There are conflicting views on the Campus Hub at the University of Malta, with the University Students' Council (KSU) saying that it represents the suffocating overdeveloped nature of Malta, while the University of Malta (UM) said it provided additional facilities.

Campus Hub forms part of the Vassallo Group portfolio and it is the Group's largest single investment to date. The building can be found in front of UM’s main entrance. The building offers student accommodation, an underground car park, well-known eateries and other facilities such as a gym.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday, the president of KSU, Alex Gaglione described Campus Hub as “suffocating” and “not reflecting the students’ well-being”.

Gaglione expressed that the whole point of Campus Hub was to “profit from what seems to be missing from campus life”.

She said that Campus Hub reflects Malta’s number one priority which is the constant desire to build bigger and higher, suffocating the population in the process.

When the UM was asked whether this development was catering to students’ well-being or whether it was suffocating for students, it replied that Campus Hub “does not only include accommodation but a number of services that cater for students including a swimming pool and commercial outlets”.

The UM expressed its appreciation for the facilities that Campus Hub offers and did not offer any direct criticism.

UM rector Alfred. J. Vella said that Campus Hub “is serving the people working and learning here and at the hospital”.

The Malta Independent on Sunday spoke to Gaglione about Campus Hub and what this development represents at the University of Malta. Following this interview, questions influenced by KSU’s reply were sent by email to the UM and Campus Hub. Campus Hub is yet to respond to the questions.

 

KSU’s position

Initially, Gaglione was asked to elaborate on why last month, when also referring to the hotel to be constructed instead of the old Mireva bookshop, KSU criticised Campus Hub for being “unaffordable and unsustainable”.

Gaglione admitted that it would be fairly justifiable for any student to be drawn to Campus Hub. With the introduction of a hub where students have access to coffee shops and an underground car park, Gaglione could understand the appeal of Campus Hub.

However, the question she was truly asking was whether these projects truly improve university life.

She criticised the environment for not reflecting what university is all about: students sharing and questioning their thoughts and knowledge. “Our surroundings barely draw the inspiration to do this,” she said.

“Students and students’ wellbeing should be at the heart of any project on university grounds,” she said.

Gaglione made it very clear that KSU does not have any ill intent toward Campus Hub. “Nevertheless, as a student council, it does not align with what student well-being truly represents,” she said.

She brought up how ironic it was that “a student on campus could buy overpriced coffee and have endless food options, yet that same student cannot purchase a book on campus”.

Furthermore, she spoke about the ridiculous price points and the questionable nutritional value these places are offering. The prices do not cater for students’ financial situation, let alone promote any form of financial sustainability. She noted that cheaper options are available, but they come in the form of fast food.

 

She also mentioned the underground parking, which although offers parking for €2 a day, constantly leaks and floods whenever it rains.

When asked about the noise pollution and the constant construction on campus, she replied that construction is an overwhelming priority in Malta.

She added that both the development of Campus Hub and the construction of the high-rise hotel, suffocate students.

“We live in an unsustainable democracy with a government that is very okay with all of this and an Opposition which doesn't address it too much,” she said.

She said that the goal of KSU has always been to do the best for students, while empowering students to do the best for themselves.

“Now it’s time for the KSU to take responsibility to empower all of those students that it represents because ultimately, that's what our purpose is,” she said.

“It’s time to speak up. If it's not us then, who?” she asked.

 

University of Malta’s reply

When responding to the questions sent by email, the UM clarified that although Campus Hub is within UM precincts, “the project is managed by a private commercial enterprise, independent of the university”.

The UM was asked whether it agreed with the statement made by KSU in the past where it called the development of Campus Hub “unaffordable and unsustainable”.

“KSU is an independent student body that has every right to express itself on various matters and the University actively supports such activism,” the UM replied.  

The UM was asked whether this large-scale development was really the way to go to create a hub for students, or if it would have preferred something different.

“The Campus Hub is a public/private partnership which is the first of its kind and provides accommodation to students studying at UM,” the UM said.

“With more than 1,200 international students enrolled at UM, student accommodation on, or very close to campus, is imperative and this project has addressed this lacuna as previously students were housed in a complex situated in Lija. Now students will no longer need to rely on shuttle service to get to their lectures as they will be living on campus,” it said.

Also, the UM spoke about how the new block is providing additional lecture halls for students.

When asked about construction noise complaints by students and residents, it said that it was not aware of any such complaints, and it said that there are no residential dwellings adjacent to the Hub.

“Such a query should be addressed to the management of Campus Hub,” it said.

Moreover, the UM was asked about whether the underground parking was a good alternative to the parking problem at the University.

It said that the underground car park is operated by Campus Hub and does not have anything to do with University.

It recognised that there currently were not enough parking bays at University for the ever-increasing number of students who use their own cars to travel to university.

“Together with KSU, UM has supported the concept of carpooling and a number of parking bays on campus are specifically reserved for such vehicles. In addition, one hopes that more students opt for public transport given that practically all buses stop at University,” it said.

Lastly, in response to a question challenging the standard of the new lecture halls, the UM replied: “Contrary to this claim, the new lecture halls are fully equipped with the latest technology and provide additional lecturing space for large groups.”

In a separate interview with The Malta Independent on a Sunday, also published today, the UM rector, Vella said: “We are grateful for the structures even if they’re a bit big for my liking.”

“This is a third-party activity; you can’t stay censoring what they do because they are a business. The land is ours – but we have to let it function,” Vella said.

Off-topic, the UM was also asked whether it has an opinion on the hotel that is scheduled to be built instead of the old Mireva bookshop. The University did not reply to this question.