Guidelines clarifying the controversial legal notice governing university accreditation will be published shortly, the Chairman of the National Commission for Further and Higher Education Martin Scicluna said today.

The legal notice came into force just days after the government announced it had signed a heads of agreement with a Jordanian investor to set up a American University of Malta at Zonqor Point.

Addressing a conference on quality assurance in higher education, Mr Scicluna said the legal notice has been “misinterpreted,” and guidelines clarifying certain ambiguities such as the national interest clause will be published

The guidelines will also set out what prior experience is expected of an investor hoping to set up a university in Malta.

Mr Scicluna said he will be seeking advice as to whether to embed these guidelines into the law.

The Chairman said that quality in education is non-negotiable, and none of the changes to the legal notice reduce the rigour of the due diligence process applied by the Commission.

“It is completely incorrect to say standards have been reduced. Quality is not linked to quantity... Every programme has to satisfy the quality criteria, which was established three years ago and remains untouched by the legal notice, “Mr Scicluna said.

Mr Scicluna said the “political firestorm” surrounding the American University of Malta was “unwelcome,” as the Commission prefers to carry out its work “with quiet discretion below the radar.”

The Commission will be carrying out a proper assessment of the facts based on clear criteria, he said.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said he will not allow education standards to be lowered under his watch, pointing out that as a shadow minister he used to denounce bogus universities operating in Malta.

“No one is going to buy a license to operate in Malta, no matter how many millions are planned to be invested,” Mr Bartolo said.