The National Commission for Further and Higher Education yesterday announced that it has awarded a five-year license to Sadeen Education Investment to operate a University in Malta which is to bear the name the American University of Malta.
The conditions under which the license is being granted are the ones that were communicated to Sadeen Education Investment on the 30th June and explained in a press conference which took place on the same day.
Sadeen Education Investment had recently requested some clarifications to the conditions which were in the last few days communicated to them.
The main license conditions fall under two broad categories, those concerned with assuring the quality of the education given and those related to the funding of the project.
With regards to ensuring quality, the AUM is bound to ensure that Clemson University undertakes an annual audit of AUM's internal quality assurance process. The Commission will also conduct spot-checks on a regular basis to ensure that all aspects of AUM's operation are viable and effective.
The Commission itself will also conduct its own external quality audits during the term of the license to examine and assure all academic, administrative and service operations within the AUM and also to ensure the quality of all programmes provided.
Regarding funding the AUM is to provide evidence to show that all funding required for the completion of the project is in place within the timelines established by the Commission.
Other conditions require that for a certain period, any changes to or additions to academic staff or shareholders require the prior approval of the Commission.
The Commission is confident that under the terms of the license granted, AUM is in a position to fulfill its potential as a provider of high quality education and the rigour of the process undertaken before granting the license will continue to broaden the appeal of Malta as a location for the provision of international educational services.