Suggestions have recently been made by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat to open a second university in Malta. The political wheels have begun to spin with the PN saying the idea is not a good one at all – with many saying that the tiny island of Malta cannot hope to have enough competition for a second university. This is true. However, one can always build on an idea.

While, as stated, the fact of having a second stand-alone university, seems to be far-fetched, one can always think laterally and build on an idea. One of the first ideas which could be explored is to upgrade MCAST – or part of MCAST – to become a fully-fledged technical university in its own right.

MCAST is a huge success story and while it does offer some diploma courses, it is a college. If, for example, Malta can develop specific courses, such as perhaps aircraft maintenance into a degree, then we could be onto a winner. MCAST, of course, would not drop other courses in order to cater for those who want to follow the present courses.

If this ‘university’ were to be formed, Malta could exploit its hub potential and the centre of the Mediterranean to focus on offering specialised courses to Maltese and foreigners alike.

Another idea could be to form a Malta International University. This would take the format of a distance learning university. We will not go into the politics of how it should be set up, but again, Malta could exploit its base in the centre of the Mediterranean. One could consider grouping all affiliates of other international distance learning universities under one roof, or they could merge to form one large university.

The key to the whole argument is that Malta must focus on either attracting students from abroad, or those who seek to learn from distance. There can never be enough room for another university to flourish here. But if MCAST is remodeled, then it can be possible as there will be a huge demand for such courses. Yet we must put it into perspective – a situation where two universities located within a few miles of each other, offering the same courses, just will not work. If anything, it might have the opposite effect, in the sense that it might water down the quality of tertiary education in Malta. When one adds subsequent head-hunting and poaching to the mix, then one can see that the idea – as presented in the form of a standalone university – will not work.

Competition is always healthy, but one must always remember that for competition to work, one must have the demand to meet the supply. As things stand (with the current number of local people who opt for tertiary education), one cannot hope to see how a new university can be set up to be cost effective. When one adds the deeply ingrained Maltese mistrust of anything new (in terms of competition) to the mix, then we can see that it will be very difficult to get the project off the ground. But, if the idea is developed further, to offer something new and which is attractive to prospective Maltese, and especially, foreign students, then we might just be onto something.