MCAST celebrated the graduation of 741 students who successfully completed their Bachelor’s Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes last year. During the three ceremonies held on 9, 10 and 11 December, 258 students were conferred with degrees while another 483 received their Higher National Diploma or other MQF Level 5 certificates. This represents an 18.5% increase over the number of graduates at these levels last year.
The first graduates, students from the Institute of Building and Construction Engineering and the Institute of Business and Commerce, were conferred with Bachelor of Arts or Science (B.A or B.Sc) degrees during the first ceremony held on Monday, 9 December, at the Grandmaster’s Suite of the Hilton Malta, in St Julian’s.
Other students received their certificates during the second and third ceremonies held on Tuesday, 10 and Wednesday, 11 December. They included students from the Institutes of Agribusiness, Art and Design, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Science, Community Services, Information and Communication Technology and Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
This year’s graduations included the first MCAST graduates in six programmes introduced last year. These include the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in Photography, the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in Health and Social Care (Practice), the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in Advanced Studies in Early Years, the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Health and Social Care (Practice), the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing) and the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering (Plant).
During Monday’s ceremony, Justin John Caruana, who read for a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Construction Engineering, addressed the guests on behalf of all graduates. He spoke of his journey at MCAST where he started his studies following the National Diploma in Construction programme and has now successfully completed his degree in Construction Engineering. He spoke of the journey that lead to this special day, the importance of the dissertation and the great team of staff at the Institute.
In his speech Dr Silvio DeBono, MCAST president of the Board of Governors stated: “Graduation day is not your destination but part of the walk towards your career. Today is your celebration of an important milestone in this journey.”
Stephen Cachia, MCAST principal and CEO stated that MCAST is now one of the main pillars of higher education in Malta offering an alternative route that provides opportunities for all students that wish to further their studies. He mentioned that the college provides students with both the academic and practical/applied side of education preparing them for the world of work and at the same time focussing on their holistic development.
Mr Cachia mentioned the future plans of the college which are currently being realised. These include the building of a new campus, the projects to renew the college’s programmes curricula at all levels, the consolidation of the student support services, the increase of students’ participation in college life through the Student Council and other student organisations and the strengthening of stakeholder relationships.
He ended by congratulating the graduates on their achievements and thanked all MCAST staff members for continuously supporting the students.
The vocational degrees were part-financed by MCAST’s European Social Fund project ESF1.36 Professional Development Programmes for MCAST Staff and Students’ Top-Up Degrees. Early next year MCAST will be holding other certificate presentation ceremonies for students who completed introductory, foundation, diploma and extended diploma courses.