After completing a one year course, on Wednesday 1 June, 89 Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) lecturers donned caps and gowns to receive an MCAST Postgraduate Certificate in Vocational Education and Training.
The course was organised by the college as part of a project co-funded by the European Social Fund. Through this project, MCAST is offering several professional development programmes for its staff as well as its successful vocational degree courses for students. The Postgraduate Certificate in Vocational Education and Training course gave MCAST lecturing staff the opportunity to develop practical teaching methodologies based on researched knowledge, an important requirement for the successful completion of further education.
The presentation ceremony was held at MCAST Main Campus, Paola and was preceded by a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by the MCAST Chaplain, Rev. Fr John Curmi. One of the participating lecturers, Ms. Tatjana Chircop from the college’s Institute of Community Services, addressed the guests on behalf of the graduands. “The course gave us the tools to improve our students’ learning experience, both in the lecture rooms, as well as in our workshops. Ultimately, the benefits of this initiative are reaped by our families, our country’s workforce and our nation as a whole.”
Professor Maurice Grech, MCAST Principal and CEO, presented the certificates to the graduands. In his address, he explained that the college’s Continuous Professional Development Programme offers several opportunities for lecturers to further their education and gain new vocational experiences locally and abroad. In fact, some of the lecturers who obtained their Postgraduate Certificate in Vocational Education and Training will spend three months in Germany to continue their studies at Masters level, under the guidance of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the largest international research institute in Europe with a vast experience in every sector of the industry. Continuous professional development forms part of MCAST’s strategic plan and the College can only reach its ambitious targets if its staff maintain, update and broaden their knowledge and skills, while developing the personal qualities required in their professional lives, he maintained.
“Our mission is to give our students the relevant skills and competencies that adequately provide for the ever-changing needs of industry. This is the only way that we can guarantee that their years at MCAST are the key to a prosperous future. Achieving this goal is the essence of a lecturer’s success – this is why we will always continue to encourage our academic staff to keep themselves updated with the latest trends in their respective sectors, as well as with the most advanced teaching skills,” Prof. Grech said.