This week I had the opportunity to visit MCAST in order to open and launch the first Research and Innovation Expo organised by the College. The Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology has developed, over the last few years, from a vocational college with a focus mainly on skilling to that of a dual-natured academic entity. 

On one hand MCAST remains that of a vocational college, primarily at EQF levels 1 to 4, with a main focus on knowledge and skills that are honed through exposure to work based learning and practical lab/workshop/theatre sessions. However, on the other hand it has grown in the area of Professional Higher Education, now running a suite of blended-learning programmes at masters level and preparating for the launch of the first MCAST professional doctoral programme.

To complement the heightened drive towards Professional Higher Education MCAST has, in 2019, embarked upon an aggressive research drive as dictated by a research framework endorsed by its Board of Governors. This framework allows any and all of its 500+ academics the possibility to replace part of their teaching load with an applied research load based upon pre-agreed deliverables. By the end of 2019 some 40 MCAST academics had taken on this research incentive, increasing significantly to around 100 by the end of 2020.

Supporting this research drive are various initiatives, including the biannual launch of the MCAST Research Journal, masters programmes in research methods that are part-subsidized by MCAST, new research funding schemes make available to MCAST academics, a new research support team that is spear-headed by a new Research Director and six Senior Research Officers together with a Deputy Director for Innovation and many more. This strong drive in applied research, research that is impact-oriented and industry driven, now allows MCAST to be truly a Professional Higher Education institution at its higher levels.

The MCAST Research and Innovation Expo 2020 aims to celebrate these advancements undertaken by MCAST over the past years as the established Vocational and Professional Higher Educational institution on the island. Capitalizing on the inherently strong and longstanding links the college has with industry through its academic member of staff, curricula design and also vast network of established alumni, MCAST’s strategic objective is to engage within Applied Research initiatives that are able to shape and advance the social and economic fabric in Malta towards innovation and an ever more knowledge-based industry.

The agenda of this MCAST R&I Expo presents a unique opportunity showcases the vastness of expertise and diversity of research initiatives which MCAST is engaged within. Supplemented with exposure to various international collaborations and externally funded projects, the Research and Innovation Expo provides a clear venue to appreciate the widespread reach of MCAST’s impact and excellence in Malta as a Vocational and Professional Higher Education academic institution. Stemming from 6 mature institutes, the research endeavours are presented within four overarching thematic areas which align themselves closely to the national and United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.

In particular, the ‘Emerging Technology and Creative Innovation’ thematic area of research brings together knowledge collaboration and research expertise from various institutes, with the main objective addressing research and innovation in technology and the creative arts. Applied Research projects which are currently taking place at MCAST focus on the Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, 3D Printing, Distributed Ledger Technologies, Cyber Security to Games Research and span from the development of augmented reality platforms, to the design and testing of innovative wearable sensor technology.

Concurrently these advancements are also embedded within creative projects leading to the development of new methodologies in the performing arts, photography and graphic language. Innovative research in the creative arts finds its focus in practice-based research, whereby MCAST researchers use their artistic practice to develop innovative methods that contribute to enriching artistic detail, enhancing audience experience, while also leading to new methodologies that expand the repertoire of international artistic practices.

This is all, indeed hard work.  I congratulate the Chairperson of the Board of Governors Professor Ian Refalo, College Principal Professor James Joachim Calleja as well as their respective teams for placing this crucial importance on vocational research.  Truly this is what will make all the difference, not only for MCAST but for the whole of our country.

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As the Christmas season is setting in, I visit some small towns which usually offer plenty of character. This week I went to the quiet town of Għaxaq where I had the opportunity to admire a very beautiful crochet Christmas Tree which currently sits in the heart of this village. As I was passing through I could not but help notice this ‘tree’ and to my amazement, a local told me that it broke the record of being the tallest Christmas Tree made of crochet on the Maltese islands. He kept on explaining that it was brought all together piece by piece from the local community.
Even though Christmas will be spent differently this year, the delightful people of Għaxaq still found a way to be able to unite together and bring joy to their local community as well as managing to put their name on the map!
The Tree of Success, as it’s being called, is set up in the core of Ħal Għaxaq boasting such a record for all those who wish to visit and gaze upon it with their own eyes. It broke the record of being the tallest Christmas Tree made of crochet with a length of 9 metres and a diameter of 2.9 meters. I encourage all those who can to take a look.  I was also told that after the Christmas season, all the material used will not simply be thrown away.

It will go to a very charitable cause as it will be divided into smaller parts and given to people as well as homes who might need warm clothing or sheets to be put on their beds.

Truly, the people of Għaxaq know how to do things in style!

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It is not a normal occurance that my favourite football team, Southampton FC, sits in champion league spots in the standings. Excluding the brief golden eras of Strachan and later Koeman, I grew accustomed towards having to find Saints at the other end of the table at Christmas time. But it seems that this year the Hasenhuttl formula is doing magic and the hard work has been paying dividents.

The squad that has been assembled is very promising and blends really nicely a number of seasoned players, such as Danny Ings, Theo Walcott and Oriol Romeu with upcoming hot prospects such as James Ward-Prowse, who is only 26, Kyle Walker-Peters (who is not even 24) and  a 22-year old winger whose feet are on fire wiith the name of Moussa Djenepo from Mali. There are others.

Of course the challenge will be to keep this beautiful squad together at the end of the season, where normally the big four/six of this world would come in and start buying this and that player. I remember a period where the best team in England, Liverpool FC, used to play not less than six former Southampton players (Lambert, Lallana, Lovren, Clyne, Mane and Van Dijk) at one go in their starting line-up.

And yet Southampton FC is up there till now, only two points dividing them from the top of the league.