In his annual report, the Ombudsman of the University of Malta, Prof. Charles Farrugia, stated that he was not satisfied with the recruitment process of academic staff at university and I strongly agree with him.

He mentioned three separate complaints he received about the lack of transparency in academic recruitment procedures. I can add a fourth one, who is a member of my family and who has been waiting over three years since he was interviewed and received a letter from the Director for Human Resources informing him that “we are currently in the process of assigning you to an appropriate Faculty, Institute or Centre at the University”. Since then nothing has been done although there were several opportunities in which this statement could have been honoured. The fact that the university is autonomous, up to a certain standard, does not mean that it cannot be transparent and accountable in the procedures of recruiting its academic staff. I am certain that besides the four cases there are more.

Therefore I appeal to the authorities concerned to reconsider changing the academic staff recruitment procedures beginning with cases that have been left waiting for too long.

John Enriquez

STA VENERA