A new page has been turned in the relationship between the world of academia and the vocational training sector yesterday when the new rector of the university, Prof. Juanito Camilleri said that further collaboration between the university and MCAST was not only essential but crucial for Malta.
This quantum leap in what had previously been a frosty relationship between both educational institutions appears to herald a brighter future for MCAST, and the Rector made it very clear that the divide between academia and vocational studies had to end as soon as possible.
Prof. Camilleri was speaking yesterday during a visit by Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea to the Engineering Institute at MCAST.
The minister said the meeting was very important because for the first time ever, high-level officers from the university and the college were working together on a common project.
During the summer months, a number of first-year engineering students at university are attending a specialised laboratory at MCAST that has been set up with assistance from the European, Research and Development Fund. Minister Galea said that it was important for such joint ventures to continue because they actually strengthen both institutions.
The minister said that this form of collaboration demonstrated that both institutions can work together and co-exist for the benefit of students. He said the government was pouring millions of liri into the University and MCAST, and therefore it was important that there was no duplication of courses.
Prof. Camilleri said there was a first step for everything and that the current exercise would surely lead to further joint projects.
He stressed the importance of “dovetailing” courses together, adding that there should be more research into the orientation and natural progression of the student.
The rector announced that he would be appointing a number of pro-rectors whose brief will be that of studying opportunities of closer collaboration with vocational institutes such as the Institute for Tourism Studies and MCAST. He said the distinction between the University and vocational institutions should stop because what really mattered was the success of the student to achieve his/her maximum.
MCAST principal Frank Edwards said that collaboration between both institutions was indeed possible and that university students were actually putting their theoretical knowledge into practice. He said this was the way forward and the future for higher education in Malta was looking very bright.
Minister Galea said that a quality analysis of credits in the Engineering Faculty was currently under way to explore the possibility of a natural progression and links to those being offered at MCAST.