The permanent campus of Haileybury Malta in Mtarfa was officially inaugurated on Saturday by Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg, together with Minister for Education and Sport Byron Camilleri.

Through an investment of approximately €19 million, the project has transformed the former Royal Naval Hospital into a modern and sustainable international school. 

Haileybury Malta welcomed its first 50 students in September 2023 at temporary premises in Ħal Tarxien. Three years later, the school is beginning a new chapter at its permanent campus in Mtarfa, where it will provide education from Nursery through to Sixth Form. 

Part of the investment in the project was supported by the Malta Development Bank, which mobilised €10 million through the Guaranteed Co-Lending Scheme to finance eligible measures relating to climate action, environmental sustainability and infrastructure. Following its rehabilitation, the building is expected to use approximately 75% less primary energy. 

Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg said that the project serves as a model for how historic buildings can not only be preserved but also given renewed value and purpose. 

“As someone who has lived in this area throughout my life, it gives me great satisfaction to see this building given a new life and purpose while respecting its history and character. This is a clear example of the role the Government is playing in creating the conditions and financial structures necessary for responsible investment to be undertaken and to generate lasting value for our country. A place originally built to care for people has today become a place of learning and development,” said Dr Borg. 

Minister Byron Camilleri said that the opening of the campus represents an important step in strengthening and diversifying the educational opportunities available in Malta. 

“The opening of Haileybury Malta further broadens the choices available to students and families in our country. We want an education system that offers choice, quality and high standards, but above all, we believe that the true value of education lies in what it gives students. Students and their holistic development must always be at its heart. We want to provide them with strong academic foundations while nurturing curiosity and critical thinking, building character and resilience, and equipping them with the skills and values needed to face the future with confidence. Ultimately, the success of education is measured not only by results and qualifications, but also by how well we prepare our students for life,” said Dr Camilleri. 

Louise Salmond Smith, who leads Haileybury’s campus in Malta, emphasised that the quality of the student experience has been central to the school’s development in Malta. “We have worked hard to bring together the best of the Maltese and British education systems, with the aim of providing both local students and families, as well as those from around the world, with the best tools to continue moving forward,” said Smith. 

Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg and Minister Byron Camilleri thanked the leadership of Haileybury Malta and Haileybury UK, the Board of Governors, the investors, the Malta Development Bank and everyone involved in restoring the building. They also thanked the Mtarfa community for welcoming the school and its families.