Professor Charles L. Mifsud, director of the Centre for Literacy at the University of Malta, was a speaker at the European Literacy Research Meeting held by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg last month

Literacy is a concern not only of developing countries but also of many countries in Europe, where an increasing proportion of the population lacks the basic competencies to tackle the demands of everyday life. The meeting involved representatives from key education and research institutes engaged in literacy research. Besides sharing the results of the latest research studies from the various countries, a session was also devoted to discussing the policy and programme implications of such results. As the UNESCO Institute is coordinating one of UNESCO’s key education initiatives, LIFE (Literacy Initiative For Empowerment), it is expected that lessons drawn from this meeting could also be fed back to the series of LIFE activities. A support research strategy was discussed and developed. The meeting will result in a report on the trends and policy implications for literacy as well as further development of UIL’s planned database for dissemination of research findings.

Professor Mifsud spoke about the research and development initiatives and projects of the University Centre for Literacy in collaboration with various Maltese, European and international partners. The extensive research profile of the centre was presented and a strong basis for future research collaboration with a number of key European institutions in the area of Literacy was established. A strong dimension of the work of the Centre is the promotion of multiple literacies through both e- and mobile learning.

Professor Mifsud also discussed possible avenues of collaboration with leading officials from UNESCO and the OECD.