The Nationalist Party is demanding for more transparency on the agreements made with AUM following reports that the American University of Malta (AUM) is to waive tution fees for Maltese nationals, 

In a press statement signed by Justin Schembri, published on Saturday, the PN said that it continues to believe, and is committed in favour of educational pluralism, in the opportunities for education in Malta from private institutions, for Maltese and foreigners, and therefore has never been against educational success.

However, the party added that “this should never hinder the substantial number of other educational institutions that have been, and continue to invest in Malta so as to bring more students to Malta for a long period of time, without any financial or other assistance from the government.”

“It is clear that the government has ‘ulterior’ and ‘secret’ interests for the AUM to be favoured and elevated at the expense of any other private educational institution, including the University of Malta,” the PN said.

Consequently, the Nationalist Party highlighted its concern on how, year after year, the AUM has never attracted enough students.

The PN added that “despite this, the government remains committed to giving more and more help, even if against the national will, to this institution that was too close to the administration of the former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who ended up tarnishing the name of our country when he was given the title of the most corrupt person in the world.”

The news that the AUM will be offering free courses to the Maltese, while it is a positive initiative in itself, it also raises several questions, particularly about the funding regarding the "intakes" and the real reason behind the decision, and whether this is directly linked to the renewal of the license to continue operating from next September, the PN said.

From the perspective of the Nationalist Party, it was also noted that “despite the many promises, the AUM is not benefitting a sufficient international reputation, so much so that it has failed to reach more than 200 students in seven years since it was granted the license under pressure from Castile after one of the insiders was appointed to the Board of Directors.”