A delegation of school principals from different States in India recently attended a short course at the University of Malta entitled Schools for the Future: Fostering Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Education. This interactive training programme, which was prepared and delivered by The Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking, focused on the importance of developing an entrepreneurial mindset through a cross-curricular approach, and included workshops on how to develop a school culture for enhancing creativity, how to be an effective creative leader, and how to apply foresight techniques to design schools that foster creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. As part of the training programme, the delegation visited St Paul's Missionary College, St Nicholas College, and San Anton School, where they observed lessons on creative thinking and entrepreneurship, learned about the local education system, and discussed projects and initiatives undertaken by these institutions to promote creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship through education in Malta.
The delegates were awarded a participation certificate by the Rector of the University of Malta, Professor Juanito Camilleri, during a closing ceremony at the Valletta Campus on 10th November. During their free time, the delegates attended sightseeing and cultural activities including a day tour of Valletta, sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority. This delegation's visit to Malta was organised by the University's International and EU Office with the support of the High Commission of Malta in New Delhi, and was a result of the close ties that have been built in recent years between the University of Malta and various educational institutions in India. Discussions are now being held to explore further collaborative projects, including follow-up workshops by The Edward de Bono Institute for teachers in India.