HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The University of Malta (, UM, formerly UOM) is a higher education institution in
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. It offers undergraduate
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six y ...
s,
postgraduate Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree. The organization and struc ...
master's degrees and postgraduate doctorates. It is a member of the European University Association, the European Access Network,
Association of Commonwealth Universities The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) was established in 1913, and has over 500 member institutions in over 50 countries across the Commonwealth. The ACU is the world's oldest international network of universities. Its mission is t ...
, the
Utrecht Network The Utrecht Network is a network of European universities. Founded in 1987, the network promotes the internationalisation of tertiary education through summer schools, student and staff exchanges and joint degrees. Utrecht Network member unive ...
, the Santander Network, the Compostela Group, the European Association for University Lifelong Learning (EUCEN) and the International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP). In
post-nominals Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...
the university's name is abbreviated as ''Melit''; a shortened form of ''Melita'' (a Latinised form of the Greek ''Μελίτη'').


History

The precursor to the University of Malta was the ''
Collegium Melitense The ''Collegium Melitense'' was a Jesuit college in Valletta, Hospitaller Malta which existed between 1592 and 1769. Lectures at the educational institution began in 1593, and it moved to a purpose-built building adjacent to a Jesuit church in 1 ...
'', a
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...
college which was set up on 12 November 1592. This was originally located in an old house in Valletta, but a purpose-built college was constructed between 1595 and 1597. This building is now known as the Old University Building or the Valletta Campus. The Jesuits were expelled from Malta in 1768, and although their property was taken over by the Treasury of the
Order of St. John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headqu ...
, the college remained open and professors retained their posts. The University of Malta officially came to existence on 22 November 1769, when Grand Master
Manuel Pinto da Fonseca Manuel Pinto da Fonseca (also ''Emmanuel Pinto de Fonseca''; 24 May 1681 – 23 January 1773) was a Portuguese nobleman, the 68th Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, from 1741 until his death. He undertook many building projects, introdu ...
signed a decree constituting a ''Pubblica Università di Studi Generali''. The university was briefly suspended during the magistracy of Francisco Ximénez de Tejada in the 1770s, but it was reconstituted by his successor Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc in 1779. The university was replaced by the ''École Centrale'' during the French occupation of Malta from 1798 to 1800, but was once again reopened by the British in the early 19th century. From 1937 to 1974, the institution was known as the Royal University of Malta. Over time, the Valletta campus became too small and Evans Laboratories (now known as Evans Building) was built in 1959 to house the Faculty of Science. In 1968, the Medical School moved to a building near St. Luke's Hospital in Gwardamanġa. The university opened a much larger campus at Tal-Qroqq in
Msida Msida ( mt, L-Imsida, it, Misida) is a harbour town in the Central Region of Malta with a population of 7, 623 (2021). Location The town is located just west of Valletta on the northeast coast of Malta. The neighbouring towns of Msida are ...
in the late 1960s, but it retained the Valletta building which is still used for some lectures and conferences. The university is a member of the European University Association, the European Access Network, the
Association of Commonwealth Universities The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) was established in 1913, and has over 500 member institutions in over 50 countries across the Commonwealth. The ACU is the world's oldest international network of universities. Its mission is t ...
, the
Utrecht Network The Utrecht Network is a network of European universities. Founded in 1987, the network promotes the internationalisation of tertiary education through summer schools, student and staff exchanges and joint degrees. Utrecht Network member unive ...
, the Santander Network, the Compostela Group, the European Association for University Lifelong Learning ( EUCEN) the International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP) and the Excellence Network of Island Universities ETI The university has participated in EU programmes and has won several projects in collaboration with partner universities. University of Malta staff and students participate in programmes such as Erasmus and
Leonardo Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard. People Notable people with the name include: * Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Italian Renaissance scientist ...
. The university acts as a partner with other institutions. Links have been forged with the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise & Industry and the Employment & Training Corporation in order to determine how the university, industry, business and the public sector can develop links.


Campuses


Msida campus

The main campus of the University of Malta is located in an area known as ''Tal-Qroqq'' in
Msida Msida ( mt, L-Imsida, it, Misida) is a harbour town in the Central Region of Malta with a population of 7, 623 (2021). Location The town is located just west of Valletta on the northeast coast of Malta. The neighbouring towns of Msida are ...
. It has a total area of , and it houses most of the university's faculties, centres and institutions. Plans to construct this campus began in the late 1950s after the university's original premises in Valletta were deemed too small. Designs for the new campus were prepared by the British architectural practice Norman and Dawbarn in 1961, and the Maltese architectural firm Mortimer and de Giorgio was also involved in the project. The foundation stone of the campus was laid down on 22 September 1964, a day after Malta's independence, by Commonwealth Secretary Duncan Sandys and construction was completed by 1970. The design was inspired by American college campuses, and it contains separate buildings for each faculty, along with a library and a University House, surrounded by a ring road. One of the most significant buildings in the university campus is the former Department of Architecture Building (now known as the Ġużè Cassar Pullicino Building), a
Brutalist Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ba ...
building designed by the British architect Peter Richardson and built in 1969–70. The university campus has been extended several times since its original construction in the late 1960s. A Catholic chapel dedicated to St Thomas More was added in 1977–78, and it was built to designs of the architect Lino Gatt, with the architect William Micallef supervising its construction. In the late 1980s the architect Richard England was commissioned to design a new masterplan for the university, and he designed a number of new Postmodern buildings, many of which are linked together with colonnades, arcades, stairs or ramps. This extension was built between 1989 and 1999, and its most significant component is the Gateway Building which serves as the university's main entrance. The Faculty of ICT is housed in a steel-and-glass building which was constructed between 2009 and 2013. A masterplan for future development of the campus has been prepared, and it includes a proposed Sustainable Living Complex which would house the Faculty for the Built Environment. A building which will serve as accommodation for university students is currently under construction in an area between the main campus and
Mater Dei Hospital Mater Dei Hospital (MDH; mt, Sptar Mater Dei), also known simply as '' Mater Dei'', is an acute general and teaching hospital in Msida, Malta. It was opened in 2007, replacing St. Luke's Hospital. It is a public hospital affiliated to the Universi ...
, after it was approved by the Planning Authority in 2018. The
International Maritime Law Institute The IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) was established in 1988 under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its mission is to train specialists in maritime law. The Institu ...
(IMLI) is located within the grounds of the university's Msida campus even though it is a separate educational institution.


Valletta campus

The Valletta campus is the university's original campus, located in Malta's capital city. It is housed in the Old University Building, which was constructed between 1595 and 1602 to house the university's predecessor, the ''
Collegium Melitense The ''Collegium Melitense'' was a Jesuit college in Valletta, Hospitaller Malta which existed between 1592 and 1769. Lectures at the educational institution began in 1593, and it moved to a purpose-built building adjacent to a Jesuit church in 1 ...
''. The Valletta campus incorporates an ''Aula Magna'' ("Great Hall"). The campus is used to host events such as international conferences and seminars, along with a number of short courses and summer schools. It currently houses the Research, Innovation & Development Trust (RIDT), the Conferences & Events Unit and the Centre for the Study & Practice of Conflict Resolution.


Marsaxlokk campus

The
Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk () is a small, traditional fishing village in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It has a harbour, and is a tourist attraction known for its views, fishermen and history. As at March 2014, the village had a population of 3,534. The ...
campus houses the university's Institute for Sustainable Energy. It has an area of about and it includes two laboratories and a lecture room.


Gozo campus

The University of Malta Gozo Campus, formerly known as the University of Malta Gozo Centre, is located in
Xewkija Xewkija ( mt, Ix-Xewkija, it, Casal Xeuchia, pronounced and written as Casal Sceuchia) is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo. The population of Xewkija is 3,300 as of March 2014. History Xewkija, which is situated between G ...
on the island of
Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After ...
and it was established in 1992. It is used for part-time degrees, diplomas and short-term courses, and it also serves as a centre for assisting Gozitan students who are enrolled in courses at the university's campuses on Malta. The Gozo campus also houses the Güsten Atmospheric Research Centre, which forms part of the within the Faculty of Science's Department of Geosciences. Lectures, seminars and other social or cultural activities for the general public are also held at the campus.


Organisation and administration

The administrative set up of the university comprises academic and administrative and technical staff members who are appointed or elected to the governing bodies of the university. The principal officers of the university are the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor, the
Rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
, the Pro-Rectors, the Secretary, the Registrar, the Deans of the Faculties as well as the Finance Officer and the Librarian. The main governing bodies are the council, the Senate and the Faculty Boards. As the supreme governing body of the university, the council is responsible for the administration of the university. Faculties group together departments concerned with a major area of knowledge, while institutes are of an interdisciplinary nature. The council is also responsible for appointing staff members to academic posts. The senate is largely responsible for the academic matters of the university primarily regulating studies, research, documentation and examinations at the university. The senate also establishes the entry regulations. The faculty board directs the academic tasks of the faculty. The board presents plans and proposals to the senate and the council. Besides, it determines the studies, teaching and research within the faculty. In March 2016, it was announced that Professor Alfred J. Vella was elected by the members of the University Council as the next Rector of the University of Malta. He took up the post in July 2016, when the term of the previous Rector, Professor Juanito Camilleri, expired. The administration rebranded the university for the fall semester of 2017 with a stylized version of the logo that removed the Latin motto ''Ut Fructificemus Deo'' (“We should bring forth fruit unto God”) for daily use and retained it in a version to be used in ceremonial contexts; some faculty objected to removing the motto.


Malta University Holding Company

The Malta University Holding Company Ltd (MUHC) embodies the commercial interests of the University of Malta. The companies comprised in the Holding Company serve as the commercial interface between the University of Malta and the business community, brokering the resources and assets of the university to provide added value through commercial activity. Companies within the group are: *Malta University Broadcasting *Malta University Consulting Ltd *Malta University Laboratory Services *Malta University Language School *Malta University Publishing *Malta University Residence *Malta University Sports & Leisure *Hotel Kappara


Academic profile

The university has fourteen Faculties, a number of institutes and centres and three schools. The floor area occupied by the library building is between 5,000 and 6,000 square metres. A collection of one million volumes is housed throughout the Main Library, branches and institutes. The library subscribes to 60,000 e-journals, 308 print journal titles and a collection of e-books. The university has fourteen faculties: Arts; Built Environment; Dental Surgery; Economics, Management & Accountancy; Education; Engineering; Health Sciences; Information & Communication Technology; Laws; Media & Knowledge Sciences; Medicine & Surgery; Science; Social Wellbeing and Theology. Interdisciplinary institutes and centres have been set up. The institutes include Aerospace Technologies; Anglo-Italian Studies; Baroque Studies; Climate Change & Sustainable Development; Confucius; Digital Games; Earth Systems; the Edward de Bono Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking; European Studies; Islands & Small States; Linguistics; Maltese Studies; Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies; Mediterranean Institute; Physical Education & Sport; Public Administration & Management; Space Sciences & Astronomy; Sustainable Energy; Tourism, Travel & Culture. The centres comprise the Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics; Centre for English Language Proficiency; Centre for Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation; Centre for Environmental Education and Research; Centre for Labour Studies; Centre for Literacy; Centre for the Liberal Arts & Sciences; Centre for Molecular Medicine & Biobanking; Centre for Resilience & Socio-Emotional Health and the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Educational Research. The University of Malta has also set up a School of Performing Arts. The Cottonera Resource Centre acts as a hub that co-ordinates links between communities in the inner harbour area and the university, facilitating resource-transfer and capacity building. There is a
University of the Third Age The University of the Third Age (U3A) is an international movement whose aims are the education and stimulation of mainly retired members of the community—those in their third 'age' of life. There is no universally accepted model for the U3A. It ...
.


Student body and admissions

Student population is about 11,500 (1074 are international students), following full-time or part-time degree and diploma courses, many of them run on the modular or credit system. The university hosts Erasmus and other exchange students. A basic Foundation Studies Course enables international high school students who have completed their secondary or high school education overseas but who do not have the necessary entry requirements, to qualify for admission to an undergraduate degree course. Over 3,000 students graduate annually. Admission to the university is based on matriculation examination results (A levels). Grades are awarded on a seven-point scale: Grade 1 is awarded for the highest level of achievement, whereas Grade 7 indicates the minimum satisfactory performance. However, entry on basis of maturity and experience is granted for certain courses in the arts and sciences. The Faculty of Dental Surgery allows for a maximum of six European students per year chosen according to merit and only after the students have passed an admissions interview. Full-time undergraduate courses are free-of-charge to citizens of
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
and the European Union. Maltese students enrolled in higher education in Malta are entitled to a stipend. Fees are charged in the case of higher courses and to nationals from non-EU states. There are 600 international students studying at the university, comprising around 7% of the student population. There are a further 2,500 pre-tertiary students at the Ġ. F. Abela Junior College, which is also managed by the university.


Student life


Student societies

Student societies include the University Students' Council ( mt, Kunsill Studenti Universitarji, KSU), the Malta Medical Students' Association (MMSA), an association of students in the faculty of Medicine and Surgery, and the Society of Architects and Civil Engineering Students (SACES), an association of students in the faculty of the Built Environment.


Notable people


Alumni


Faculty


See also

* List of rectors of the University of Malta * Malta University Historical Society * Ġ. F. Abela Junior College * List of early modern universities in Europe


References


Further reading


Lectures on the Statutes of the Sacred Order of St. John of Jerusalem - KIT
p. 20-24.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Malta, University of 1769 establishments in Malta Educational institutions established in 1769 Educational institutions established in the 1590s Msida Public universities Universities in Malta