For the ninth consecutive year, the MCAST Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering is organising its end-of-year student projects exhibition. The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry in Valletta is hosting this year’s show till today.
The new venue is an ideal place to display the engineering projects which represent a good cross-section of work from different study levels, including the BSc degree programmes in Electronics and Electronics & Control which have just been concluded. The introduction of the MCAST vocational degrees in September 2009 has been an important achievement and a significant milestone for the college and the Institute.
Over one hundred projects from the various courses on offer, from the Technician Diploma level up to BSc (Hons) are on display. Specific areas tackled by MCAST students include robotics, automation and control, home and industrial automation, automotive, and power electronics among others. A high level of creativity and promise is evident in many of the works on show.
Today a total of approximately 500 students attend the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. The Institute has an important role to play, providing as it does technicians and engineers of high calibre for the local industry. Most of the courses at the institute form part of apprenticeship schemes. The Institute also strives to inculcate in its students an entrepreneurial mindset so that new ideas are brought to the market in a
way appropriate to create value and the
possibility of shaping the learners’ own future.
Over the years.the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering participated successfully in various local and
international competitions. Achievements include following:
• ESTF Young Scientist competition: students won first prize three times. Last year Philip Cordina placed second in the international competition for Young Scientists held in France.
• Two students placed second in the Rotterdam EuroSkills 2008 Electronics Technician workbench.
• Students won City & Guilds Gold awards at Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Electrical/Electronic Engineering course.
• The Institute received the Grant Thornton Award for Enterprise and Foreign Direct Investment in 2004.
• A number of students further their studies and in most cases finish up in key role management positions within private companies.
The Institute has managed to finalise four ESF European Union projects in less than two years. Along with the procurement of new state-of-the-art equipment, staff benefited from specialised training which was carried out both locally and abroad. Staff and students have the opportunity to practise and carry out training using the latest technologies.
The Institute is now working hard to introduce new courses in ‘Renewable and Sustainable Energy’ and is intent on promoting the marine and yachting sector, which MCAST considers to be an important niche area. The Institute maintains good links with industry and this helps in no small way to provide students with hands-on experience while keeping abreast with new technologies. The practical component of MCAST’s vocational courses plays an important part in students’ future careers and is considered as a great asset by prospective employers.
During the academic year 2009-2010, the Institute offered two Degree courses where MCAST staff have shadowed lecturers from foreign universities throughout the delivery of the programme study modules. While logistically complex, the results obtained have been encouraging. Next year’s Degree courses will be run by the Institute’s lecturers. Comments from the external professors with regard to MCAST students were also positive. This was a learning experience for all concerned and has also opened international links with a number of foreign universities.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering co-delivers courses with the Institute of Mechanical Engineering (IME). These include part of the Aircraft Maintenance Training course, Electrical, Electronics, Control and Automation, PLCs and Microcontrollers units offered as part of the IME courses. The Institute shall also be in a position to offer opportunities of specialised studies in Green Engineering at degree levels in the near future.
The Institute values the close collaboration with the chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the links it has set up over the years with the local industry and is privileged to carry out specialised training for their respective employees.