EUCEET was originally initiated to enhance the cooperation between universities, faculties and departments of civil engineering in Europe, with the involvement of academic and professional associations, in order to contribute to the development of civil engineering education and to increase quality and efficiency.

It is a thematic network initiated by the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest and coordinated by the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees Paris.

Attending the two-day working meeting in Malta are 92 participants from various universities and technical institutes in 26 European countries.

During the assembly, six new thematic projects are being launched. They are:

• Promoting educational matters on sustainable development,

• Non-technical subjects in Civil Engineering,

• Use of ICT in Civil Engineering,

• Academic and professional

recognition,

• Mobility of European civil

engineers,

• Life-long learning in civil

engineering.

Opening the assembly yesterday, Education Minister Louis Galea said the creation of a European Higher Education Area by 2010 through the Bologna process is based on the vision of a common structure of higher education.

“We are determined to ensure quality and relevance in our higher education settings. We require institutions that are aware and respond quickly to the diversity of needs of students. I have recently announced that I will be setting up an ad hoc Commission for Higher Education where the mandate will be linked to creating this culture shift while at the same time guaranteeing the provision of quality education within the tertiary sector,” he said.

He said civil engineers have a direct impact on society and economic activity since many hold key positions in state funded utilities, transportation agencies, local and regional planning and development agencies, and natural resource management services.