The Lands Authority has signed an agreement with the University of Malta for the transfer of the G.F. Abela Junior College and the Gozo Campus.
This transfer was done to strengthen the University's operations and strategic vision in the educational and research sectors, while ensuring better use of public buildings, the government said.
This agreement follows other collaborative initiatives between the University of Malta and the Lands Authority, such as an agreement signed last year on the study and analysis of court decisions related to the same Authority.
This news was announced by the Minister for Lands, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, and the Minister for Education, Clifton Grima, who both presided over the signing of this agreement.
Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi said that through this deal, "the University of Malta will have more resources to continue improving its services in these two colleges for students and the academic community." He also said that this agreement confirms the government's commitment to invest in properties for the country's education sector.
The Lands Minister said that the transferring of these two sites illustrates the government's vision to ensure that public buildings are being administered optimally, through the Lands Authority.
Education Minister Clifton Grima and the Rector of the University of Malta, Prof. Alfred Vella, both expressed satisfaction on the signing of this agreement.
Minister Grima noted that the government is investing in the education sector to "constantly improve the situation of our lecturers, educators, and students," as well as to extract the full potential out of these resources.
The University Rector said that through this land transfer, the University of Malta will be better equipped to facilitate administrative processes and services offered to its students and academics.
"Through this agreement, we are giving stability to the University so that we can better plan our future," he stated.
Both the G.F. Abela Junior College and the University's Gozo Campus have served as post-secondary educational institutions since the 1990s.