditions at the UoM, for both needed salary rises and established the necessary academics and support staff, have been the structures to promote research. The support staff subject of many colourful debates over the last collective agreement introduced a number of twenty years, fuelled by blazing headlines that relevant structures, including the introduction of have appalled readers. Prof. Victor Buttiġieġ study leave that has provided the opportunity for (President of University of Malta Academic Staff them to follow degree courses, as well as to receive Association (UMASA) between 2001 and 2009) scholarships and to have flexible working hours. recalls his earlier years at the UoM when lecturers needed to fork out their own money to buy the A RUDE AWAKENING supplies they needed to teach their students. And while some might shrug at that notion, it The early 1990s proved to be a challenging time for must be pointed out that this came around 1994 the UoM. The selection of programmes available when the institution was in financial difficulties. for study was limited, as were the resources at That particular low point in the history of the hand. Frameworks and organisational structures UoM is now thankfully a long way off in its rear to promote positive change were close to & P ersonalities P eople 15 non-existent. But Malta’s European opened yet another can of worms. The through an extensive exercise which Union membership changed things. Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) and saw the negotiating teams working With the EU came an influx of UMASA locked horns when it came out different career progressions for opportunities, but also the burden to the distinction between lecturers those teaching at Junior College. of comparison. Immediately clear teaching at the G. F. Abela Junior Seeking to elevate the standards was the fact that the UoM could not College (an educational institution when it came to research, the 2009 compete with its foreign counterparts. training students to enter the UoM) CA also outlined the University’s Many used their newfound mobility and those at the UoM, a distinction procedures for research funding. within Europe to look for greener which previously did not exist, and ‘Getting funding for research was pastures. ‘There was nothing keeping which previously put lecturers from akin to a lottery,’ says Buttiġieġ, ‘You us here anymore,’ says Buttiġieg, ‘and both institutions on equal footing. wouldn’t know when the next call many bought themselves a plane This was a state of affairs which for funding would be published.’ ticket; they took their chances’. could no longer be accepted by Today, the Project Support Office Undoubtedly, this was a rude UMASA for various reasons. Junior does great work in providing support awakening to government officials. College lecturers required masters and aiding researchers access the The ease with which professionals level qualifications to teach a MATSEC funds they need for their work. could leave meant Malta was facing a set syllabus (equivalent to the British Another important milestone potential brain drain, a problem that ‘A’ level system). On the other hand, which began with the 2009 CA was continues to have real repercussions University academics were not only the setting up of its first Intellectual today. It was the Collective Agreement expected to run their own studies, but Property (IP) Policy, protecting the (CA) of 2009 which got the ball rolling also to develop their own material, rights of researchers, students, to amend the situation. Camilleri programmes, research, and so on. systems engineers, technical staff, suggested certain radical changes while The issue was eventually resolved as well as private companies and the UMASA and MUT provided their own UoM as they strove to collaborate proposals. Then negotiations began. and innovate. This paved the way for Academics’ salaries, at the time Academics’ the Knowledge Transfer Office and nothing short of paltry, were a big the innovation incubator TAKEOFF stumbling block in attracting and salaries, at the to be set up, initiatives which have retaining academics, as many graduates led to new startups like the award- and professionals were favouring time nothing short winning Thought3D, developers of private industry. Buttiġieġ’s aim was of paltry, were 3D printing adhesive Magigoo.This is to see salary levels rise enough to not to say that academics were happy compare with academics’ salaries in a big stumbling with all the new changes. The Teaching Europe. For lecturers to get another block in attracting Academic Effort (TAE) caused many pay rise worked into the agreement, disagreements. Touted as a new way Camilleri had suggested that it would and retaining of measuring teaching contribution, be justified if academics’ hours were the TAE did away with the minimum extended, making them available academics, as number of lecturing hours as a ruler from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This was the many graduates for output and replaced it with a small step that led to big changes. complex system that ‘takes into ‘At that point, academics had the and professionals account the number of students you option to accept these conditions and were favouring have and tutorials you give, if you have get their raise or keep their original assistants working with you [and so times.’ However, the money talk private industry. on]’. Buttiġieġ says ‘most people don’t & P ersonalities P eople 16 like it. They don’t like to be measured.’ Montebello negotiated an agreement dean. There were instances in which However, there is more to it than that put eLearning into focus. deans would employ part-timers just a lack of enthusiasm for constant ‘We wanted people who develop only to stay within their position of observation. In his view, the system is eLearning programmes to be given power and work funds as they saw fit.’ ‘bureaucratic rather than an effective promotions,’ says Montebello. And Weighted voting has done away with method of quality control.’ Its saving it’s not difficult to understand why. this issue, giving full time contributors grace is that it allows for comparison eLearning allows academics and to the University more of a say in the of activity across departments and it students alike more flexibility in their decision-making process and doing gives Heads of Departments a tool to work. It can also be used to entice a away with a damaging loophole. ‘This show their need to hire more staff. foreign student body. ‘We are already is a major achievement. The system A more effective system for introducing some study units,’ says is now more secure, more efficient, quality control with courses within Montebello. ‘Eventually we hope to faster, and more representative of the University is the Programme Validation have a whole degree programme. If academic body. People have faith in it.’ Committee (PVC) for which the we have one full degree online, under- Quality assurance was another recently elected rector designate, Prof. or postgraduate, this will generate important aspect that Montebello Alfred J. Vella, is Deputy Chairman. income and will be a great step towards homed in on. In the latest agreement, With help from the Academic the University’s sustainability.’ academics consented to provide an Programmes Quality and Resources One more step towards efficiency updated list of publications annually. Unit (APQRU), programmes are audited in University elections was the Open research is very important to and analysed to ensure that they reach introduction of electronic voting for share publically funded knowledge. an appropriate standard. Students’ academics. There had been a major One such database is RefWorks, an input is also taken into consideration. issue with elections at University online reference repository. ‘In this All this ensures that optimal use prior to electronic voting. ‘You had day and age, if you publish a paper you is made of available resources. faculty deans voted in solely by publish it online and share it with your Overall, the 2009 CA left academics part-timers, meaning that the entire peers,’ says Montebello. ‘However, at at University feeling valued. ‘Most faculty board disapproved of the the moment there are professors, people were happy with the results,’ asserts Buttiġieġ. It also established a precedent and clearly communicated the fact that the UoM needed to work harder if it wanted to compete on the world stage. And this was a message that continued to be reinforced with the next CA, signed by Montebello in 2014.

BACK FROM THE BRINK

Dealing with Junior College as well as Malta’s entry into the EU, brought about drastic changes for the 2009 CA. However, in 2014, there was still much potential for improvement for academics working at Prof. Victor Buttigieg, Stephanie Abood and Prof. Matthew Montebello. University. Spurred on by this mission, Photo by Jean Claude Vancell & P ersonalities P eople 17 even young ones, who refuse to use these resources. And this just cannot be allowed.’ In the CA of 2014 academics are obliged to upload their publications on the system. This is a very good way of regulating quality. ‘If someone hasn’t published in five years, it will ring alarm bells.’ Montebello goes as far as to say that

academics ‘who don’t publish anything www.iCreatemotionStudio.com by Photo in two years should be booted out of University. This is how we keep only the best people around,’ he asserts. At this point, the conditions Another important milestone was were finally good enough to attract many foreign academics to teach the setting up of the first Intellectual and research at the UoM. One of those people was Prof. Property Policy, protecting the rights Georgios N. Yannakakis (Acting of researchers, students, technicians, Director, Institute of Digital Games). He saw the position Malta was in, as well as private companies with its limitations in resources and research, as a challenge. He saw Malta as a ‘country that wanted and carved out their own position within at University. Study leave is now still wants to invest in what I do’ and the institution, asserting their integral offered for a wider range of courses. one that offers an ‘EU competitive role to its function, a role that had In a bid to make posts at the UoM salary’ as well as bonuses through been undermined for years. Support more accessible to people in different EU grants. Of course, the public staff representative on Council circumstances, flexibility has been health and educational system as well Stephanie Abood, who has been introduced. Working hours can be as the Mediterranean lifestyle and employed at University since 1989, flexible. Teleworking is possible Maltese culture, similar to that of his has seen the evolution first-hand and study leave is available. These native Crete, did not hurt either. All and continues to demand more. advances help push lifelong learning in all, it was ‘a very attractive work/ ‘Several positive changes have while maintaining the work/life life package and I am very happy to occurred over the last 10 years’, balance, working parents benefit have come here,’ says Yannakakis. Abood says. Education is promoted from better hours and conditions. But academics are not the only consistently and support staff are All this has created ‘a win win ones making waves at the UoM. encouraged to follow diploma and situation,’ Abood says, especially Administrative staff have effectively degree courses during their time with the new managerial grades. & P ersonalities P eople 18 Number of employees (full-time equivalent)

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000 Retirement at University can mean a very significant cut in salary for academics. Their earnings have 800 risen to the point that the cap has been reached and when government

600 was approached to amend the situation during Montebello’s time as UMASA President, they were flatly 400 refused. ‘The only people who get this pension level are members of 200 parliament,’ he says, smiling. ‘I don’t think it will happen, realistically speaking, but it would be the 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 next step in making University an attractive workplace for high-end Non-Academic Staff Academic Staff professionals.’ Another alternative replacing a full pension is private pension schemes for academics. POLISHING AND that the mechanisms created by the Their effect remains to be seen. FINE-TUNING 2009 CA, specifically the opening of Ideally, a contemporary university temporary posts for research, enabling would provide high quality education Representatives Buttiġieġ, Montebello, professors to focus on their projects, to promising students who become and Abood, readily concede that were abandoned. ‘I don’t think that valued members of its communities. the UoM has come a long way for the post of research fellows It would also produce cutting edge over the last decade. However, there was any sort of engagement. It research and would nurture new ideas they also agree that they are by no seems to have fallen through. But as that would keep it at the forefront of means at the end of the road. an idea it’s important. […] We need innovation, qualities that would make In relation to support staff, Abood these mechanisms that allow people it relevant to the society it serves. says that there needs to be ‘more more flexibility and enable research. To do all this, a university needs to job rotation, with employees moving A university without research will be attract and retain a workforce of around and doing work related to a normal post-secondary school.’ talented professionals by providing their studies.’ Job satisfaction is key appropriate working conditions. And to people producing their best work. therein lies the crux of the matter. FUTURE PACTS In academia there is way to go The future is a place of when it comes to research. The UoM The upcoming academic agreement big possibilities for the UoM needs to continue giving research a in 2018 has a few tough bones and its people. That much is more prominent role within its walls. it needs to tackle, including clear. The question is: Will it Buttiġieġ expresses disappointment pensions and promotions. rise to the challenge? & P ersonalities P eople 19 & P ersonalities P eople 20 KEEPING A SMALL TOWN RUNNING SMOOTHLY

The University of Malta has over 12,000 students and almost 2,700 staff. Patricia Camilleri talks about international appeal, student celebrations, and key staff that keep the engine running.

he university experience is complex. to build a residential complex on campus (the The University of Malta (UoM) is a University Residence and Community Complex, small town with people of all ages see pg 84). ‘One of the biggest challenges,’ says from over 90 different countries Stefania Agius Fabri (Director, International and living alongside each other in a EU Office) ‘is to maintain a support system that Tfew hundred square metres. It must create never fails a student.’ For 18–20 year olds, this the best possible environment to encourage is already a difficult time. Add culture shock to people to work, learn, and research together. the mix and the situation can become very tricky. An important group is international students ‘Support requires staff training and constant re- attracted to Malta to study and research. evaluation, focus group work and questionnaires International students are key. They are an help keep up the momentum. Having a 24/7 opportunity for the majority of local students helpline, a dedicated office supported by pro- to learn from different cultures and discuss rectors and a Counselling Service really helps.’ with people who do not share common life In 2007, revisions made to the Foundation experiences. This helps open minds. Programme allowed the UoM to engage more To counteract stiff competition from other effectively with Gulf countries. This enabled countries, all trying to attract international an increase in student numbers from countries Photo by www.iCreatemtotionStudio.com by Photo students, the UoM has focused its attention like Kuwait. It attracted the attention of the on what international students really look for: Ministries of Higher Education in Oman and a one stop shop to attend to all their concerns. Saudi Arabia who started to send students To this end, improvements were made to the to Malta. These were funded through their campus environment, academic coordinators respective scholarship programmes. were appointed in every faculty, specific people Relations with China were strengthened now cater for their needs, and there are plans following the establishment of the Confucius & P ersonalities P eople 21 Outgoing and visiting exchange students from EU and non-EU countries

500 80

400 60

300 40 200

20 100

0 0 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

outgoing UoM outgoing UoM students to students to EU countries non-EU countries

from EU countries from non-EU countries

Institute at the University of Malta. Linked to Xiamen University, this Institute provides student, teaching, and administrative exchanges, as well as a biannual summer school for Xiamen students. A link with Beijing Foreign Studies University sees future Chinese diplomats and civil servants being trained in the Maltese language—22 people are studying it. Over the last few years, the UoM shares a collaborative degree with the Shanghai Maritime University offered both in Malta and China. In 2013, Malta and China signed the agreement for mutual recognition of qualifications. The University was thus able to engage well with top universities in China including Shanghai Maritime University through a collaborative degree in Ocean Governance. The University of Malta has set up a Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine and launched a Master degree in Traditional Above: Performers from Xiamen during Chinese Medicine and Culture. Xiamen Day, organised by the University of Both initiatives involve Shanghai Malta on 23 June 2014. Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff Traditional Chinese Medicine Right: University of Malta Rector-Designate University (SHTCM) that also Prof. Alfred Vella speaking at the th offers summer school scholarships 60 Anniversary Celebrations of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese for students to study in China. Medicine (SHUTCM). & P ersonalities P eople 22 Currently Enrolled SStudentstudents currently by G enderenrolled

Keeping up its international relations, the UoM’s US links go back many years. The UoM has been 57% sending to and receiving students from the US since the 1980s through Female the International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP) and other direct exchange agreements with various 43% universities. The University of Malta Male has benefitted extensively from the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program for decades. Other exchanges involve to pursue postgraduate studies in skills, and other tools,’ says Grima. Australian, Canada, Japan, and Brazil. Humanitarian Action and in the fields Though it started off with a small The largest student exchanges are of conservation and preservation budget, DegreePlus offers over sixty with the EU. ERASMUS+ ‘has been of architectural heritage. courses to over a thousand students. going for 16 years.’ In the first half of The courses include a Wind Ensemble, 2015 around 250 students descended choir, Latin—surprisingly popular— and A DEGREE WITH A + from all over the EU to Malta joining other language courses, voluntary the 952 international full time A key component of the university work, sports, public speaking, radio students. The challenge is the constant experience is graduating with a degree presenting, graphic design, and many scrutiny not only by the EU but also that goes beyond facts and figures. more. The thorn in its side is keeping by the students. ‘ERASMUS provides Employers pick employees on their soft the two fixed hours twice a week in benchmarking and development skills. Towards this, the Rector Prof. the UoM timetable free from student opportunities, and genuine insights into Juanito Camilleri set up DegreePlus organisations’ and lecturers’ needs. our own systems’ says the Director. (run by Prof. Joseph N. Grima). The small team keeps attracting Agius Fabri is particularly proud DegreePlus offers students learning students and expanding with courses of the link with Palestine and the opportunities not directly linked to open to student suggestions. development of a scholarship scheme their studies. ‘These activities offer STREAMLINING THE through which two Palestinian skills which go beyond the activity STUDENT EXPERIENCE students are awarded scholarships itself—organisational and teamworking To succeed, students need a smooth university experience throughout their course years. The Registrar’s Office, steers and pulls together various strings to keep things running well. In 2002 the Student 1 in 10* UoM students is registered for a Information Management System Degree+ course (SIMS) was launched. In 2005 an online eSIMS portal—the first port of call for student course needs— became available, streamlining campus administration for students and staff. Arriving to this point was challenging. New technologies, staff training, regular updates, and enhancements were key. eSIMS replaced most paper communication, a plus for the *2015-2016 & P ersonalities P eople 23 Pro-Rector for Student and Institutional Affairs, Prof. Mary Anne Lauri speaking at the KSU Careers Convention. Photo by James Moffett

A key communication link is between students can either approach the office or be spotted if an anomaly in the Office and the Student Council their results is observed. The office (KSU). While this is not easy, since the reaches out to those students to figure out a reason why they might be KSU executive changes yearly, it is a anxious and advise on the best way forward providing the right assistance. worthwhile challenge to overcome. A key communication link is between the Office and the Student Council environment. Students can access Another positive change has been (KSU). While this is not easy, since the their own course information and for Gozitan students who can now KSU executive changes yearly, it is a receive notices at any time. They sit for most exams in Gozo instead worthwhile challenge to overcome. can apply for courses, access results, of taking an at least two-hour trek Another sector of the student or apply for transcripts. eSIMS to Malta. The Registrar’s Office use population are those with works with a VLE (Virtual Learning remote solutions like secure online different abilities. The institution Environment) allowing sharing facilities for examination papers to of the ACCESS-Disability Support of lecture content. Students are overcome the challenges this brought. Committee, chaired by Pro- informed if lectures are postponed The system handles around 600 Rector Prof. Mary Anne Lauri, and through email or mobile phone examinations covering 80% of the Support Unit, headed by Prof. messaging. Apart from eSIMS, the Gozitan student population. These Marie Alexander, have made a big Office publishes online and hard copy students can now easily arrive fresh difference to the lives of students Undergraduate and Postgraduate and on time for their examinations. with disability. They help provide prospectuses. These new Apart from technological upgrades, access to lectures and examinations. communication systems have helped the Registrar’s Office is also concerned At present, around 80 students change staff and student mindsets. with student wellbeing. Troubled are helped by this service. & P ersonalities P eople 24 Collective Agreement). They updated GRADUATIONS AND THE MANAGING PEOPLE contracts to include family-friendly ALUMNI EXPERIENCE There are almost 2,700 staff at the measures, teleworking, and other At some points in the UoM’s history University of Malta. The big increase employment benefits. These new the graduation ceremony was in in the number of staff necessitated a working practices for individuals jeopardy. Over the last 10 years a restructuring in the human resources are matched with a faculty’s needs. big push was made to give students office (Human Resource Management To work correctly, the jigsaw puzzle back this important ritual that brings and Development, HRMD) that needed a seachange in internal everyone together to celebrate a happened in the last eight years. structures. Fenech is very pleased, significant milestone in their life. Mindsets, working practices, and despite these radical changes, In 2008, an international competition major technology upgrades were relations are good with conflicts was launched for the design of Master needed. ‘The changes in policy and being resolved through dialogue. degree and Ph.D. gowns, trenchers, procedure are relatively easy to When the Rector was elected in birette, and colours. Designers from all implement but they give rise to the 2006 he planned major changes for over the world submitted their entries. ‘soft’ issues of resistance to change. the UoM. He foresaw the need for Dr Nicholas Groves’ (UK) designs won. We are dealing with people, each with highly qualified senior managerial Ede & Ravenscroft, possibly the best his or her own history and attitude,’ staff to coordinate all the changes gown makers in the world, created the said Jacqueline Fenech (Director). in work practices and construction Ph.D. gowns, colours, and birette. The The labour market in Malta has work that were needed. These gowns were introduced for the first changed. In the days when people staff had definite contracts with time in 2015. Finally, the beautiful looked for ‘safe haven’ employment, specific aims: the Administrative gowns and hoods all had an identical a job at the University was much Director was created. This role design and colours in the same shade. sought after. The University has attracted experts in IT services, The Foundation Day Concert, now pushed to retrain its workforce, knowledge transfer, library services, now in its ninth year, is held in one employ more people on a definite finance, EU fund management, of the most prestigious venues contract, and strives for more and other fields. Without that on the islands and was another fluid, dynamic employees. decision, the needed change would innovation to celebrate graduates’ Staff needs to be kept motivated. have been close to impossible. success. The Malta Philharmonic Successive collective agreements IT services have placed employees’ Orchestra performs popular classic for administrative and technical staff details online. The database can easily musical pieces and guests are have tried to adapt to the added be accessed and ‘talks’ to all other treated to a reception afterwards life pressures that progress has areas of the UoM. ‘Having this and in the superb La Vallette Hall. brought (see pg 14 for the Academic’s other technologies in place is,’ says Prior to the graduation ceremonies, which take place at the Sir Temi Zammit Hall (undergraduates) and the University Church, Valletta Campus (postgraduates), all graduands are invited to Holy Mass at the St John’s Cathedral Chapter. The events help create a sense of community for UoM students and staff. They start and leave their Alma Mater knowing that it really cares about them and will continue to do so through its alumni community (see pg 27 on alumni). Graduates walking to their graduation ceremony in Valletta. Photo by Tufigno Photo & Video Services & P ersonalities P eople 25 Fenech, ‘an enormous relief, but for Finalised in September 2011 to the limitations of commercial networks. HRMD it also means that all staff need tune of €8 million (part-financed by It enables research and education to be trained to use these systems.’ EU ERDF programme 2007–2013) applications that require transfer of Staff also see the benefits of being with the latest facilities and ICT high-definition digital content and able to view their personal information infrastructure. These include IT- real-time interaction including grid online, download payslips, and other enabled learning spaces for students, applications, multimedia interactive essential documents. ‘Just the online computer-equipped training rooms courses, and virtual laboratories. pay slips,’ Robert Abdilla (Senior for use by all UoM departments, The UoM supports access to GÉANT Executive, HRMD) tells me, ‘has saved and the latest videoconferencing for all of Malta’s research and hours of work and expenses.’ There facilities. The optical fibre cable educational institutions, including a are plans in the pipeline for further running under the UoM, efficiently large number of Government schools. online document access. ‘If people see connecting all of the Msida Campus, The university experience is similar a genuine benefit they will all come on has been updated. This network to a large tower. Each brick, every board and start asking for more of it.’ is in turn connected to GÉANT. support service, is needed to keep Whilst acknowledging the need GÉANT (co-funded by the European the top steady. Without a strong to push things when the going gets Commission) is a pan-European network it would quickly crumble tough Fenech’s open door policy and network connecting over 50 million leaving its staff and students stranded. readiness to listen, backed up by strong users across 40 European countries. The steady increase in staff and University structures designed to help This high-capacity infrastructure uses students, both local and international, all staff and students, has managed to advanced techniques to overcome the is a testament to its strength. see HRMD weather the challenges. Yet, there is still a wish list. ‘I would like to see the administrative staff practices more in tune with the academic changes. Student and academic life on campus is 8am to 8pm but that is not reflected in our other areas. I’m sure there are ways of achieving this change to the satisfaction of everyone,’ she adds with a smile.

KEEPING CONNECTED

IT Services was set up 20 years ago Photo by www.iCreatemtotionStudio.com by Photo as a dedicated IT support unit for the UoM. Started when the Internet was still taking off, the main mission of IT Services remains to empower UoM students and staff in their teaching, learning, and research activities through the use of ICT. It aims to provide them with the best possible IT support and state-of-the- art ICT facilities and infrastructure. To overcome a lack of space, a new IT Services building was constructed. & P ersonalities P eople 26 MY ALMA MATER The contacts we make at University can serve as vital information well beyond our university life. The Alumni Relations Office plays an important role in keeping ties between former students and their alma mater strong. Text and interviews by Veronica Stivala. & P ersonalities P eople 27 Keeping in touch with alumni

he University of Malta used to of contacts. We have over 40,000 graduates be the only institution of its kind, in Malta, or nearly one in ten people.’ now others have joined the field. The C&AR tries to build connections ‘It is good to have healthy rivalry between people, not raise funds. It organises and the UoM wanted to instill events and offers alumni assistance with Ta sense of attachment and pride between reunions while providing free space for a former students and their alma mater, which reception. The C&AR also publishes the remains the islands’ largest university,’ explains monthly e-newsletter, The Luminary, which Patricia Camilleri (Director, Communications features alumni oriented information. and Alumni Relations Office (C&AR)). Members can benefit from learning about The alumni section of the communications job opportunities and Camilleri hopes to enable office was added around ten years ago, its remit alumni to offer job opportunities, internships, has been to build an online alumni community, or discounts on their company’s services. with a real world presence. Camilleri speaks An attractive aspect of the C&AR is the proudly of a database which now has over Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award, 15,000 activated accounts. How did they which serves to honour those who have done build this database? ‘Initially we reached out admirable things, though, stresses Camilleri, ‘this to former students to opt in,’ she points out, is not a prize for excellence or fame, but rather ‘but since 2013 alumni accounts have been for those who have done a good job and have automatically activated. As an alumni member gone perhaps that extra proverbial mile such you are given a UoM IT account and can look up as Dr Maria Meilak and Dr Hector Fenech [see your peers.’ Speaking about the C&AR’s goals, articles in the following pages]’. These are the Camilleri says that ‘our aim is to have every role models the C&AR would like to call upon single living graduate on the database, which for its own students to look at and say ‘these are will in turn provide an extremely valuable list the kinds of people we would like you to be’. & P ersonalities P eople 28 NumbeStudentr o fpopulation Students –— TThenhen and and Now Now Left to right, top to bottom: Pro-Rector for Gozo, Prof. Joe Friggieri; Rector Prof. Juanito Camilleri; Chancellor Prof. David J. Attard; alumni and some former members of the KSU at the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award Ceremony; the Building Futures installation. Photos by V-Squared Media & Entertainment, and Tufigno Photo & Video Services.

~700 11,856

1970 2015 & P ersonalities P eople 29 have always been interested in communications. Even when I was in A look at school, I enjoyed building radios. My father was a radio technician. I’m sure that helped. I soon started designing my own circuits. During my some of the Masters in Eindhoven, I started thinking about satellite communications. After Eindhoven, I specialised in satellite communication during University’s Ia research assistantship in Bradford, UK. That led to joining Ferranti International climbing the ranks to become the Head of the Satellite noteworthy Communication Systems Group. After this experience I joined Eutelsat, ultimately becoming the Director of Future Satellite Systems. alumni Looking back, I initially felt my undergraduate course in Malta was too broad however, I swiftly realised that I was also into engineering. When I received my Masters scholarship, I quickly found my degree to be a solid foundation. In Bradford, when pursuing my Ph.D., I felt that was what engineering was all about: spot a problem and let your imagination run free until you find a solution. In a way, this system engineering approach can serve as a life philosophy. In 1998, the International Telecommunication Union organised the Dr Hector Fenech World Telecommunication Development Conference in Malta. Jean Grenier (Director General, Eutelsat) asked me to set up a meeting with Maltacom. graduated B.Sc. (Eng.) in That meeting established a relationship with Tony Mejlaq and Prof. Saviour 1978 (University of Malta). Zammit. This encounter proved key to later establishing WINS, a Maltese He is director of the satellite joint venture to provide satellite communication services to ships. communications company In 2004, I was involved with the TWISTER Study: (Terrestrial Future Satellite Systems Wireless Infrastructure integrated with Satellite Telecommunication at Eutelsat. He received for e-Rural), a three-year EU funded project (FP6) meant to deploy the Outstanding Alumni satellite broadband communication solutions for rural areas. The €8.5m Achievement Award in project was led by Airbus Defence and Space. Saviour and I worked February 2016. on establishing a Ka-band satellite link between Malta and Gozo. This produced a virtual lecture room in Gozo so Gozitan students could follow lectures from Malta in an interactive fashion. In 2007, I started giving a short course on Satellite Communications at the UoM. You need to be passionate about your career. Then life will be fun. There is so much to be learned. A degree is only a passport, not the end goal. & P ersonalities P eople 30 had always wished to dedicate at least two years of my working Dr Maria Meilak life as a volunteer in developing countries. When I finished graduated M.D. in 1973 medical school I worked for two years at St Luke’s Hospital (University of Malta). She is a in Malta to improve my surgery proficiency before helping medical surgeon and co-founded others. I thought surgery would cause the least problems in the Voluntary Lay Missions Ilanguage communication since I hoped that all my patients would Group. She is also President of be anaesthetised! Malta was an excellent training ground. the Society for the Transport My first experience overseas was with Concern Ireland who sent me of Sick People to Lourdes. to Ethiopia in 1975. Sadly, there was a civil war going on during this She received the Outstanding time. I lived for about nine months in a house shared with female Irish Alumni Achievement Award in volunteers. They were great and I learnt a lot from them, but I realised February 2016. the difficulty for a Maltese volunteer to live with other foreigners in a country where English was not spoken much. I believe you need to know the nuances of a language when it comes to sharing a home. This experience planted the idea of Voluntary Lay Missionaries. When I returned from Ethiopia I started to work on this organisation helping volunteers in Malta to offer their services overseas for a minimum of a year. Then in 1985, with the approval of the late Archbishop Joseph Mercieca and others, we founded the organisation. Between 2000 and 2013, we organised a yearly course in Missiology with the Faculty of Theology, UoM. Several students commented on how rewarding volunteering was. My advice to young university students is to follow your dream. If you are a believer pray to see what the Lord wants of you. Whatever career you decide upon, try to offer some of your time as a service freely not because you have to. When you are qualified, continue giving this service, even if you can only afford a short amount of time and I can assure you, you will be happy if you do this. Always be kind. & P ersonalities P eople 31 part from the knowledge I gained from my course, the human experience at university was invaluable. I could build on my skills but it was also a time where I could experiment and do all that excited me. While I never missed a single lecture, I participated in student life first asA an SDM (Studenti Demokristjani Maltin) member and then with ASA (Arts Students Association), and finally with the student council (KSU). University also taught me how to think critically and develop my Annalisa own mind. However, my biggest achievement was public speaking. Schembri I was and still am a shy person but through the various activities I graduated B.A. Italian found myself participating in, I managed to overcome this hurdle. and English in 2005. The contacts I made helped build the network that I still make use of She is former JCI (Junior today. When I started at JCI seven years ago, this experience from university Chamber International) was incredible even compared to others with important positions. Being Malta President and is JCI Malta president last year and now being elected on the European currently a councilor of the Development Council have been the highlights of my life. University instilled JCI European Development in me a sense of active participation and responsibility towards being Council. Professionally she is better, and I now want to give back some of what I know and have learnt. a freelancer in the creative, My ties with university have always remained strong. Within a few education, and entertainment months of graduating I started working at DegreePlus. While I learned industry. a lot in this position it also served as an eye-opener and I realised that a nine-to-five job was not for me. It pushed me to follow my heart strongly and become a freelancer and while taking this plunge was not easy, it was the right thing for me. I now love the freedom this gives me. I believe it is important to take the time to see what you really want to do. In Malta, we don’t have the culture and structure of taking a year off from higher education studies and maybe it is now needed more than ever. See the world as it really is, imagine it better, and work towards that goal. And another point, take full advantage of your time at university. Don’t just go to lectures and go home. There is more to student life. I’m doing what I’m doing today not only because of my course but because I was always hungry for more. & P ersonalities P eople 32 Bernard t was 1996 and unlike most 13-year-olds I didn’t spend a lot of time Schembri playing computer games, but I really enjoyed creating computer graphics. When I had Internet access I started wanting to express that graduated B.Sc. I.T. (Hons) in creativity online. Back in the real world, I had just started playing table 2004. He is the founder of tennis competitively, so I decided my first site would be about that. the table tennis website store IThree years later an American table tennis video production company megaspin.net. approached me to sell its VHS tapes for a commission. They had no idea I was 16. I knew nothing about running a business but I decided to give it a try. I used some pocket money and started thinking big. I decided to build a bigger website to get more companies to sell every possible table tennis product, plus it was the perfect opportunity for me to learn how to program. megaspin.net launched in 2001. Fifteen years later it is still running with seven-digit annual sales. Those VHS tapes are no longer for sale though. I already knew how to program when I started my IT degree but the course gave me a much wider view of information technology which proved to be very useful later on. University is a lot more than the subjects you learn in the lecture room. The IT course definitely helped me improve my problem solving skills, manage my time, and work in teams. The business took a lot of trial and error but I see it as an ongoing process. I am still reading books and learning. Business skill requirements change over time, especially if you are running an online business. My advice is to be aware of what you don’t know and always be willing to learn. Fortunately, there’s plenty of material online and a lot of it is free or very cheap. University’s startup incubator TakeOff is a great support community for local tech startups, and I am happy to support it through mentoring. You can read plenty of business books, but books don’t talk back at you, at least not yet. If you isolate yourself as a startup founder, you may be missing out on important feedback and advice. It is never too late and never too early. If you are a student it may be the best time to start because it will be harder to find spare time when you have a full time job. If you run an online business, you have access to the same global market as anyone else in the world with an Internet connection. This may sound obvious but it has never been so easy to reach such a large audience from Malta. Find a niche you are passionate about, offer something of value to others, and start small. The money will come later. & P ersonalities P eople 33 How to make an engineer

Lars Lorenz interviews Dr Ing. Andrew Sammut to find out about the Faculty of Engineering’s recent EU funded laboratory and the research it has enabled. & P ersonalities P eople 34 any engineering electronic designs. This means only around 5cm3 in size that are graduates are well students can use industry standard launched into low-earth orbit. They trained in theoretical software to virtually test and improve can be used as an experimental work, but can come their design, then build it with real platform to gather information up short in practice. components. Students can produce about the earth’s atmosphere, or MTo combat this deficit, the Faculty of entire circuit boards from scratch, to enhance telecommunications. A Engineering has invested heavily in and combine all their components to CubeSat costs €30,000 rather than laboratory equipment. The most recent create a finished product. Individual the €50 million that regular satellites is a €839,442 EU grant, which has parts can easily be created by utilising cost. Other ongoing projects involve helped with the modernising of the the laboratories’ high-precision the design of navigation systems prototyping facility at the Department manufacturing machinery. For the for drones and the instrumentation of Electronic Systems Engineering. final assembly students can make of the University’s racing car. Students can now work in a fully use of various professional soldering What is great about this set-up equipped laboratory fitted with state- equipment, semi-automated assembly, is that students work alongside of-the-art equipment. The laboratory and sophisticated rework stations. experienced researchers, gaining skills is designed to replicate the standard The lab is used for many research they can use throughout their career. electronic production lifecycle projects. Project leader Dr Ing. With engineering forming the common in real world industry. Andrew Sammut (Dean, Faculty of backbone of Malta’s industry and To experiment with new ideas and Engineering) draws attention to one infrastructure, it remains crucially potential products, the laboratory project that involves the building of important for Malta’s economy allows the simulation of complex CubeSats. These are tiny satellites, to train excellent engineers. & P ersonalities P eople 35

RESEARCH & KNOWLEDGE Photo by Jean Claude Vancell Claude Jean by Photo Muscat. Richard Prof. Pro-rector A Rags to Riches story

One man identified ‘play’ as its highest form. One woman called it ‘formalised curiosity’. Many describe it as ‘knowledge creation’. In developed nations, high quality research is indispensable. A strong economy is built upon expert insight that is transferred to government policy, business, and education. Today, the University of Malta (UoM) boasts a complex infrastructure that exposes academics to numerous funds, provides them with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, and promotes their work in one fell swoop. But things weren’t always this way. Cassi Camilleri speaks to Pro-Rector Prof. Richard Muscat among others to uncover the leaps made over the last decade to encourage local cutting-edge research. & K nowledge R esearch 38 university’s primary rocket into the thousands. An important integrated within the local community, responsibility is to ingredient, however, remained missing. producing knowledge through research teach’. In a world The lacunae in postgraduate and thus placing itself at the heart of where economies programmes, research practices, and government agendas. It is involved are increasingly research infrastructure were largely in providing the necessary material Aknowledge-driven, is this statement unaddressed. This, compounded by for policy that is sound and effective, still relevant? Most would say no. dwindling resources and meagre benefitting the country and its people. It And yet, in Malta, this idea has been funding opportunities, continued to is also an institution that acts as a direct a major obstacle in the way of the hold the institution back. Thankfully, contributor to the economy, spawning UoM’s development for years. things have changed since then. the companies of today and tomorrow— In an interview with newspaper ‘A university without research is a a centre of innovation that will attract Malta Today, outgoing rector Prof. secondary school,’ says Pro-rector for talent and business investment. Juanito Camilleri stated outright Research and Innovation Prof. Richard It was with Prof. Juanito Camilleri’s that decades ago Malta missed out Muscat. Even when it comes to teaching inauguration as rector in 2006, on ‘major investments’ that would at university level, ‘you have to know that all of this began in earnest. have seen the UoM make huge what is going on out there. You have to leaps towards becoming a source be doing your own research. Without LAYING DOWN of research and innovation in this research, you can almost forget about FOUNDATIONS country. But this was not to be. And it professing on your subject at the is no secret. While other institutions required level.’ But there is so much There are three things you need across Europe were busy setting up more that a university stands for, to to undergo research, says Muscat; their research infrastructure, stocking be considered a fully-fledged one. talented researchers doing their M.Sc.s, up their labs and producing critical Echoing Camilleri’s thoughts, as M.A.s, Ph.D.s, postdoctoral projects, studies ours was ‘stuck’ as an almost expressed in his invaluable report, together with research infrastructure purely teaching institution—a problem 2020 Vision or Optical Illusion, Muscat and funds. The last decade has seen that haunts the UoM till today. says that a real university is one that is the UoM strategically ticking That said, positive steps have been taken. During their terms of office, former rectors Professors Edwin Borg While other institutions across Costanzi, Peter Serracino Inglott, and Roger Ellul-Micallef successfully Europe were busy setting up their delivered a substantial number of study research infrastructure, stocking programmes in varying disciplines. The new paths available served the UoM up their labs and producing critical well, attracting an unprecedented studies ours was ‘stuck’ as an almost interest from the student body and seeing the number of yearly graduates purely teaching institution. & K nowledge R esearch 39 Funds obtained betweeen 2006-2016 one box after another, laying the (excluding ERDF and ESF funding) foundations and building up these critical ingredients. ‘We took it step by step, determining ERASMUS+ Other what needed to be done and € 1,936,970 € 13,480,325 what we could do, depending on the timeframe and resources,’ Italia Malta says Muscat, ‘and it started with € 4,152,788 the Project Support Office (PSO).’ It has been followed by the Research Infrastructure Support € 36,424,378 Unit (RIFSU) and, this year, R&I 2006 – 2016 the Research Support Services € 4,254,260 Total Directorate (RSSD) that will provide the academic with a one stop shop for research projects. Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) Resources for research FP7 € 4,547,246 € 8,052,789 being conducted prior to 2004 were practically non-existent. Few could run any large-scale research projects at the UoM. Upon Malta’s joining of the European Union, a new wave of funds including administrative and financial was unleashed. Researchers wanted support, as well as advice on technical, to make the most of their newfound HR, and legal aspects. In a nutshell, opportunities and project proposals the organisation helps researchers flooded into the rector’s office at an build their project from the ground impressive rate. With no structure to up and continues providing support organise the influx, the whole thing We took it step by throughout its implementation. In this turned into a logistical nightmare. way, the PSO not only strengthens Faced with mountains of files on his step, determining individuals’ performances but also first day as rector, all of them awaiting what needed enhances the research environment his signature, Camilleri swiftly began of the whole University. proceedings to establish the PSO. to be done and With the PSO, and the organisational Now headed by Christian Bonniċi, what we could framework it brought with it, came a the PSO is no longer just about major overhaul in UoM’s laboratories— streamlining the process through do, depending on mostly EU funded. The new additions which research proposals would included the Biomedical Engineering receive approval by the rector. The the timeframe laboratories, the Renewable Energy structure, bringing people in from the and resourcesand labs as well as the new Chemistry international, finance, and legal offices labs at Junior College. State-of-the- remains, but their responsibilities have it started with art equipment was also shipped in. grown, as has the team, going from the Project The top-of-the-line Vicon Motion just three to twenty-eight. The PSO Analysis System was installed at the now offers a wide range of services, Support Office. Biomedical Engineering Laboratory. & K nowledge R esearch 40 Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff von Elisa by Photo

The motion capture device, among is very limiting. Purchasing a few of entrepreneurial entities all of other things, analyses gait in humans, milligrams of a particular enzyme which work in some way, shape, or a service which, according to Prof. costs at least €1,000. This would form to empower researchers and Ing. Kenneth Camilleri (Centre for last for just a few experiments. So add value to their work, including Biomedical Cybernetics, Faculty of in a few weeks, basically, my monies that of the monetary kind. Engineering) will help numerous dry up. Obviously, we need more.’ At the top of the list is the Corporate health professionals treat Maltese The Maltese government supports Research and Knowledge Transfer patients in the not-so-distant future. most of the UoM’s financing. It doles Office (CR & KTO), responsible for out millions every year to cover salaries establishing the UoM’s Intellectual and basic running costs. Better policies Property Policy, which helped TIME TO GROW UP: could help the UoM grow. However, academics identify and protect their A QUESTION OF the government alone cannot invest IPs for the first time, and TAKEOFF, SUSTAINABILITY enough in the UoM. In his 2020 the incubator that brought us Funds and resources are problematic Vision report, Camilleri stated that MightyBox’s internationally acclaimed worldwide. Science and research investment would have needed to Posthuman board game. The next are expensive. Muscat brings up grow by 33% between 2011 and stop was the Research, Development the example of the University’s 2013 in order for the University to and Innovation Trust (RIDT) which Research Fund Committee which keep up with the necessary growth. sources private investment for high is allocated €500,000 per year for In 2013 this would have meant quality R&D. So far, the RIDT has taken research. Unfortunately, that barely an extra €72 million. Government the government’s initial investment covers any research costs. ‘With did not match these needs. of €500,000 and doubled it; a 200 projects running per year, every Seeking to tackle the issue head tremendous achievement. Lastly, is the researcher will recieve €2,500. This on, Camilleri set up a number Centre for Entrepreneurship & K nowledge R esearch 41 and Business Incubation (CEBI), them.’ All the work done would end the best institutions worldwide, the newest addition to the group, up being undermined or lost. which is close to the EU average. set up to stimulate growth of Camilleri has been commended for And now this work is also entrepreneurship across numerous his initiatives, with representatives gaining appreciation from the industries, including science and from each office crediting him as general public thanks to another technology, media, and the creative ‘instrumental’ in getting things off the project Camilleri helped bring industries, and many more. With ground. And this has translated into a to fruition—Think magazine. help from the KTO, CEBI now offers real boost in research. ‘In research, the Think is yet another attempt to a Master programme in Knowledge- proof of the pudding is in the eating,’ bring the UoM closer to the Maltese Based Entrepreneurship, a move that says Muscat, ‘and that often relates to people, and a successful one at will help turn UoM ideas into new numbers, the academic totals and the that. Think editor Dr Edward Duca Maltese startups that will grow into papers they publish.’ Looking into this, (Communications & Alumni Relations companies working with the UoM. the results are impressive. The total Office, University of Malta) describes ‘The crux of all this, the big picture, number of academics at the UoM has Camilleri as a ‘visionary and a is to have Maltese professionals, ‘increased over the past 10 years with genius’ who supported his vision for Maltese IP, and Maltese companies,’ some 10% from overseas.’ The same ‘drastic change’ in the way the UoM says Muscat. ‘Having foreign could be said for their publications. communicated with the public. Some investment supporting research at In research, the UoM has gone from warned that he might lose his job the UoM is positive,’ he says, but publishing about 500 papers in peer- over the approach. However, Duca we need to be aware that ‘if all your reviewed journals in 2005 to 2,500 found nothing but support from the major companies are foreign and in 2015, a tremendous leap on both rector, leading Think to grow and they decide to move their business counts. One in ten are published become the prime publication that elsewhere, nothing is going to stop in top tier journals competing with it is; gaining mainstream popularity being distributed at news outlets Recurrent revenue profile of the University of Malta

€ 100 million Asked to describe

€ 80 million his experience working with € 60 million Camilleri for the last 10 € 40 million years, Muscat encapsulates it € 20 million all eloquently into just one € 0

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 word—‘Fun’.

N.B.: The 2013 budget was augmented by an additional €7 million after the election. & K nowledge R esearch 42 across the island and online, garnering respect beyond the islands’ shores.

WE’RE NOT QUITE DONE YET

Naturally, there is plenty more that needs to be done. While these entities are now working around the clock to turn the UoM into an institution that generates a greater proportion of its income, the journey is not over yet. New revenue streams need to be found. Improving international rankings and greater marketing of the University to countries further afield would be leave this question to his successor. ‘At the end of the day, this is the one way of doing it, Minister Owen ‘The opening of the Life Science way we worked. He came to me Bonnici wrote in a scathing article in Park, situated next to Mater Dei with an idea. I shared my ideas and the Times of Malta in 2011, echoing Hospital, will be a major milestone for we planned a way forward. We what everyone else was thinking. Malta. The task of the new rectorate kept each other posted. I asked However, a brief analysis of that will be to increase the number of for his backing 100%, he gave suggestion reveals this is undoubtedly Ph.D.s graduating annually to at least that to me and more, and off we a case of ‘easier said than done’. 50 and postdocs to match. This key went. It was a constant evolving With EU rules in place, students number would allow local spin-off conversation, back and forth.’ from member states, like local ones, companies to develop,’ says Muscat. The incoming rectorate has many are entitled to a free education. So ‘Those to me are the next goals for obstacles to overcome but, unlike while marketing the University is the new rectorate, if we are to have 10 years ago, a solid foundation important, the institution also needs our own life science companies.’ on which to build is now in place. to maintain sustainable numbers of Asked to describe his experience Muscat supports the incoming rector, EU nationals. This situation has seen working with Camilleri for the last Prof. Alfred Vella, and his new team. the UoM spending increasingly large 10 years, Muscat encapsulates it all It is time to ‘pass on the baton’; sums of money marketing to students eloquently into just one word—‘Fun’. work will continue in earnest. from non-EU countries like Oman, Kuwait, India, China, and the USA. It has also given rise to one of Camilleri’s most controversial propositions in his 2020 Vision report—to start READ MORE charging course fees. Of course, this is • Bonnici, Owen. ‘Malta Needs a Better University.’ Times of Malta, 4 May 2011. Web. nothing short of a political landmine, • Laveira, Nestor. ‘Not Playing Happy Schools | Juanito Camilleri.’ one that many choose to steer clear MaltaToday, 22 Mar. 2011. Web. of and ignore, but education is not • Camilleri, Juanito. 2020 Vision or Optical Illusion? University of Malta, free and neither is research, making 2010. Print. it an unavoidable eventuality. Now at the end of his term, Camilleri will & K nowledge R esearch 43 Think Research, Think Malta

Research is progress. Without it, we would not have found cures for diseases, or solved some of the world’s problems. Thanks to the University of Malta’s shift from teaching to research, research publications have more than quadrupled since 2006. Dr Edward Duca takes a look at some of the University’s star research projects.

esearch helps solve the find EU funding programmes, apply for CRUMBLING UNDER PAPERS world’s problems. You them, and administer them. ‘Academics need research to figure are not really interested in doing that When Camilleri became rector in 2006, out if drugs are harmful, if work themselves. Our team encourages EU projects needed his signature a chemical can be turned academics to get into more projects but he lacked advisors. There was no Rinto a treatment, if heavy incarceration because they know they don’t need one specialised in EU projects, which really does reduce crime, or if certain to do that [administrative] part,’ points are a unique bureaucratic monster. policies work to help children achieve out Alexandra Attard (Senior Manager, ‘People were getting into them but more in life. Research is happening PST). The team reflects a change in there weren’t the right support worldwide. Research is happening mentality for administration at UoM. structures,’ notes Bonnici. UoM lost at the University of Malta (UoM). ‘When we were interviewing PST most funds between 2002 and 2006. There has been a shift from teaching employees they had to understand By 2007, Camilleri had set up the to research, as part of outgoing that ultimately we have to provide a PST, bringing together members from rector Prof. Juanito Camilleri’s service,’ continues Attard. ‘“Servant the International, Finance, and Legal vision. Research publications have leadership” is the basis upon which this Offices, with Bonnici joining in 2008. more than quadrupled since 2006, project support office has been built,’ Set up officially as an offshoot of a result of the big increase in the Christian Bonnici (Deputy Director, the Finance Office, Bonnici, with the number of academics freed up PST) states proudly. His ethos is a support of his superiors and team, then by a new collective agreement in novel mix of mutual respect, while ‘beefed up the structure […] to get into 2009. Key to their enablement doing a job efficiently: ‘I need to serve the non-financial matters’. He started was over €40 million in research you [the academic] for the most basic hiring people to provide a one-stop funding, most of it from the EU. things while leading you to identify the shop, from legal to hiring needs, for And it was the Project Support Team right funding opportunity […]. But if I every EU application. Cleverly, PST (PST) that enabled access to this EU serve you then you should trust that asked academics to add its costs to EU funding. The team helps academics I will lead you in the right direction.’ projects, slowly growing a team with & K nowledge R esearch 44 Number of publications by the University of Malta every project UoM won. The team (1981-2015) now stands at around 30 members. Bonnici believes that the best thing that happened to PST was an online administrative management system called AIMS. AIMS ‘was the biggest investment in research support […]. It helps prepare timesheets, finance systems, and project reporting. Although it might be unappreciated, AIMS has simplified our work [and] helped eliminate cases for ineligible funds’. The PST also employs Ph.D. level staff, a radical move for an administrative office at the UoM. Every employee has a degree at PST. The highly qualified workforce has ‘gained a lot of confidence from the academics.’ PST has joined an EU funded COST Research publications have more project called BESTPRAC aimed at than quadrupled since 2006, a result developing a ‘best practice in research management and administration’ of the big increase in the number between 30 different institutions of academics freed up by a new around Europe. Apart from developing benchmarks for what each PST collective agreement in 2009. & K nowledge R esearch 45 around Europe should be achieving, cake, our dream,’ affirms Attard. genome from the project will be used ‘the group is acting as a lobbying group While a Maltese research project in studies from cancer to heart attacks. with the EU.’ Malta has a voice to better was the main recipient of this grant, Over one in three deaths in Malta match EU funds with the local scenario. it is not the only project to have are due to cardiovascular disease. The Ph.D. research these employees received ERC funding. The FRAGSUS A large-scale study headed by undergo is usually work-related. So project, awarded funding in 2013, Dr Stephanie Bezzina-Wettinger you end up with ‘a finance person saw Malta involved in the largest (Faculty of Health Sciences) is using specialised in research, and a ever local archaeological study to the lifestyle and health data with genetic procurement person specialised in tune of €2.49 million. A team of 80 information to find out why. The first research—it changes the mentality people, coordinated by Prof. Caroline findings have shown the typical links completely,’ and explains their success. Malone (Queen’s University Belfast) between genes and lifestyle. However, and led in Malta by Prof. Nicholas the Maltese population might have Vella (Department of Classics of a higher genetic predisposition than FEATHERS IN THE Archaeology, Faculty of Arts), are Europe to heart attacks, due to a UNIVERSITY’S CAP trying to figure out what wiped out higher rate of diabetes, a common The UoM recently won one of the an ancient civilisation—referred to risk factor. Sequencing around 1,000 most prestigious funds available as the Temple People—who built participants will tease out the reasons. to academics. Dr Aaron Micallef the oldest free-standing stone Another research group led by Prof. (Department of Geosciences, Faculty of structures in the world. The civilisation Joseph N. Grima (Faculty of Science &

Science) was awarded €1.7 million to mysteriously disappeared in 2500bc. others from the Faculty of Medicine & study how fresh water can be collected Maltese history is a rich source Surgery) is taking a different approach. at the bottom of seas and oceans. He for academic research: the Knights These surgeons and mathematical wants to do this by comparing waters of St John, the artist Caravaggio, the modellers want to prevent future heart around Malta and New Zealand. Baroque period, the French and British attacks by introducing heart stents ‘This ERC grant was new for colonial era, and other topics within the with a groundbreaking auxetic design. everybody. What we need to do now Mediterranean region are all studied Auxetic materials do not shrink when is see what resources are required intensely (various departments and stretched, so the stent (a tube that and meet those resources,’ points the Faculty of Arts). But also interested helps keep heart vessels open) would out Bonnici. ERC grants ‘gauge the in Maltese history are geneticists. not collapse on itself. The approach success of a university. Obtaining Geneticists look at the historical should help prevent blood vessel this funding was the cherry on the records within our bodies. The Maltese blockage reducing heart attacks. Genome Project (Faculty of Medicine A separate study into diabetes by Dr and Surgery, Faculty of Health Sarah Cuschieri (Faculty of Medicine The Project Sciences) is planning to sequence & Surgery) is looking into the disease’s 1% of the local population. Its first genetic and lifestyle links in Malta. Support Team achievement is discovering that the She wants to find out which gene Maltese population originates from 12th differences, when coupled with certain also employs century Siculo-Arabic roots. The same lifestyles, tend to lead to diabetes. Ph.D. level staff, a researchers identified the KLF1 gene in Another highly innovative study by the Maltese families involved in the blood Diabetes Foot Research Group (various radical move for disorder thalassaemia. Further studies UoM faculties and Mater Dei Hospital) an administrative are trying to see how gene therapy is trying to develop a relatively cheap and precision medicine can treat and quick way to diagnose diabetes. office at the UoM. thalassaemia patients. The reference The group is using a thermal imaging & K nowledge R esearch 46 Total expenditure on new projects 2001‑2016

2001-2010 2010-2016 €1.08 million per annum €5.28 million per annum

camera to see if the temperature of the Other engineers collaborating with even consciously seen (Faculty of person varies from normal—an early surgeons are improving minimally Media and Knowledge Sciences). And sign that a person could be diabetic. invasive surgery called Laparoscopic linguists are looking into how humans The University also runs breast surgery, reducing the recovery and machines can speak to each other. cancer research programmes, with local time for patients—advances that Maltese speaking robots might be on scientists having identified a critical can be used the world over. the way (Faculty of ICT, Institute of role for PP2A (protein serine/threonine As the human body’s most Linguistics). Our brains are beautiful. phosphatase type 2A) as a possible complex organ, the brain can also By 2030, Malta might have 10,000 therapy target. Kidney disease has go wrong. The newly set up Malta people with dementia. Dr Charles also been earmarked as a problem that Neuroscience Network covers Scerri (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery) needs research solutions. For the first research from Alzheimer’s disease has just led a team that devised a time in Malta, many of these projects to SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). National Dementia Strategy to use are being funded by various NGOs Using the fruit fly model, researchers research to mitigate the problem. A (attracted by the University’s Research are trying to discover if polyphenols collaboration with Perit Alexia Mercieca Trust, RIDT); civil society has clearly in the Mediterranean diet can (Faculty for the Built Environment) is decided that these issues are important mitigate Alzheimer’s, while others seeing dementia-friendly buildings enough to require research solutions. are unraveling disease mechanisms being designed. The same faculty is Apart from genes and diagnosing for new SMA therapies. The network collaborating with seismologists to disease, other researchers are replacing also uses the mouse model for stroke assess the earthquake risk around or augmenting body parts. Some imaging studies, investigates medical Malta, to learn how earthquakes are using biocompatible Portland marijuana use in epilepsy, and explores behave, and to then measure how the cement (the same as the one used in depression treatments, to name a few. current stock of buildings would react. the construction industry, but with a The brain is also something to The Maltese Islands are the most built few critical tweaks) for better dental be celebrated. Rather than disease, up country in the EU, with one third implants (Faculty of Engineering, some cognitive scientists study of the islands covered in buildings, so Faculty of Dental Surgery). Teeth how we remember things and make this study could not be more timely. could soon be upgraded. Others are decisions. Others study how the brain Researchers also study the seas making hip joints that last longer and understands information that changes around Malta. A team led by Prof. are less likely to be toxic (Faculty of as time passes: a frown turned into Patrick J. Schembri (Faculty of Science) Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and a smile, a baseball moving through has studied an endless list of creatures Surgery). Nearly 150 people needed space that we need to grab, or how that includes fish, beautiful white hip replacements in 2014 in Malta. our brain reacts to changes it hasn’t coral, snails, limpets, and crabs. & K nowledge R esearch 47 Through the EU-funded CoCoNet project these studies are being linked to others all around the Mediterranean, creating a patchwork of knowledge to link marine protected areas sea-wide. The seas around Malta hold other secrets. Underwater archaeologists led by Dr Timmy Gambin recently found WWII submarines, Roman trade ships, and a 2,700-year-old Phoenician merchant vessel. Some of the largest EU projects have been attracted by Prof. Aldo Drago (Faculty of Science) to study the physical oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea from surveillance and security to wave conditions and current patterns. These answer questions

about anything as diverse as wave project LifeMedGreenRoof The energy potential to oil spill response. Biologists also study the plants around Malta, while others study chemicals that use less water, an These projects just scratch the insects (Faculty of Science, Institute innovative approach that sees sound surface of the wealth of research of Earth Systems). Such studies cavity bubbles used to clean food. happening at the UoM. EU funding are vital to identify which areas The UoM covers even more diverse has enabled the above research, require environmental protection research subjects. Researchers from though some funds come from while safeguarding important the Department of English (Faculty government or are self-generated by industries like beekeeping. of Arts) are studying contemporary the UoM. While research output has Maltese honey appears to have literature and posthumanism, skyrocketed, challenges still exist. medical properties. One of the three analysing the effect of modern ‘Academics remain heavily loaded varieties produced locally has been technology on our lives. ICT scientists with teaching,’ laments Bonnici. shown to cure wounds with studies are collaborating with the particle Another issue is the availability of carried out at the University (Institute accelerator in CERN to understand funds specifically dedicated for of Earth Systems, Faculty of Science, the physical matter that makes up research. There are no national funds Faculty of Medicine and Surgery) in the universe. Others are studying supporting basic scientific research. collaboration with industry experts microelectronic devices used in Doctorate and postdoctorate funds hint at much more powerful medical smart phones, or machine learning, run by government now exist, yet properties. Other researchers are both of which have huge industrial Ph.D. funds are still woefully small studying Maltese wine. Oenologists applications. And large EU funds are while the postdoc grant scheme called and engineers have set up a wine also being obtained for aeronautics REACH HIGH, while a step in the right research station run on renewable research (Faculty of Engineering, direction, has its pitfalls. Apart from energy to prove certain wine making Institute of Aerospace Technologies). this, the UoM needs an autonomous concepts (Faculty of Engineering). The Clean Sky 1/2 and Clean Flight structure for it to raise more funding From a completely different angle, 2 project studied air transport which it can use efficiently and food scientist Dr Vasilis Valdramidis pollution aiming to lower it by strategically in research. The staff is studying how to prepare clean 20–30%. Malta played a multimillion might be more enabled, but now the food using approaches with fewer role in this transformative project. institution needs empowerment. & K nowledge R esearch 48 & K nowledge R esearch 49 & K nowledge R esearch 50 Collaboration matters The DMME is one of the University of Malta’s best-equipped departments and collaborates with many others. Lars Lorenz meets Dr Ing. Glenn Cassar to find out more.

esearch needs expensive, high- team provide scientific advice and help. They end equipment. Measurements also assist industrial partners, which generate need extreme accuracy while revenue that is entirely reinvested into the microscopes need to peer at the laboratory. Doing so allows the DMME team to atomic level when analysing materials. maintain its equipment to the highest standards. RTo maximise resources items needs to be ‘The laboratory’s star piece is the Scanning shared and well managed. Over half a dozen Electron Microscope (SEM)’, says Cassar. The faculties at the University of Malta (UoM) use equipment, priced over €830,000, allows the Department of Metallurgy and Materials researchers to see the structure of materials Engineering (DMME)’s equipment according down to a magnitude smaller than the width to Dr Ing. Glenn Cassar (Head of DMME). of a human hair. The microscopic world is This is one of the reasons the DMME was beautiful to visualise, but this microscope can

outfitted with over €5.5 million worth of equipment give detailed information about a material’s Brockdorff von Elisa by Photos over the last 10 years, with a huge chunk coming chemical composition and surface structure. from a €4.4 million ERDF grant in 2009. Currently the equipment cannot be used at Material engineering is a highly interdisciplinary full capacity. The limited space leads to the field. Novel materials designed for hip joints, teeth, machines interfering with each other. In the automotive parts, tools, and other applications are coming years the department will move into all tested in collaboration with medics, scientists, a new building specifically designed for their and dentists from other faculties. Cassar and his requirements as part of the UoM’s Master Plan. & K nowledge R esearch 51

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION & I nnovation E ntrepreneurship 54 Turning university ideas into business

What qualifies as a business savvy idea or a piece of research with commercial potential? Should the idea be shared or kept secret, and how long does it take to get rich? Veronica Stivala explores the development of a University idea from research to market.

ou have a great idea for a business question may sound simple, it is a complicated or perhaps you’ve conducted process. In a nutshell, he notes, ‘you have to have research which has the potential something to sell, that is, a product or service.’ to be developed into a possibly Echoing Smith’s words, Martina Pace lucrative business. But what are the (Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO), UoM, set Ysteps you need to take to ensure its success? up in 2009) points out how ‘an entrepreneur Who should you share the ideas with and whom needs to find opportunities where it makes should you collaborate with, if anyone at all? sense to sell a product or service. If such an The University of Malta (UoM) has a number opportunity also responds to a national or of structures in place that can help guide an social need, that’s great, but not necessary academic or entrepreneur in the right direction. for the success of the entrepreneur.’ I speak to the various experts on campus Unsurprisingly, money is the main problem since who guide me through the process of how one has to raise the finance to get [the idea] from to turn a university idea into a business. research stage through to commercialisation. ‘A successful venture,’ observes Smith, ‘has to have the opportunity to raise investment (selling shares TYPES OF IDEAS, RESEARCH to investors known as “equity finance”). It has to be First things first. Which ideas or types of research something that can sell in huge quantities.’ A drug qualify to be turned into business ventures? would be a good example of such an invention. & I nnovation Professor and Entrepreneur Russell Smith (Centre The KTO has worked with ideas like these and for Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation, has a long list of successes: 42 patent applications, UoM, set up in 2013) admits that while the 20 granted patents, eight design registrations, E ntrepreneurship 55 and 70 disclosures. It also brought to working with the right people and competes with buying your product,’ Malta Climate LaunchPad, a business having the right culture within the she notes. ‘Once you have this idea competition, and Falling Walls company that will create a good information,’ continues Pace, ‘expert Labs, another competition for the best working environment. TAKEOFF advice should be sought, for example, research work, ideas, and initiatives. tries to bring together these through the TAKEOFF Business Pace notes that, if the KTO can components for technology and Incubator to help navigate through the show that an idea has commercial knowledge-based entrepreneurs by IP (intellectual property) field and other potential through its market research, helping start-ups transform their areas, which can be time-consuming it will choose to spend time trying to ideas and innovations into market- and complicated for the entrepreneur.’ promote that idea or technology to and investor-ready businesses. potential ‘buyers’. The only determining WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? factor as to whether something can STARTING FROM be successfully commercialised is A key point in the commercialisation SCRATCH… TIMELINES finding the right ‘buyer’. In the case of a university idea is that—in Smith’s of university technology, this is likely A point to keep in mind in the words—‘nothing belongs to the to be a company that is willing to development of a university idea is academics.’ Intellectual property license-in and further develop the that each idea, each research product always belongs to the employer, technology into an actual product. is different. Indeed, Smith stresses that which is, in this case, the University of While everyone agrees there is no ‘the spectrum is vast and the process Malta. ‘So,’ he advises, ‘the academic quick and easy recipe, Andy Linnas is definitely not a one size fits all must speak to the KTO to find a way (TAKEOFF Business Incubator, UoM, solution.’ In the same way, the timeline of working with the University.’ set up in 2014) underlines some is entirely dependent on the product. Indeed, partnering with the right ingredients that can help. His recipe Citing an example from his line people is one of the vital elements for a successful venture includes of research—the development of a in the process of developing a cancer treatment—the timeline is a successful business. Smith is adamant minimum of 10 years to go from the that ‘successful businesses are lab to market and costs a whopping run by business people, and not $1 billion. On the other hand, there academics’ and he goes so far as to may be other ideas that can be turned warn: ‘Academics, don’t do it! Stick to into a product rapidly and with less what you are good at,’ is his mantra: funding. ‘What is definitely required,’ ‘world-class academics are great at he underlines, ‘is an approach that being world -class academics. They is specific to the opportunity.’ need to match themselves with the Building on this, Pace advises right businessman.’ The mistake, ‘spending some time at the start he explains, is when they try to be understanding exactly what it is that business leaders themselves. will be sold, to whom, and why buyers Linnas is of the same opinion and would desire that product/service notes how skilled people who will over other options.’ There is always deliver on all the visions, missions, & I nnovation competition, even if there is no similar and plans are vital for a successful product. ‘A customer may decide to business. He confides though, that do nothing, which is an option which the problem is that ‘skilled people are Andy Linnas E ntrepreneurship 56 always involved with some interesting work. The issue is to find a way of attracting someone with the right skills to a project and keeping them engaged over a long period of time.’ The same works in reverse. If an entrepreneur is looking for, or wishes to create, opportunities, then they can approach the KTO which has a number of technologies/projects which it wishes to commercialise and would be happy to license to an entrepreneur to turn them into a business. KTO offers support in terms of licensing intellectual property rights and assisting with funding opportunities. Of course, finding the right person is the tipping point. Linnas points out that ‘our experience has shown that Vancell Claude Jean by . Photo Bartolo Anton Ing. Dr the lonely entrepreneur is more likely to fail. As the growth of the business GUIDING ACADEMICS WITH THEIR IDEAS takes off, it needs multiple funders who can share the responsibility and divide The KTO has defined a process for academics with an idea to go the activities,’ he comments. He goes through. It involves the following steps: on to note how ‘partnering up is much like marriage—it takes time to find the jj The academic describes their project in detail, going beyond the right fit and the path to success can scientific perspective have quite a high “divorce” rate.’ jj The KTO establishes whether the University owns the intellectual property in the project jj The KTO assesses what the intellectual property of potential value Partnering with is; is it a new method, a new device, know-how, is it protectable, the right people how strong would the protection be if we protected it, is it easy to reverse-engineer or to design around, etc is one of the jj The KTO assesses whether there is a market for the technology by determining the different applications the technology might have, vital elements and the benefits for the users in the process jj Once the KTO has established that there is protectable IP and that there is commercial potential, they generally protect by patenting. of developing However, they also protect by registering design rights a successful & I nnovation business. E ntrepreneurship 57 coaster an entrepreneur goes through, MONEY MATTERS reveals Linnas, adding that ‘you will There is no skirting the fact that the get 1,000 “no”s before striking that issue of finance is a complex one. golden “yes”. Learning to persevere is Smith is direct in explaining that there another skill that no one will teach you.’ is not yet an established culture of funding spin-out companies through MUM’S THE WORD? equity finance in Malta. ‘Loans from banks are impossible when I’m curious to learn how much an early-stage spin-outs do not have academic with a good idea should products on the market simply share with others, perhaps in the because there is no revenue from hope that sharing a good idea will which to make repayments,’ he notes. lead to an even better one. But Smith All is not lost and Smith is keen warns that sharing ideas in this case to promote the new tax incentive can destroy the business prospects scheme for investors that Minister for an idea or research entirely. ‘It Chris Cardona recently put forward is your duty not to talk about it,’ he Martina Pace to encourage people to invest in this asserts, adding that the idea cannot ‘be kind of start-up. Of course, for this to are capable of solving the problems patented if it is in the public domain.’ work it has to have a very high rate of that need solving, with the right kind of Keep your idea secret and speak return. Smith notes that ‘financiers do people who love what they are doing.’ to the KTO. The KTO has defined a not back good ideas. They back good Again, the KTO plays a vital role process by which any academic with management teams with a good idea.’ here and offers expertise in applying an idea is guided in order for the Linnas also argues that ‘having for local and foreign sources of feasibility of their idea to be assessed. enough funds, as well as time, are vital funding. Funding applies for research ingredients.’ As with Smith, he explains and development, as well as for DON’T FORGET THOSE that such funds will be available ‘once starting a business. The KTO can SOFT SKILLS [entrepreneurs] can prove that [they] assist the entrepreneur in accessing these funds, thereby increasing the ‘Many starting businesses take their chances of success of the project. idea very seriously and focus on their product too much,’ says Linnas. New entrepreneurs forget to network, BE READY TO FAIL build relationships, spend time with While thinking your project through their customers, spend time with their is imperative, being ready to fail is teammates building the culture they imperative to success. Linnas notes really need. In doing so, they overlook how the perfect product does not the importance of soft skills. Soft always sell or win. ‘Figuring out skills matter, so ‘your team’s culture the product or services is half the will define how the team will act solution,’ he says. ‘You will need to when the going gets tough.’ He says know who to sell to and how to do that today there is no room for the it efficiently over and over again.’ old-fashioned ‘employee’ mentality. While entrepreneurship is a ‘Everybody needs to make a Herculean & I nnovation rewarding path, all agree it is an effort to get a start-up business off the extremely tough one. No one talks ground, which means working extra too much about the emotional roller hours and extra hard to build value Andras Havasi E ntrepreneurship 58 Minister for Education and Employment, Hon. Evarist Bartolo during the launch of TAKEOFF

Everybody needs to make a Herculean effort to get a start-up business off the SO HOW DO YOU TURN ground, which means working extra A UNIVERSITY IDEA hours and extra hard to build value INTO A BUSINESS? The long and the short of it is that with customers, because they believe there is no one, clear-cut way of in the company’s mission and not doing so. Depending on the idea, the business can take well over 10 years, because they need to earn a salary. as was the case with Prof. Smith’s development of cancer treatment, or with customers, because they believe done before and will take the form of much less, if the idea can be turned in the company’s mission and not a three-year programme. For the first into a product more rapidly. What because they need to earn a salary.’ nine months, the doctoral candidates is definitely required is an approach will work with nine opportunities based that is specific to the opportunity. It on the ideas from University academics, is also imperative that you safeguard STEPS FORWARD looking at one a month. This will give your idea until you have spoken to Luckily in Malta, the University of them the understanding of how to the KTO because once it makes it Malta has been running a Master assess a business opportunity. Following to the public domain, it is no longer in Entrepreneurship for three years this they will move into the phase of your idea. Indeed, the KTO is a key and will shortly have 75 graduates. working with fledgling entrepreneurs, cog in the wheel and seeking their ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could match during which time University experts advice is imperative if you want to them to the academics?’ Smith asks. will supervise them. In this way turn your idea into a business. Some & I nnovation Smith reveals how the University is they will help to get the academics closing words of wisdom? Don’t be now working to create a doctorate in moving in the right direction to take afraid to fail, and make sure you Entrepreneurship. This has never been up an idea and grow it themselves. have a good management team! E ntrepreneurship 59 enterprising entrepreneurs

Lars Lorenz interviews Prof. Russell Smith about the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation’s M.Ent. postgraduate degree, successful start-ups, and a new reward-based crowdfunding service called Zaar. & I nnovation E ntrepreneurship 60 rowdfunding services like (M.Ent.), consisting of ten modules Kickstarter have made over the course of three semesters. it possible to fund an The Centre introduces students to idea and launch a new the basics of entrepreneurship and business. Companies finances, as well as how to plan Clike Facebook and Google show the marketing strategies, while encouraging potential tech start-ups have, and them to make their ideas happen. inspire many others to develop their Students are then paired with own Intellectual Property (IP) and a tutor for their entrepreneurship try their luck. Start-ups are thriving project. Through the project, their with 100 million launched annually business ideas are evaluated for but just over half fail. Young business their viability and sustainability. The founders typically do not have idea is then developed into a fully- the experience to run a business, fledged business plan by the end of Prof. Russell Smith while competition is cutthroat. the degree that can be launched as The Centre for Entrepreneurship and an actual business after graduation. Malta and is now planning to deliver Business Incubation (CEBI, University Prof. Russell Smith lectures on the a doctorate in Entrepreneurship of Malta) is the academic arm of a M.Ent. at CEBI and has already helped (D.Ent.) here. This is one part of the new start up ecosystem trying to over 3,000 people into business. He jigsaw to create the right environment & I nnovation turn ideas into successful businesses. has taught similar degrees in Italy, to turn ideas into business to boost CEBI offers a Master’s degree in Latvia, and seven UK universities Malta’s socio-economic growth. Prof. Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship including Oxford. He was invited to Smith sees immense potential. E ntrepreneurship 61 every tenth purchase in its entirety, also emphasises that ‘a new company THE GRADUATES there is no drawback if the prediction needs to be innovative if it wants Although the course has only been was wrong, since customers would to succeed’. InboundMuse found offered since 2013, 75 people have probably have bought the item anyway. its niche by approaching key undertaken CEBI’s M.Ent. degree. Another graduate is Tyron Baron, companies. They now plan to expand One of them is Lewis Holland, CEO now CEO at InboundMuse. He the business internationally. of DiscountIF. Holland was part of completed the M.Ent. degree just the first batch of students, and has after launching his company in 2014. NEW MONIES made good use of the CEBI training. ‘[My] offices are part of the TAKEOFF ‘What if you could get your money Business Incubator at University, Business is unforgiving. One of back on anything?’, Holland asked at one meaning that some of my best the biggest hurdles is raising point, planting the seed for what will [mentors] are always available’, says finance, but how do you encourage eventually grow into a successful start- Baron, indicating how he has already people to invest in fledgling, up. DiscountIF is a service through which benefited from their support and high-risk start-up businesses? people can purchase products online, networks. InboundMuse is building A new source is online crowdfunding. with the chance of getting a 100% an artificial intelligence [AI] system The idea has existed for a few refund. The catch is that customers to understand brands through online years now and Malta has joined the need to predict the result of certain media. The AI system will be used to movement by starting its own service public events correctly in order to be build strategic and tactical marketing called Zaar (www.zaar.com.mt). Zaar & I nnovation refunded. The idea is simple: instead of plans and help marketers enact them. is a joint venture between the Malta giving out a 10% discount to everyone, ‘In a sense, it is like an enhancement Business Bureau and the University the service refunds approximately drug for marketeers.’ Baron of Malta, which enables people to E ntrepreneurship 62 showcase their project, to show how money to kick-start your project,’ much money they need to make it elaborates Zaar manager Karl Grech. happen, and to attract people to invest No perfect recipe exists to start in some way. These backers could be up a business. While having a buying an event ticket, a product, or good idea and knowledge of what backing a cause, although these items steps to take next go a long way, might not yet exist. If the backed they are no guarantee for success. After seeing project gets funded successfully, then Many start-ups fail and prospective the incredible the fledgling company has to deliver. entrepreneurs need to learn how to Reunited Pet Cabin is a Zaar do things properly—a good academic response to the success story. Over €13,000 were background in entrepreneurship helps project, even the raised to create a designated pet one deal with these problems, but area within Mater Dei Hospital. After practical experience and mentoring government and seeing the incredible response to the are key. This issue will be tackled project, even the government and in the D.Ent. programme, but a Mater Dei helped Mater Dei themselves helped out, country’s start-up culture takes time out, proving that proving that crowdfunding can do to nurture. Another five to ten years more than raise money. Zaar helps will probably have to pass until we crowdfunding raise awareness about innovative experience a noticeable effect of & I nnovation can do more than products but also important social these [programmes]’, says Smith, ‘but issues. ‘There is more to crowdfunding we are slowly getting there. These raise money. than simply attracting enough things don’t happen overnight.’ E ntrepreneurship 63 bjects from jet engines to Printing satellite models can today be Oprinted in 3D. Yet the process is still imperfect. One major problem is print detachment and warping leading to printed objects moving during print Magic and thus ruining them. Thought3D, a Maltese start-up company, has come Lars Lorenz interviews Keith M. Azzopardi and Edward Borg up with a solution: MAGIGOO. on Thought3D’s new product MAGIGOO, and how it improves MAGIGOO is a smart adhesive that can be applied to the base plate before the process of 3D printing. printing. When hot MAGIGOO is very sticky, but after the print is done, it allows effortless removal. The original idea for the product was internally developed by Thought3D to solve their own printing problems, but they quickly realised that other companies could benefit. They launched it at one of the largest 3D printing events in the world, the TCT Show + Personalize. Thought3D has received help from TAKEOFF, the business incubator at the University of Malta, and Malta Enterprise. TAKEOFF provides helpful mentorship, support, and advice to entrepreneurs. While company directors Keith Azzopardi and Edward Borg both had a technical background, this mentoring in running a business is exactly what they needed. The team wants to keep innovating & I nnovation and to push 3D printing forward by researching and developing new products like MAGIGOO. E ntrepreneurship 64 The Art of Gaming

Lars Lorenz interviews Marvin Zammit of Mighty Box Games about the company’s first steps and their hit-game.

re games an art form? Mighty Box Games’ Will Love Tear Us Apart? certainly is. It revolves Aheavily around the concept of emotions and relationships. ‘The game adapted the song “Love will tear us apart” by Joy Division into a dark and depressing video game, to reflect the mood of the song’, writes Marvin Zammit, CEO of Mighty Box. The game has been very successful, receiving praise and coverage from all over the world, with three nominations for international awards. Catalysed by their success, the team managed to turn Mighty Box into a fully-fledged game development company. Currently the company is greatly supported by the TakeOff business incubator at the University of Malta. TakeOff provides the team with a place to work, while also providing invaluable mentorship. Business advice is especially appreciated by startups— the Mighty Box team members had no prior experience. Mighty Box won Malta Enterprise and TakeOff seed funds, as well as financial assistance from the Malta Arts Fund. Another key success was their board game Posthuman that raised over €300,000 on Kickstarter when launched last year. They are now planning a video game version after receiving funding from the Malta Digital Games Fund. Mighty Box is one of the few Maltese indie-game development companies. It is paving the way for more local talent to enter the industry. Their future plans see them developing dedicated teams for different projects and further growth could see them boost the & I nnovation local economy. Mighty Box has turned amazing art and innovative games into business.

Top to bottom: Screenshots from Posthuman Sanctuary, Will Love Tear Us Apart? and the board game Posthuman. E ntrepreneurship 65 & I nnovation

The heating of biological tissue by the application of high frequency electromagnetic fields. This process can ablate or burn the tissue. This isa minimally invasive approach that can be used as part of cancer treatments (for example, microwave ablation of solid tumours). E ntrepreneurship 66 A healthy microwave

Lars Lorenz interviews Prof. Charles V. Sammut to find out about his research and how microwaves can be used in healthcare.

hen people think about properties) like those used by mobile phones and microwaves, they normally microwave ovens. The technology is especially think about their microwave helpful in diagnosing and treating cancer. The ovens, but these waves tumour can be identified through imaging or can be used for much more burnt away using hyperthermia. While imaging Wthan heating up food. Prof. Charles V. Sammut technologies using microwaves are still at an and his Electromagnetics Research Group (EMRG) experimental stage, microwave and radio frequency at the Faculty of Science, University of Malta, are hyperthermia are already in use in some European conducting research on how those same waves can medical centres. be developed for medical applications. The technology is still in its infancy and needs The lab is fitted out with state-of-the-art further experimentation before it will be ready equipment. The EMRG uses a Vector Network for public release. The findings can then be used Analyser and special probes to see how tissue to manufacture medical devices that will benefit reacts to electromagnetic fields (their dielectric people all over the world. & I nnovation E ntrepreneurship 67

BUILDINGS & SPACES a vision

Photos on this spread by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com by on this spread Photos in stone During the last ten years, four new faculties, several new institutes and centres, and a school have been created. Twenty-first century demands have required great changes at the University of Malta. Patricia Camilleri meets the protagonists behind them.

The Rector, Prof. Juanito Camilleri, had a dream The first section regards the creation about the future direction of the University of of four new faculties and the substantial Malta (UoM) that he outlined in the publication realignment of another. The second 2020 Vision or Optical Illusion. The document talks about the formation of several is full of strategy plans to transform the UoM, new institutes, centres, and a school, a vision whose fruit is being seen today. This which reflect that interdisciplinarity that article looks at some of the transformations seems to be the hallmark of a dynamic, that have turned ideas into reality. forward-looking university today. B uildings & S paces 70 THE FACULTIES

students sent to Wales for part of A HEALTHY PROFESSION CONCRETELY INNOVATIVE their training. Both opportunities are The Faculty of Health Sciences was partly financed by the government. The UoM’s star building is the born out of the Institute of Healthcare The Faculty cares for the country’s new Faculty of Information and (IHC) which started up in the early health. It trains the nation’s dieticians Communication Technology (ICT). 1990s to put nursing and other and nutritionists (Department of Food The Board of IT, set up in 1994, sat associated health care areas on a Studies), both popular professions between the Faculties of Science professional footing. Eventually, in and necessary on islands ranking and Engineering and in 2007 the 2010, the IHC became one of the very high on the obesity index, such Faculty of ICT was launched, but first new faculties to be created as Malta. Apart from the body, the it quickly outgrew its original under Prof. Camilleri’s rectorship and mind has now been given more home and a new venue was included ten departments. The IHC importance thanks to the setting up proposed (see pg 86 for more). always had a very close relationship of a Mental Health Department. The EU-funded building cost with the government’s Department of ‘Research is booming,’ says the €17million. ‘It is a great space,’ says Health but the creation of the Faculty Dean, Prof. Angela Xuereb with pride. its Dean, Prof. Ernest Cachia, ‘which drew it more within the University’s Some 76 research articles have been has changed the whole ethos of the structures. The new Sir Anthony published this year, while research faculty.’ The Faculty of ICT is designed Mamo Oncology Centre (SAMOC, student numbers have increased to to provide places for students and Mater Dei Hospital) catalysed the 27 masters and 17 doctoral students, staff to meet up, as well as hot- recent creation of a new department with the Malta Journal of Health desking areas for postgraduates, and area of study. The Department Sciences also having been launched in and new computer laboratories. All of Medical Physics was set up April 2014. The Faculty has succeeded these pros lead to more students with its graduate students sent to in applying for, and receiving, millions applying for courses, and more train in the UK. SAMOC needed of euro in EU funding. ‘Being a EU-funded research projects. radiotherapists, who are now trained faculty has made things possible and The new building has impressed by the Department of Radiography […] has led to [the achievement of] industry and is being used as a venue through the Radiotherapy course with concrete results,’ says Prof. Xuereb. to launch innovative products while B uildings & S paces 71 research scholarships, awards, and publications—a slew of activities to encourage the departments to work together, especially to contribute to Maltese communities.

THE MEDIA AND SO

Photo by Jean Claude Vancell Claude Jean by Photo MUCH MORE

Another new faculty arose from the Centre for Communication Technology. By the mid-noughties the number of students enrolling in the Centre was too big to handle. A solution

The Faculty of ICT Building. Building. ICT of Faculty The was needed. In 2011 the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences was born, incorporating the Departments These academics research the essence of Cognitive Science, Corporate Communication, Digital Arts, Library of human existence: […] the research Information and Archive Sciences, Media is diverse but also positive, from and Communications, and Information Policy and Governance. A Faculty for building resilience in schoolchildren Media and Knowledge Sciences was a to exploring sexual health. first in Europe. The diverse departments are ‘all linked to the creation and dissemination of knowledge—how collaborating on research projects. even she admits moments of doubt. knowledge is shared and stored, and Collaborative research projects Since then, wellbeing has how we process information, including help train the next generation of become a buzzword which, says through digital arts,’ points out Dean employees. ‘Most students have a job the Dean, ‘indicates a holistic and Prof. Noellie Brockdorff. The Faculty had even before they finish the course,’ non-pathologising approach.’ These to be rebuilt from the inside out, with says Cachia ruefully. ‘Priority is given academics research the essence two new floors added. The attention to creating and maintaining a faculty of human existence: gender, paid to detail was incredible: staff with a soul […]. What we are looking criminology, psychology, social policy oversaw the design, colour schemes, to do is to motivate our students and social work, counselling, youth furniture, and the building’s functionality. to stay versatile and to become and community, gerontology, the Because of the new facilities, the Faculty sought-after employees, creative family, and disability. The research recently attracted €1.2 million in EU innovators, or better still, employers.’ is diverse but also positive, from funding—a good return on investment. building resilience in schoolchildren Brockdorff emphasises human to exploring sexual health. interaction. She would like to create FROM ICT TO WELLBEING The Dean would like the Faculty hot-desking facilities for postdoctoral One of the most challenging faculties to be housed in one building. ‘I researchers and places where to bring together was the Faculty of think this is our biggest challenge at postgraduates and academics can Social Wellbeing. When the discussions present—keeping us all united.’ The mingle as she thinks it helps develop about this new Faculty began many new home is planned but still in fieri. a sense of belonging and sharing declared an emphatic ‘Forget it! It To overcome this, Cole has instituted of ideas. Brockdorff is pushing her is not going to work!’ They were several measures to help keep the Faculty to develop more Master proved wrong. The Faculty’s Dean, Faculty together. She introduced degree courses and to increase Prof. Maureen Cole, appears the committees for strategic planning and doctoral student numbers—their epitome of calm and composure but community engagement, seminars, first graduated last December. B uildings & S paces 72 will necessarily wish to become a warranted architect but if a student decides to stop at any stage they will still have a valuable qualification.

CHANGING COURSE

Within the Faculty of Laws, as from October 2016, the Diploma of Notary Public and the Doctor of Laws courses will be replaced with Master courses in the respective subjects. After successfully completing a four-year Bachelor degree in Law, students may opt for one of these postgraduate Foyer of the building housing the Faculty for Media and Knowledge Sciences. courses on track for professional Photo by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com entry for notaries or advocates. Other postgraduate specialisations up to Ph.D. the Faculty itself limited their scope. level degrees will now also be offered. NOT JUST A NAME CHANGE Planning was becoming more important, Similarly, teacher education has recently Some eight years ago, when Prof. conservation as well. The Faculty undergone a reform in Malta. The Alex Torpiano became Dean of the was reinvented as the Faculty for the Faculty of Education has introduced a Faculty of Architecture and Civil Built Environment, even though this two-year Master in Teaching & Learning Engineering, about 60 to 70 students name was not immediately accepted. (MTL). This course replaces the previous were graduating each year. When he There are now seven departments, teaching routes, which included a joined, the Faculty evaluated itself to ranging from Conservation and first-cycle degree or a Post Graduate see what it needed to offer students Built Heritage to Construction and Certificate in Education. On completion in the 21st century. Because of these Property Management and the Visual of this Master degree, graduates can changes, now hundreds graduate Arts. At present, the students are teach at Primary and Secondary level every year. ‘It was decided,’ the Dean going through the first six-year cycle and are fully qualified in the pedagogical recalls, ‘that we should encourage that ends with a two-year Master content knowledge of their area of students to look beyond architecture degree. Torpiano is convinced that the specialisation. Studies have shown that and civil engineering […] and increase flexibility of the course will offer the teachers’ professional preparation is the content of each discipline.’ With widest possible choices in an area that key in the improvement of educational the 2008 restructuring plan it became needs diverse skills and knowledge. standards. The MTL course will open clear to Torpiano that the name of Not every student starting the course for the first time in October 2016.

Left: Cast sculpture houses by the Diploma in Design Foundations Exhibition. Right: Art installation by Lisa Spiteri and Andrew Darmanin as exhibited in FLOAT (2015). Photos by Mark Casha. B uildings & S paces 73 INSTITUTES, CENTRES, AND A SCHOOL

The UoM offers undergraduate subject—and with a love for the virtual the Notte Bianca cultural festival, to degrees in most subjects to fulfill the world—can find a place on the course. name a few. The Institute has also basic needs of the country. On the Both teaching and research take place introduced Malta to indie games, other hand, through its institutes, at the Institute as well as in other creating a community around them. centres, and schools, it tries to offer University areas such as the Department The Institute’s biggest activity specialised postgraduate degrees in of English, the School of Performing is the Malta Global Game Jam, the areas of local or world-importance. Arts, ICT, and Engineering. Even some local chapter for a creative event medics come down from Mater Dei where participants team up to make a Hospital to train at the Institute. playable game in 48 hours. The event LET’S GAME ‘Projects and outreach efforts enrich has brought people from all over Apart from pushing for new faculties, the Institute with new talent, new the world to Malta to participate. the Rector emphasised innovation ideas,’ says Calleja. The professor feels through specialised institutes and the games industry in Malta needs to TOURISM CULTURE centres. Take digital games, for be homegrown by smaller companies. instance: Prof. Gordon Calleja moved This system is more difficult initially The Game Jam is one way through from the world-leading IT-University but more sustainable in the long run. which Malta attracts tourists but the of Copenhagen, along with a number Larger companies tend to come and University has other channels through of other researchers, to set up the go depending on what benefits the which it does so. In 2010, the Institute Institute of Digital Games in Malta. company as a whole. Locally grown for Tourism, Travel and Culture Practically overnight, Malta became a companies are more loyal. As Calleja was established due to the sector’s hub for digital game research in areas puts it, ‘we need stickiness and an importance to Malta’s economy at ranging from games that adapt to international reputation. This leads around 25% of GDP (data taken from their players, to games that can make to more students, better incubation, The Contribution of the Tourism Industry games, to game philosophy and art. further funding, and with a strong to the Maltese Economy report prepared The Institute offers a Master degree reputation we can start to advise by E-Cubed Consultants, March 2015). in Digital Games, which has two on policy.’ The Institute also makes The Institute’s Director, Prof. Andrew streams, a technological stream and sure it is visible wherever possible, Jones says, ‘we are a small entity but a more humanities–leaning stream so participating in career fairs, the Science we certainly punch above our weight.’ that undergraduates in practically any in the City science and arts festival, The ITTC provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and participates in EU projects —all with a staff of seven. Jones saw the need for a good strategy plan to give the institute direction. The analysis enabled the ITTC to move forward in the appropriate areas. Together with the School of Performing Arts, they developed a joint Master degree in Event Management. ‘Internationally,’ Jones points out, ‘the University of Glasgow is interested in leading an EU programme to develop a joint Master degree in Sustainable Cultural Tourism. ‘What we need to do,’ says Jones, ‘is to look at what we do and then try to do it more cleverly.’ This is because the Institute has limited financial and human resources. ‘The UK Malta Global Game Jam 2015. B uildings & S paces 74 ERDF/ESF Funds Since 2010 tertiary institutions have a commercial ERDF & ESF Funds since 2010 goal, which necessitates collaboration courses which are meaningful and € 14,887,570 robust. We need to do the same and e utur get more collaborators on board.’ The F

BIONIC HUMAN € 10,054,431

€ 8,739,311 In 2011, electronics engineer Prof. € 7,950,960 Ing. Kenneth Camilleri set up the Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, € 5,674,884 fusing the subjects of engineering, ICT, natural sciences, medicine, and health sciences. The Centre brings € 934,573 all these disciplines together with the latest technology in an applied 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 way. Cybernetics is the science of communications and automated Values are presentedValues are presentedaccording according to to their their end end date. date.Some grants Some are pending grants closure, are but pendingare correct at theclosure time of publication.but are systems in both machines and living correct at the time of publication. things. ‘So if there is a data collector and data processing,’ comments and is developing postgraduate probably come from overseas,’ but Camilleri, ‘cybernetics is there.’ research programmes. Camilleri wants he hopes local companies will also The Centre’s research links physicians, engineers, and other benefit. Thinking ahead, he aims humans and machines. Many of its academics to collaborate in resolving to create a nucleus of sustainable projects focus on human health. With the challenges of today’s society. energy leaders by collaborating electronics measuring brain activity and with architects and scientists. ‘The computers interpreting this information ultimate goal is the analysis of research POWERING THE FUTURE to carry out actions like moving a materials in sustainable energy: cursor on a screen simply by looking at A major challenge is developing clean wind, bio fuels, and transport.’ The different parts of the screen, or moving energy sources. To advance these wheel has started to turn; now it a wheelchair by thinking about it—the solutions, the Institute for Sustainable needs to be pushed down the hill. possibilities are endless. By working Energy was recently consolidated with doctors, the Centre is looking off-campus in the Island’s south. A CHANGING WORLD into identifying diabetes by heat Lack of equipment had previously sensors alone. This Centre’s aim is to held back its research. Four years Another world problem is human- develop cheap automated alternatives ago, Institute Director Prof. Luciano caused climate change. To solve this to high-end technology using clever Mulé Stagno, sought funding for a issue the Institute for Climate Change algorithms in order to enable those solar research lab. The resulting €5 and Sustainable Development was who have some form of disability. million EU, ERDF funding helped set up. As a group of islands in the Apart from this dream, Camilleri transform the Institute into one of centre of the Mediterranean, climate envisions a new type of academic: a the best-equipped labs in Europe. change and the accompanying sea new breed who fuses clinical expertise Microscopes, furnaces, wet testing level rise are pertinent issues for with engineering skills. ‘This [goal] will facilities, and other equipment are now the Maltese Islands. The Institute inevitably [be achieved] with the kind attracting international attention. brings together researchers from of sophistication built into today’s Mulé Stagno is eager to develop many different disciplines to equipment.’ Towards this aim, the international collaborations. look into the social change that Centre offers an M.Sc. in Cybernetics ‘Cutting edge research projects will climate change will bring. B uildings & S paces 75 Sustainable development is a universities. Apart from research into ISSA is involved in designing the worldwide goal. Institute Director Prof. the highest environmental standards, antennas and the digital processing Maria Attard realised that her limited the Institute aims to focus on avionics, systems needed to crunch the team could not tackle these major flight operations, flight simulation, massive data produced by SKA. world problems head-on so she homed aerospace systems and other special ‘The project is an international in on key issues in Malta: transport areas based on three pillars: teaching, collaboration,’ says cosmologist and sustainable mobility. Malta suffers research, and national matters. Dr Jackson Levi Said (also part of from heavy traffic: the largest pollution ISSA), ‘but dedicated meetings and source. Owing to her efforts, Malta is international conferences are not REACHING FOR THE STARS now involved in major networks, with enough. You really need to have a international research collaborations An alternative form of transport is solid base on campus where you are hosting conferences in sustainable space travel. Even a small country talking to your colleagues face to face.’ transport and climate change. like Malta has space ambitions. Prof. Magro expands on this, noting that Kristian Zarb Adami dreamed big, and ‘at ISSA we have a Ph.D. student who was responsible for the setting up read Biology and Chemistry but he FLYING HIGH of a Space Sciences and Astronomy is passionate about the subject and One of the most significant transport Institute [ISSA] at the UoM in 2014. is prepared to extend his skills set. polluters are airplanes. Malta is This Institute brings physicists, ISSA will give him access to diverse involved, through the Institute of engineers, and ICT specialists together. areas. A problem-solving aptitude Aerospace Technologies (led by Engineer Dr Alessio Magro leads the is probably our students’ key skill.’ Director, Prof. Ing. David Zammit biggest project that ISSA is working Apart from the SKA, ISSA runs Mangion), in the largest studies ever on: the Square Kilometre Array [SKA] Master and other postgraduate conducted to minimise aviation sees thousands of telescopes being research. Magro’s work in radio pollution. The research is EU built in South Africa with parts of astronomy has also attracted interest funded and brings together industry the project in Australia to create from the Italian army and several partners, research centres, and other a globally connected telescope. commercial companies. Said strongly believes in engaging the public and inspiring the next generation of physicists by regularly visiting schools with his students and colleagues. He has even built a mock satellite in

Prof. Kristian Zarb Adami [...] was responsible for the setting up of a Space Sciences and Astronomy Institute in 2014. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) — malta.skatelescope.org B uildings & S paces 76 the heart of Malta’s capital, Valletta, for the Science in the City festival.

MAPPING THE MALTESE GENOME

Biobanking is another unexpected field in which Malta is involved. Biobanks store human samples and tissue for research. Since the 1990s, the UoM has had a biobank in which the core blood from all babies born in Malta is kept and stored. This means that the University has access to the DNA of all babies born in Malta for the past 20 years. The biobank has tens of thousands of other samples, a treasure trove of genetic data but also a great responsibility to manage it all for the social good. Stemming from this research, Malta has now sequenced dozens of people and is compiling a Maltese reference genome to be able to know every single gene in the Maltese population and to see whether it differs from nearby regions. Following on from this, the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking was set up in 2016. The large volume of researchers took 20 years to nurture. ‘These situations Above: Dr Joseph Borg. Photo by Dr Edward Duca. Below: The Malta Biobank. Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff don’t just ‘happen’,’ says Prof. Richard Muscat (Pro-Rector for Research), ‘they have to be engineered and basic sciences and research to the Centre for Resilience and Socio- coupled to a vision.’ The Centre will use their knowledge from both Emotional Health was setup to focus house leading researchers in new fields to help their patients.’ Such on research projects that inform state-of-the-art laboratories, some work requires patience due to the evidence-based practice into the of whom have published in world- complexity of the human body and resilience, and social and emotional leading journals such as Nature the time needed to develop this health of children and youths. The Genetics. The Centre was built using research into new therapies. Centre brings experts from education €4.2 million self-generated funds. to social science together to address ‘Looking towards the future,’ says Malta’s needs while publishing in CULTIVATING RESILIENCE Muscat, ‘we need to translate this international fora. Towards this end research into practical solutions. Apart from the human body, the it serves as a base for ENSEC, a Medics need to be trained in human mind needs strength. In 2009 European network for researchers B uildings & S paces 77 and practitioners working in the area of social and emotional competence. Careers also need certain resilience. One key skill is the English language. In 2012 the UoM setup the Centre for English Language Proficiency (CELP) together with with the Department of English to meet this need. English serves a crucial role in education. The Centre helps international and Maltese students develop their writing and oral skills thus empowering them to become autonomous learners. Through practice and tuition their competence in writing and presenting English will increase. English has a distinct role in our society; it is part of our identity but also our passport to the rest of the world.

THE PERFORMING ARTS AND BEYOND

The School of Performing Arts [SPA] emerged from the Theatre and Music divisions and the Dance Programme (previously part of the Mediterranean Institute). An important target has been the School’s interdepartmental and interdisciplinary interaction. This has engendered a dynamic School of Performing Arts performance. Photo by John Grech and motivated group of academics who are all deeply involved with the School’s running and initiatives. created a collective performance and properly equipped music rooms ‘The School,’ says Chairperson involving its three departments, are also lacking. There are plans for Prof. Vicki Ann Cremona, ‘aims which also organise a theatre festival, a school housed at the heart of the to create graduates who are well concerts, and an international dance University, though finances are an issue. grounded in theory and practice, tour. Its outreach programme provides but who are versatile enough lifelong learning possibilities for LOOKING TO THE FUTURE to work in different art-related other sectors of the public. To this fields.’ The School’s graduates end it has created programmes, like The plans laid out in 2020 Vision or work in teacher-training, cultural scriptwriting, in collaboration with the Optical Illusion were far-reaching management, and as performance Arts Council Malta and the creativity and ambitious. Not everything has technicians, to name a few. Several centre Spazju Kreattiv.SPA’s biggest been achieved but plenty has been graduates hold decision-making hurdle is adequate space, facilities, and accomplished. The breadth of vision positions within the cultural field. equipment for the three departments. does not simply refer to the bricks and The School maintains visibility The fact that the departments are mortar but to the mentality of staff through its intense programme of not housed under one roof is a big and students: consolidating a solid international conferences, symposia, disadvantage because it blocks past with a freedom to experiment workshops, and seminars. It has closer collaboration. Studio space towards an innovative future. B uildings & S paces 78 university reborn ‘To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often,’ said Winston Churchill. Similarly, the University of Malta has needed to refurbish and build new faculties, institutes, centres, and laboratories. Patricia Camilleri finds out more.

Valletta Campus. Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff

erit Christopher Spiteri sits at his desk This upgraded customer-oriented and service- surrounded by plans and photos of works driven approach has reaped dividends, but other in progress and projects which have quiet advances happened in the last decade. come to fruition. ‘A Master Plan,’ he tells The library drastically expanded its online me, ‘was developed in 2006 and priority resources (an annual recurrent expenditure Pprojects were identified at this initial stage.’ The of almost €2 million) to include several top two largest were the IT Services and Faculty of ICT academic publishers to meet UoM student, staff, buildings, both requiring substantial EU funds. and researchers needs. The library also set up Through local funds, the Biomedical Sciences an Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) floors were added to the Faculty of Medicine project providing access to over 5,000 UoM and Surgery building and will be opened shortly, research documents. In 2015, it launched the equipped with the latest technology. The first Institutional Repository (IR) on the Maltese Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences was Islands, called OAR@UoM, in order to provide completely overhauled. Originally, the Centre a platform for Open Access (OA) research. The for Communication Technology, it was extended UoM is committed to making research more with two new floors and the rebuilding of the available to everyone. To make it easier to find lower part of the structure. Office and lab space this research a HyDi system provides a one-stop is at a premium at the University of Malta (UoM). solution for users to search through all databases. All these projects are trying to change that. Another issue is electricity wastage. It might not The library is a beating heart for any university. seem like a university’s first concern but reining in But this needs the right policies. One of Prof. running costs is the only way a university funded Juanito Camilleri’s first actions as rector in 2006 through public money can grow and remain free was to push for a three-tier ‘noise’ system and for the majority of students. A large EU-funded far-extended opening times. The Reference project covered UoM building roofs with solar Library has a ‘no tolerance’ attitude to noise, panels and had lighting upgraded to the latest the top floor is a semi-silent area, while the energy-saving technology. Millions of euro middle level has tables and beanbags for group were saved. The Library was no exception, with work. The more relaxed approach has worked windows replaced with double-glazing, a complete and library staff more likely now have to push revamp of the air conditioning system, and the students out of the door at closing time. building covered by a stainless steel screen. B uildings & S paces 79 Research needs to be built on the shoulders of others’ work. So the Library focused on online research services. Online journal numbers have grown exponentially with hundreds of thousands of euro invested to

The Valletta Campus restoration was undertaken with local funds and is a very important project given that Valletta will be the European Capital of Culture in 2018.

support research. Library staff now provide training to all staff and students, with electronic reminders keeping book loans in check. Other changes on the Msida campus involved the refurbishment of the Arts Lecture Theatre, in collaboration with IT Services, to include the latest teaching technologies. Also, recently opened, is the Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine which will complement the University’s new degree course in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Culture.

VALLETTA CAMPUS

A few years ago, the government returned the last remaining parts of the Valletta Campus—a sixteenth-century Jesuit college—to the University and the Rector launched a major refurbishment process. The college’s upper floors (post-war additions) have been transformed into state- of-the-art lecture rooms for the University’s International Collaborative Programmes—an initiative that sees Malta work with institutions like King’s College London, James Madison University (USA), George Mason University (USA), and others. ‘The challenge,’ says Spiteri, ‘was Top: Students celebrate graduating at the Valletta Campus. Photo by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com Bottom: IT Services, Msida Campus. Photo by Jean Claude Vancell to make the newer parts of the B uildings & S paces 80 Left and top: The University Library. Photos by Jean Claude Vancell and Elisa von Brockdorff. Bottom right: The newly refurbished Arts Lecture Theatre. Photo by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com

ancient building look authentic while is a very important project given that an athletics track. Clinics and other at the same time using emerging Valletta will be the European Capital of sports-related areas are planned for technologies both for the newer and Culture in 2018. Also, in collaboration underneath the spectator terraces, for the sixteenth-century floors.’ with the government restoration unit, which will provide a space for For example, a glass panoramic lift work has started on repairs to the athletes getting ready before a game was installed. Spiteri sought advice University Church and the façades or race and for students studying from the Valletta Waterfront project of the building as well as the internal sports at the University’s Institute engineers who had faced the same courtyard. This will have a retractable for Physical Education and Sport. issues. The lower floor was returned to canopy so that maximum use can be The UoM also runs the Ġ.F. Abela its original shape to give better access made of this magnificent space. Junior College, which prepares fifteen- and light. The corridor which used to New research facilities are also being to eighteen-year-olds before they enter hold the old Lyceum now houses the finalised off campus. The Institute for university. The building was recently latest conference breakout rooms and Sustainable Energy in the south of the refurbished with a new auditorium, lecture halls encased in the splendid, Island, recently completed, is equipped extra floors, a childcare centre, an original architecture. Other changes with the latest labs and sophisticated artificial football pitch, and a home include transforming the Library, materials made possible through an economics lab. Refurbishment, which now named after the anthropologist, EU grant of over €4 million. The Gozo started last year, involves energy-saving Prof. Sir J.R. Goody following the Campus has also been embellished measures with upgrades to several labs. donation of his book collection. while funds are being sought for ‘The challenges,’ says Perit The former Mediterranean Institute an extension, and studio flats for Spiteri, ‘are numerous, but all the Theatre Programme (MITP) has been Ph.D. and postdoctoral students. UoM campuses and associated renovated into the University Theatre Also on the cards are the new areas have been upgraded and for the School of Performing Arts. sports facilities back at the main Msida embellished to make them fit for The Valletta Campus restoration Campus. They include an artificial their contemporary purpose—but, was undertaken with local funds and turf sports ground surrounded by of course, the work continues.’ B uildings & S paces 81 Left to right, top to bottom: 1. New terrace beneath Atriju Vassalli, 2. the proposed Research Incubator Building, 3. Prof. Alex Torpiano, 4. and 5. The

B uildings & S paces proposed Sustainable Living Complex and 6. The new Medical School . 82 Campus 3.0

Success begins with a vision. The Master Plan will guide the University’s infrastructural development for years to come. The plan will transform University into a test bed for cutting- edge building technologies and a prototype future town. Natasha Padfield speaks to Prof. Alex Torpiano, who has spearheaded this project from its conception, to find out more.

he University of Malta on this [...] but it worked out well. will comprise lecture halls, offices, and (UoM), like many towns, The quality of the project was very studios. Smart building technologies has outgrown its current high and we had to get planning will bring the structure to life. These infrastructure. The UoM’s permission for the Sustainable Living systems use sensors to monitor infrastructural vision—the Complex—the main new building. environmental characteristics such TMaster Plan—began due to the need Now we’re waiting for funding.’ as temperature, humidity, movement, to re-house the Faculty for the Built Prototyping plays a key role in the and light. The large volumes of data Environment but developed into a Master Plan. Torpiano explains how, generated can be put to a number of venture that aims to accommodate ‘we are going to try to explore several uses: from evaluating the efficiency of the needs of a modern, thriving, 24/7 things. The plan is very ambitious an air conditioning system to studying campus. The venture is trying to with many layers’. The Sustainable occupant behaviour. The complex will decentralise the campus from its heart, Living Complex will be a test bed test new technologies related to solar the Quadrangle. This high-level plan of building techniques. Housing the power, heating, ventilation, and water gives structure to existing projects Faculty for the Built Environment, it management facilities. The technology and provides a direction for future will include sensors that will help investment and infrastructure projects. researchers understand how they are The Master Plan is a giant used in the real world. The complex experiment. All research, designs, The rector took a will be a living, breathing laboratory. and planning were carried out within The design for the Master Plan the University by a team of newly gamble with me will breathe fresh air into campus by graduated architects, under the on this... but it promoting an open environment with guidance of Torpiano. He admits, walkways and glass façades which ‘the rector took a gamble with me worked very well. will allow passers-by to peer into B uildings & S paces 83 faculty life. Stone excavated during whether a car park is full. This would The Master Plan is a collaborative redevelopment will be used to fashion ease traffic flow and remove the project, uniting various professionals. clean, modern façades. This will form eyesore of the numerous car parks For example, the Sustainable Living part of a research project in stone littered around campus. The plan Complex is the result of a joint engineering. Rooftop gardens will also sees former car parks converted effort between the Faculty for the reduce the site’s carbon footprint, while into landscaped gardens and social Built Environment, the Faculty of improving landscaping and insulation. spaces, and pedestrian access and Education, Institute of Earth Systems, The Quadrangle will be extended public transport hubs given priority. Institute of Sustainable Energy, and into a series of landscaped terraces. Vehicle access would be shifted to an the Institute for Climate Change Beneath the terraces, halls housing the underground road network, improving and Sustainable Development. The School of Performing Arts will buzz the quality of life on campus. University Residence and Community with activity. The heart of the UoM will Also on the table is a residential and Complex will provide accommodation become a pedestrian boulevard leading commercial complex. Accommodating for students on campus (a first for from the residential complex, through up to 800 beds, the complex would Malta), a childcare centre, a wine the quad and down to the sports play a key role in University life. It bar, and retail/entertainment outlets, complex. ‘This plan is going to change would be a social space boasting cafés underground parking, and will deploy campus dynamics,’ Torpiano highlights. and restaurants. Land has already been the latest energy conservation Traffic is tackled head-on in the acquired for its development and this concepts. Meanwhile, IT Services Master Plan. A group of Master public-private venture is about to start. and the Faculty of Education are students drew up a traffic management helping to craft the lecture halls of scheme after rigorously investigating the future. Essentially, the Master congestion and parking issues. They Plan aims to develop a set of guiding suggest doing away with allowing cars We are going to principles for everything from traffic to park on the ring road as well as try to explore a and water management to lecture having open car parks, and replacing hall design. New building designs can these with underground parking large number of then latch onto these guidelines. lots. The scheme also incorporates things. The plan The project is gaining momentum. Intelligent Transport Systems, which The Master Plan has been met can inform drivers where to park and is very ambitious. positively by the outgoing rector, B uildings & S paces 84 A render of the new Sustainable Living complex.

Prof. Juanito Camilleri (who was for students studying sports at its lies in breaking complex problems key to its inception), the Council, Institute for Physical Education and into manageable chunks, in climbing and Cabinet. While the Sustainable Sport. Other projects await planning the mountain one step at a time. Living Complex is awaiting European permission or remain in the pipeline. Success begins with a vision. funding, under construction are the What is the biggest challenge the The Master Plan’s proposed capital new Metallurgy and Materials labs project will be facing? ‘You have to investments will bring returns for within the Faculty of Engineering, as do the first bit well. To me that is the decades to come. If implemented, well as the post-doctoral research biggest challenge,’ Torpiano underlines. it could craft a new environment facilities. A new sports complex is Now, as it happens, the initial phase will in which academic excellence and being planned with artificial turf probably be the most ambitious part: student life can flourish side by side. sports grounds surrounded by an the Sustainable Living Complex. ‘It will The team behind the plan continues athletics track—all to support an active be challenging to co-ordinate. I think to plough forward with determination university that will participate hand in if we manage that part, the rest will be and ingenuity. The future is bright, hand with clinics and athlete services easier. ‘ Torpiano believes the solution and it is being built today.

A cross-section view of the new terrace proposed beneath Atriju Vassalli, housing a car park, lecture rooms and spaces for the School of Performing Arts. B uildings & S paces 85 A time for TECHNOLOGY

Lars Lorenz talks to Prof. Ernest Cachia about the University of Malta’s most high tech building.

he Faculty of ICT is an engineering emergency systems for power and water that marvel. At its core are 26 blade means it can run during a blackout at night. servers that do the heavy lifting The building and its equipment were bought by number crunching research from a €17.3 million ERDF received in 2013. requests from faculty staff, which The rest was financed by the Mediterranean Tinclude big data, real time analysis, spam filtering, Virtual University (MVU) EU project. Together cryptography, software engineering, and others. with nine partners in the Mediterranean Blade servers are computers that can easily be region, the University of Malta received slotted into a cupboard-sized housing. They all four million Euro to equip laboratories, set communicate and share data while being easily up networks, and update equipment. replaceable. The research never needs to stop; The latest equipment allows the Faculty of ICT, all requests can be handled immediately. and the University of Malta, to play a relevant role The building also boasts an advanced Building in international research. Currently the Maltese Management System, which controls temperature government wants to create a regional hub for and airflow for all rooms apart from the servers cloud computing, which directly feeds into the (these have a separate dust free system). The Maltese economy. The project will eventually building’s roof (like several others at UoM) is attract businesses relying on this technology, covered in solar panels. But the building has increasing employment rates and revenue. B uildings & S paces 86 B uildings & S paces 87

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH Engage engage engage

John Cordina talks to director Patricia Camilleri and Dr Edward Duca (Communications and Alumni Relations Office) about how the University has reinvented the way it communicates its— and its researchers’—work to the public. & O utreach

Shots from Science in the City 2015. Photos by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com (top) and Elisa von Brockdorff (bottom) P ublic E ngagement 90 ommunicating effectively first issue, Research Matters, came out out, however, ‘the rector loved it, with the outside in December 2011. The second issue and gave it his stamp of approval.’ world is not always a came out six months later, but by then ‘In fact,’ Duca adds, ‘I almost wish I priority for university despite the short lapse of time, the received more feedback from him.’ institutions, but a magazine was unrecognisable. The Fifteen editions of Think—four issues Cfailure to do so can have adverse reason was that the UoM brought in a year—have since been published, and effects, and the University of Malta two full-timers—editor Dr Edward the response has been overwhelmingly (UoM) is no stranger to this. Duca and graphic designer Jean Claude positive. One concern, Duca observes, The UoM’s importance as an Vancell—to handle the publication. The is that the magazine may look ‘a bit educational institution cannot be new duo felt that the original magazine too slick. We questioned whether overstated. Malta’s health structures, needed an overhaul to make it appeal this means that it makes it lose a its education systems, and a whole lot to a wider audience. The magazine degree of authenticity, but I believe more depend on people it has helped was reinvented, with Duca crediting it doesn’t. It’s just good design, not educate. However, this has helped US magazines Wired and Scientific overly sensational or promotional fuel perceptions that the University American as inspiration. Accordingly, […], it makes you want to pick it up,’ is little more than a glorified school, the new publication looked the he says. ‘This is what the University that its academics focus solely on part—‘like a commercial magazine, one deserves, a high-end magazine that teaching, and that any research that that you would buy,’ in Duca’s words— effectively communicates what it does.’ might take place is inconsequential. and given a catchier name: Think. This does not mean, however, that This is far from the truth, but All that remained was for Think to there is no room for improvement. the message was up until recently be approved: ‘the rector could have Boosting advertising revenue is a not reaching the public effectively. blocked it, and people [at the UoM] challenge, not least because the thought I could lose my job, because policy is to only accept adverts that With this in mind, the Rector, Prof. & O utreach Juanito Camilleri, pushed for the it was too big of a change… but you are appropriate for a magazine of this publication of a magazine focusing cannot introduce such a change step nature, and this also limits, among on research activity at the UoM. The by step,’ Duca recounts. As it turns other things, Think’s ability to recruit P ublic E ngagement 91 freelancers. The magazine’s distribution things,’ Duca notes. At present, from EU funds, but efforts to secure could also be more efficient: at present, planning typically begins as soon as other sources of funding are ongoing. Duca remarks, the magazine cannot be the previous event finishes, and the Nevertheless, the event, as well as found ‘in the waiting rooms of banks, team is now planning to start preparing Think, are helping to address a gap clinics, and hospital: the places where two to three years in advance. in science communication, which is people would want a magazine to read.’ During the first edition, Duca arguably key to ensuring that more estimated that 10,000 people would people develop an interest in science attend the event, although others as a career choice. But Duca also BRINGING SCIENCE were more sceptical, telling him that if emphasises that a greater public TO THE CITY 1,000 made it, he should be pleased. understanding of science helps bring The first few months working at As it turns out, 12,000 people made it about an informed democracy. Think proved particularly hectic, not to Valletta that night, and since then, least because Duca was concurrently the crowds have nearly doubled. organising another public engagement The event has evolved from year activity: the first edition of Science to year, partly to provide crowds with in the City, Malta’s science and a different experience each time, arts festival which encompasses but also in response to feedback. the EU’s European Researchers’ After the first year, greater effort The event has Night, which involves hundreds was placed on providing interactive of events in cities across Europe events for the young, for instance: evolved from year dedicated to celebrating research. but this has led to calls for interactive to year, partly to As one can imagine, organising an events for older audiences, which, event involving activities across Malta’s Duca notes, are a tricky prospect. provide crowds 16th century capital city is no easy task. The biggest challenge, Duca Currently, the organisation involves a observes, is achieving a balance with a different core team of four, as well as an artistic between good art and good science. experience each consultant. A lot of the logistical ‘Sometimes you get good science

& O utreach arrangements are now outsourced, but the art is lacking, or else you get time, but also which was not the case the first time good art that does not communicate in response to round. ‘After that experience, we science well,’ he says. Funding is became cleverer, better at organising another challenge: the event benefits feedback. P ublic E ngagement 92 Photos by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com and Elisa von Brockdorff

THE UNIVERSITY’S the time for a change, not just in its But Newspoint, perhaps, is just the NEWSROOM look and feel, but also in its ethos […] latest step forward in the way the something that does not simply serve as University communicates. Technology While Think has revolutionised the a notice board, but a portal that people has helped—for instance, it wasn’t way the UoM communicates its would wish to look into proactively.’ that long ago that students had to accomplishments, Patricia Camilleri The inspiration for Newspoint was check notice boards for exam results– (director, Communications and online news portals, rather than but Camilleri, who has worked at Alumni Relations Office) and her university websites. This vision is the UoM for 25 years, also points colleagues spotted the need to readily apparent when one looks at the out that mindsets have changed. upgrade how it communicates to redesigned website. Photography is ‘I remember back in 1991 going its staff and students. The recent given a greater priority than ever before, to a dean to ask for information, launch of Newspoint, the University’s and videos are regularly published on only for him to ask me “who wants news portal, seeks to do just that. the site: a videographer was taken on it?”’ Think and Newspoint are the It is not the UoM’s first such effort: especially for this purpose. Updates clearest evidence that such attitudes it replaces the long-running News are far more frequent, including an have been consigned to the past; on Campus, which featured notices, event page which is updated regularly. the future has been engaged. events, and press releases issued by the University. In doing so, it was useful in letting staff and students know what was going on, but its age was increasingly showing, and it had become an information repository. ‘News on Campus served a very good purpose […] but everything has its shelf life,’ she observes. ‘We tried to make it

as visually interesting & O utreach as we could, within the website’s limitations, but there came P ublic E ngagement 93 Minding the University's business

John Cordina meets with MUHC CEO Joe Azzopardi to discuss the University's Holding Company.

t may be a public—and publicly-funded— accommodation facilities, which were previously university, but the University of Malta (UoM) has heavily underutilised. When Azzopardi started acquired a number of commercial interests over out, the Lija residence’s occupancy only averaged the years. These are grouped together under a modest 60%, while Hotel Kappara was virtually the Malta University Holding Company (MUHC), empty, with around just 20% of its rooms in use, Iof which the size, scope, and profit is growing. but occupancy ratios have since increased to But until recently the situation was considerably 85% and 72% respectively. The tennis courts different. The MUHC’s focus was originally largely and archery ranges at Lija are now also being geared towards one project: the University Residence rented out, and the residence is also being used in Lija, which was opened in 1994 and which to host private companies’ team-building events. primarily hosted international students studying at At the same time, however, Azzopardi saw the the UoM. Its accommodation business was expanded need to diversify. He strove to expand its other in 2011 through the acquisition of the Hotel interests, including the Malta University Language Kappara, a short walk from the University campus. School—focused on profitable English language That was well and good, save for one courses but which also runs Maltese, Japanese, consideration: it was not a profitable venture and Arabic-language classes. The school has seen seeing as the group operated on a largely its business pick up after shifting operations from breakeven basis. CEO Joe Azzopardi, who joined Junior College to the University Residence, which the MUHC in 2012, explains that improving helped it offer package deals to foreign groups.

& O utreach the financial performance of the University’s The MUHC has readily taken up opportunities business arm has now become a priority. offered by University, including the management Key to achieving this objective has been the of vending machines on campus and photography MUHC’s endeavour to make the most out of its and videography services during graduation P ublic E ngagement 94 Photo by Jean Claude Vancell Claude Jean by Photo

ceremonies. Its portfolio includes training and while it offers commercial consultancy, it does not consultancy services, the Campus FM radio involve itself in collaborative research between station, and University-branded merchandise. industry and UoM researchers. The University All these initiatives—as well as a ‘constant remains its biggest client and patron, while also effort’ to rationalise operational costs, as providing strategic directions, but the MUHC Azzopardi explains—have led to the MUHC operates as any other commercial company registering a respectable profit before tax would, striving to pay regular dividends to the of €650,000 last year, with all indications University while not benefiting from public funds. pointing towards a similarly successful 2016. This increasing closeness between the MUHC Gradual but consistent growth is key. and the UoM, which owns it, is to be cemented Azzopardi highlights another challenge through an ambitious project which will see the that needed to be addressed: a seeming gulf group move its operations to the main campus between the MUHC and the UoM. He notes grounds. The UoM is building a University that ‘it seemed as if the two entities were Residence and Community Centre with hundreds ignoring each other.’ While still based at the of beds. This will supplant the Lija facility. Lija residence, the group has worked hard The planned residence will be operated to reach out to the UoM, and as a result, is by private enterprise, reducing the MUHC’s increasingly becoming ‘the first port of call for involvement but significantly increasing the these quarters when UoM staff need help.’ potential of its other operations, a shift in line

Nevertheless, overlap between the two is kept with Azzopardi’s ultimate goal, ‘to reach a stage & O utreach to a minimum. For instance, while the MUHC when I can safely say that the MUHC does not does offer some training programmes, higher depend on any one client, activity, or officer— qualifications remain the UoM’s sole domain. And myself included—to survive and grow’. P ublic E ngagement 95 y enel d K re ilf W

Pr of . N ik o la i A tt a r d

D r Jo sA nn C ut ajar BRIDGING GAPS talks to RIDT CEO , , and

& O utreach John Cordina Wilfred Kenely Prof. Nikolai Attard Dr JosAnn Cutajar about the University of Malta’s outreach efforts, and working with various sectors of the public in University research. P ublic E ngagement 96 he University of Malta’s attract community funding, with the short time, to make significant contribution to society government allocating €500,000 in breakthroughs […] we have an ever- goes beyond educating seed capital to set the ball rolling. increasing number of donors who thousands of students The trust is an independent entity are supporting us in a wide range each year. The University with the UoM as its sole beneficiary. of subjects.’ Since it was set up, the Tis also a crucial part of the country’s The trust, Kenely explains, trust has brought in over €1 million in research infrastructure and socio- encourages philanthropy and funds for UoM research, with NGOs economic growth. But Maltese corporate social responsibility alone donating over €200,000. expenditure on research and innovation directed at research. It engages Among other things, this funding remains far below the EU average. with various sectors of society has helped finance three PhD There has been progress, observes through the organisation of various scholarships—two in breast cancer Wilfred Kenely (CEO, Research, fundraising events and initiatives, research, funded by the Action for Innovation and Development Trust, such as concerts and festivals. Breast Cancer Foundation, and RIDT). The UoM’s research portfolio Kenely encourages the investment in one in climate change research— has increased dramatically in recent research in order for the problems of with a fourth one expected years, and its research infrastructure tomorrow to be solved, be they ICT to start shortly. The LifeCycle has been boosted through the solutions or debilitating diseases. Foundation is financing research investment of millions of euros Universities across the world benefit into kidney disease, while the Malta of mostly EU funds. Despite the from financial endowments—alumni Community Chest Fund is focusing investment, it is not enough. But, are typical donors—but the concept on the genetics of osteoporosis—a Kenely adds that this has created is new to Malta, and persuading bone-weakening disease. the need for new revenue streams, the public ‘that research needs The concept of community-funded ‘particularly streams coming from the support of the community’ has research has taken root, though Kenely the community itself: industry, been the biggest challenge’ faced emphasises the need to build on this individuals, alumni, NGOs, and so on.’ by the RIDT, according to Kenely. trend. ‘What has been accomplished The UoM established the research Despite the hurdle ‘we [the research so far is only the beginning; there is trust (RIDT) in 2011 specifically to trust] have managed, in a relatively a lot more that can be achieved.’

Since it was set up, the trust has brought in over €1 million in funds for UoM research, with NGOs alone & O utreach donating over

A press conference by RIDT, Action for Breast Cancer Foundation and ALIVE Charity Foundation €200,000. back in 2013. P ublic E ngagement 97 THE TRAVELLING DENTISTS

The RIDT’s most visible accomplishment is a dental clinic on wheels that has been touring the country since its launch last September. The mobile dental clinic is the brainchild of Prof. Nikolai Attard (Dean, Faculty of Dental Surgery, UoM), who collaborated closely with paediatric dentist Gabriella Gatt on the project. In 2012, RIDT helped attract funders but a ready-made mobile clinic proved too expensive. Instead the team converted a cargo truck into a mobile clinic with the help of engineer Albert Bonnici. This project still required some €130,000, however, and raising the funds, Attard explains, was no easy task. Kenely’s efforts proved instrumental, attracting donations—primarily from companies operating in the health sector—that helped finish the clinic in three years. The trigger for the dental clinic was research showing that dental care was not reaching all communities in Malta—not everyone was regularly undergoing dental checkups. ‘This could be for various reasons, including mobility problems, lack of time, difficulty in making an appointment […] so I thought that if people were not coming to us, we should bring the service to them,’ notes Kenely. And that is just what the clinic is doing. At least twice a week, the mobile clinic visits schools, local councils, associations, day care centres, or festivals, to provide free screening and oral health advice to various members of the public. The RIDT’s most visible accomplishment

& O utreach Dental students supervised by is a dental clinic on wheels that academic staff operate the clinic. So in this way, the clinic plays a double has been touring the country since role, training the next generation its launch last September. P ublic E ngagement 98 of dentists while providing dental care to the public. This community engagement could even change how the Faculty organises its courses. However, Attard emphasises that the clinic is also an invaluable research tool. Engaging the public has also contributed to research that takes the form of data gathering which is collected while the clinic is doing its visits. This forms part of a National Oral Health Survey. The information gathered will serve to help identify the challenges and barriers in dental health care—and research can then weave these strands into a solution.

A BRIDGE TO COTTONERA

Over 12,500 students attend the UoM, but few students come from the Southern Harbour area of Malta. To Prof. Juanito Camilleri at the inauguration of the Cottonera Resource Centre in 2013. Photo by change this situation the Rector, Prof. Tufigno Photo & Video Services. Juanito Camilleri, pushed forward the Cottonera Resource Centre in 2013. help. The resource centre’s mentoring children greatly. Public lectures are Sociology lecturer, Dr JosAnn project seeks to bring this human touch regularly organised, and the Centre Cutajar, was carrying out a study back. Promising students who might targets the community through on Cottonera when the centre be in need of support are assigned specially designed courses, such was being planned. She was made mentors. University students meet as one on Holy Week and other its director. Trying to increase them on a regular basis, and take them religious studies. ‘The course has university student numbers from on educational and social outings. proved inspiring,’ Cutajar points this area is not straightforward. Revision classes in English, Maltese, out, adding how it has shown how ‘You discover that you cannot simply Mathematics, and Physics are offered people can contribute even if they work on education, you have to work to Form 4 (14-year-old secondary) never thought themselves capable. on multiple issues at once, as any one students to help them pass their SEC Progress has been slow. ‘Success of them can make a student veer off exams building blocks for eventual is not achieved by everyone’, notes course,’ she states. In order to tackle entry into university. On the other Cutajar, ‘and the failures can be this issue, the Centre offers free hand, a STEAM (science, technology, discouraging’. But positive feedback counselling services and a legal clinic. engineering, art, and mathematics) has come through: those students Many students end up falling summer school helps younger in revision classes who pass a behind when they start secondary students engage with the subjects subject for the first time, or teachers remarking that mentored students school because they might shift from in an inspiring way, encouraging & O utreach a teacher who knew them well to them to adopt a science career. have regained their enthusiasm simply being one of many; ‘the loss But the Centre also wants to for learning. ‘It’s a slow process of a human touch’ certainly does not reach adults. Parents influence their but it has its satisfactions.’ P ublic E ngagement 99 a bite-sized education John Cordina talks to Dr Jean-Paul De Lucca, director of the Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences, about the University of Malta’s most flexible programme of studies yet.

eel like earning a degree by studying education and would now like to do so without biblical archaeology, beekeeping, straining their personal and professional pyrotechnics, Russian opera and lives,’ De Lucca explains, adding that the much more, and to take your time programme also suited graduates who wished doing so? Thanks to the University ‘to continue studying in a bite-size’ fashion. Fof Malta’s Programme in the Liberal Arts The programme’s aim, De Lucca says, is to and Sciences (PLAS), now anyone can. let people study at their own pace. Around The programme, which is operated by the 15–20 study units—typically involving a weekly Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences lecture over 14 weeks and assessment through (CLAS), was only launched two years ago, assignments—are offered each semester, and but has been a quick success, attracting for a reasonable fee, prospective students some 200 students—‘from all walks of can apply for as many units as they desire. life and with very different education The range of topics covered by the units

& O utreach backgrounds,’ CLAS director Dr Jean-Paul offered each semester is vast. To provide an De Lucca points out—each semester. example, the units offered during 2015/2016 ‘We wanted to reach people who, for include ‘Saving Lives: Amazing Medical some reason or other, did not pursue tertiary Devices,’ ‘Shakespeare Revisited,’ ‘Opera, P ublic E ngagement 100 Photo by Jean Claude Vancell Claude Jean by Photo Dr Jean-Paul De Lucca. Lucca. De Jean-Paul Dr

Symphony and Ballet in Russia,’ and ‘Lighting hands-on study units primarily addressed at people up the Skies: The Chemistry of Fireworks.’ working in the field. De Lucca explains that the But the PLAS offers more than the opportunity centre is looking into ways of adapting this model to learn for learning’s sake: it also offers a path in other areas, to help strengthen opportunities for higher qualifications. Its study units are for continuous professional development. accredited, and should one accumulate enough CLAS has also developed partnerships with credits—and there are no time limits for doing public entities and NGOs, to offer educational and so—these can be translated into a certificate, a training opportunities which could be accredited diploma, a higher diploma, and even a Bachelor’s through the programme. All this is in line with Degree in Liberal Studies. And prior learning De Lucca’s desire to see ‘the consolidation of can be acknowledged, so undergraduates opportunities for adult learning, which target those who did not manage to complete their course who are seeking employment, a career change, can finish their studies through the PLAS. or personal and professional development.’

The Centre may be in its infancy, but it is already And if you simply feel that lectures & O utreach evolving. This year saw it offer, in collaboration about fireworks would be an interesting with the UoM’s Department of Computer Science, way to spend a few evenings, then PLAS’ tech units, a selection of ICT-related, CLAS has got you covered, too. P ublic E ngagement 101 & O utreach P ublic E ngagement 102 A lighthouse reinvented Lars Lorenz meets Prof. Raymond Ellul to talk about a lighthouse that monitors air pollutants instead of warding off ships.

he Giordan Lighthouse monitoring system. The data feeds into shipping traffic pass by. Ships are on the island of Gozo international climate change models. allowed to burn highly polluting was built in 1851, but Currently, five researchers (from the fossil fuels. The Giordan Lighthouse was decommissioned as Department of Geosciences, Faculty detects spikes in pollution every navigation technology of Science) work at the lighthouse, time a large ship passes by. Tadvanced. The 150m-high lighthouse monitoring trace and greenhouse Having in-depth knowledge of has now been reinvented by the gases, aerosols, and meteorological air pollution and climate change University of Malta (UoM) to collect data. Aerosols are tiny particles in the is extremely valuable. It can help atmospheric data. In 2008 the team, air and a significant pollutant. An inlet inform policy makers to form the led by Prof. Raymond Ellul, received on the top of the lighthouse collects right decisions for a country’s a European Regional Development samples, which are distributed to environment and health. The research Fund of nearly half a million Euro to individual measurement instruments conducted by Ellul and his team upgrade the research equipment and inside the lighthouse. One major helps to identify these problems, hire additional staff. The main goal pollution source is shipping pollution. their sources, and to calculate how was to improve the data quality and The waters between Malta and human-generated climate change link it to the global UN-standard air Sicily see one third of the world’s will affect the Mediterranean Sea. Photos by Dr Edward Duca Edward Dr by Photos & O utreach P ublic E ngagement 103 Intersecting boundaries Dr Edward Duca highlights some innovations in the Faculty of Arts.

he Arts enhance the way The M.A. in Film Studies is bridging Programme. Since its foundation in we look at ourselves and the gap between film theory and 2012 the group has released several the world around us. They practice. Students produce short papers and books ranging from give expression to our lives films while developing their critical medicine-related texts in the bible Tand desires. This range is reflected in analysis. Keeping in tradition with to gender studies of the Maltese the Faculty of Arts’ 16 departments the rest of the Faculty, they have medical profession. Apart from regular from Anthropology to Philosophy and recently organised film screenings seminars, the group also supports Literature to International Relations. to celebrate the final cut of the events such as the 2nd academic The last decade has seen a big celebrated 1973 cult movie The Star Trek symposium to be held in push for postgraduate education in Wicker Man. To discuss Shakespeare Malta this year. HUMS attempts to the Faculty of Arts with over 10 new on the 400th year anniversary of his close the breach between medicine, M.A. courses. The Literary Tradition death, the Department of English the sciences and the humanities. and Popular Culture course, for (together with other UoM based Their symposium is a world-first. example, brings together seven of institutions) organised a series of films Another medium to engage these departments covering topics in 2016, with the Spanish & Latin with ideas is exhibitions. The from post-modern literature studies American Studies Department doing Department of History of Art’s to the aesthetics of decline. Some of the same on Cervantes celebrating research ranges from the Baroque to the academics involved have founded 400 years of the great writer. Films the contemporary era. In 2016 they a new journal called CounterText with touch every discipline and people’s hosted an exhibition on the still-life Edinburgh University Press in 2015 hearts, stimulating discussion. paintings of the renowned baroque- to study the post-literary, or how new Another example of interdisciplinary era artist Francesco Noletti, known technological advances and globalisation collaborations is the Humanities as il Maltese, in the 16th century have changed the literary world. and Medical Sciences (HUMS) Valletta Campus. In 2015 another exhibition reflected on modern European sculpture including the work of Maltese sculptor, Josef Kalleya. An important achievement of this Faculty is a new library inaugurated in 2012. It holds over 3,000 books including the priceless Ann Williams collection. The books reflect every single department in the Faculty including the recently incorporated Departments of German (2008), Spanish & Latin American Studies (2011) and Anthropological Sciences

& O utreach (2011). Perhaps things were best said by Pablo Picasso, ‘we all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realise truth.’ Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff. Banner photo by www.iCreatemotionStudio.com. P ublic E ngagement 104 www.um.edu.mt