L-Universita` ta’ Malta
Id-Diskors tar-Rettur
fl-okkażjoni
tal-Ftuħ tas-Sena Akkademika 2009-10
Din li għamlitna dak li aħna... twelled dak li għad iseħħ minna
Ministru, Kanċillier, President u Membri tal-Kunsill, membri tal-korp akkademiku, ħaddiema talUniversita`, għeżież studenti – l-għodwa t-tajba!
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Huwa privileġġ għalija li nilqagħkom hawn illum għall-ftuħ ta’ sena akkademika ġdida. Ta’ kull
sena kemm ili Rettur, dan il-jum jimlieni bil-ferħ – ferħ għax nara lilkom studenti ġodda talUniversita` u tal-Junior College – u f’għajnejkom nilmaħ ottimiżmu għall- ġejjieni, xi naqra
anzjeta` u doża ħelwa ta’ eċċitament.
Pero’, fikom nara wkoll il-futur ta’ pajjiżna...min għad imexxina... min għad jgħallmilna lil ulied
uliedna... min għad ifejjaqna... min ser jindukrana meta nixjieħu... min għad iferraħna
artistikament... min għad joħloq it-teknoloġija ta’ għada... min għad isabbarna fin-niket... min
għad jiddefendi d-drittijiet tagħna... min għad isebbaħ u jżewwaq l-identita` tagħna l-Maltin... u
jirrakkonta lill-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna min kienu missirijiethom u ommijiethom... u jekk
aħna nagħmlu xogħolna sewwa, nispera li tkunu kburin b’dak li nkunu għamilna għalikom.
Għeżież studenti, minn issa l-Universita` ta’ Malta hi l-Alma Mater tagħkom ukoll. Din l-omm
għamlitna l-Maltin dak li aħna u fikom ser twelled dak li ser iseħħ minn gżiritna. Min jinsa dan,
qatt ma fehem. Min ma jarax dan, jeħtieġ jintebaħ.
Malta hi gżira ċkejkna anki meta mqabbla ma’ gżejjer oħra fil-Mediterran. Iżda llum aħna pajjiż
sovran, membru f’unjoni ta’ pajjiżi Ewropej, bi lsien uniku u stmat, b’soċjeta` u ekonomija li
tisfida n-nuqqasijiet tar-riżorsi kollha li għandna, u n-nuqqas kbir ta’ spazju li fih ngħixu. Qatt
staqsejtu għaliex irnexxielna? Qatt staqsejtu għaliex din il-qoxra, gżiritna, pajjiżna, wasal s’hawn
meta gżejjer oħra madwarna, ferm akbar, mhux inqas sbieħ, b’riżorsi ferm aktar, lanqas bdew?
Hemm ħafna fatturi li għenu lil Malta ssir dak li hi llum. Iżda l-fatt li Malta għandha Universita`
li ssib l-għeruq tagħha fl-istorja, aktar minn erba’ mitt sena ilu, bi friegħi mifruxa tul iż-żmien
f’ġenerazzjoni wara ġenerazzjoni ta’ gradwati li bnew is-soċjeta`, l-identita` u l-ekonomija
Maltija, dan il-fatt ma jistax jintesa. Le, ma nistgħux inħallu dan jintesa.
Irridu nifhmu u b’għemilna lkoll irridu nkomplu nfakkru lil kulħadd li din hi l-Universita` ta’
Malta – u din kienet u ser tkompli tkun fiċ-ċentru tal-iżvilupp soċjali u ekonomiku ta’ pajjiżna.
Jekk le, bonswa Malta!
Iżda tajjeb ngħidu wkoll li n-natura intrinsika ta’ Universita` qiegħda tinbidel u dan qiegħed iseħħ
mad-dinja kollha. Universita` moderna – partikularment f’pajjiż tant żgħir bħal tagħna – ma tistax
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tkun xenofobika u parrokkjali. Trid taħdem f’kuntest ta’ globalizzazzjoni u trid taħdem fuq tliet
fronti b’bilanċ bejniethom – it-tagħlim, ir-riċerka u s-servizz dirett lejn is-soċjeta` u l-ekonomija.
Qegħdin nagħmlu qabżiet kbar, pass wara pass, biex insaħħu l-front tar-riċerka fl-Universita` ta’
Malta, u dan waqt li nkomplu nsostnu u nespandu l-programmi ta’ studji f’kull livell. Huwa
importanti li nenfasizzaw li ż-żieda sostanzjali fl-investiment li saret fl-Universita` f’dawn l-aħħar
tlett snin kienet kruċjali għax l-Universita` għaddejja minn proċess kumpless ta’ tisħiħ fejn kull
wieħed u waħda minna fil-korp akkademiku u amministrattiv qegħdin jiġu mitluba jagħmlu u
jerfgħu aktar għax l-isfidi quddiemna huma kbar. Iżda l-maġġoranza tagħna, ix-xogħol – bilpressjoni u bil-frustrazzjoni li ta’ spiss iġib miegħu - nagħmluh bil-qalb u b’sodisfazzjon għax
nafu li ta’ kuljum qegħdin ngħinu biex innaqqxu l-futur ta’ pajjiżna.
Għalhekk, huwa ferm importanti li nfiehmu lil kulħadd li l-Universita` ta’ Malta qiegħda hawn
biex isservi u tħares l-interessi ta’ Malta, u dan qiegħed iseħħ fil-kuntest tal-Unjoni Ewropea, talMediterran u wkoll f’kuntest aktar globali. Hemm bżonn li nkomplu nikkomunikaw u nħabbru listejjer ta’ suċċess li naraw madwarna ta’ kuljum. Sar ħafna investiment, qiegħed isir aktar
investiment, u jrid isir ħafna aktar investiment fl-Universita`.
Iva, preċiżament għax qegħdin f’riċessjoni globali hemm il-bżonn li nsaħħu r-ritmu ta’
investiment fl-Universita` u fl-Edukazzjoni b’mod ġenerali.
Iżda, kif jgħid il-Malti: tieħu bla ma trodd, is-swar tħott. Għalhekk, irridu nfakkru, għax hemm
bżonn li kulħadd jiftakar jew isir jaf, li din l-Universita` tat ħafna, qiegħda tagħti aktar, u ser trodd
qatigħ aktar lil pajjiżna. Ma nistgħux naqtgħu nifisna issa...
Għax din l-omm għamlet lil Malta dak li hi u qiegħda twelled dak li ser iseħħ minna lkoll.
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Niftakar l-ewwel ġranet tiegħi l-Universita` – kont għadni lanqas għalaqt sbatax-il sena – għadni
nasal f’pajjiż barrani – is-suġġett li xtaqt nistudja dak iż-żmien ma kienx offrut fl-Universita` ta’
Malta. Illum, għall-grazzja ta’ Alla, il-firxa ta’ programmi ta’ studju f’din l-Universita` tħabbatha
ma’ dik tal-aqwa universitajiet fid-dinja. Illum ukoll l-opportunitajiet ta’ safar fuq studju kibru
immens – għalhekk minn qalbi nappellalkom, għeżież studenti, ħudu kull opportunita` biex
issiefru mqar għal semestru wieħed matul il-karriera tagħkom fl-Universita`. Meta ssiefru tiftħu
tieqa fuq pajjiżna waqt li ġġibu magħkom perspettiva tad-dinja ta’ madwarna.
Ċert li f’dawn l-ewwel jiem ser tagħmlu ħbieb ġodda; ser tħabblu raskom mhux ftit sakemm
issibu saqajkom fil-labirint ta’ swali ta’ taħriġ, laboratorji u awli; ser tiltaqgħu ma’ sitwazzjonijiet
li jgħinukom tibnu l-karattru tagħkom u tagħrfu lilkom infuskom fil-mera tal-isfida biex tiksbu lgħerf.
Forsi l-aqwa għodda, li nagħtikom parir li titgħallmu tużaw sewwa u minnufih, hija l-librerija –
fid-dinja diġitali li qiegħda tiżvolġi madwarna llum, il-librerija tifrex is-servizzi tagħha lil hemm
mill-binja li tinstab fiha. Qiegħed isir ħafna investiment biex insaħħu l-librerija tagħna – u hawn
ċert li lkoll naqblu li dan qatt mhu ser ikun biżżejjed jew iżżejjed. L-investiment qed isir fuq linja
tradizzjonali b’xiri ta’ kotba fil-firxa wiesgħa ta’ dixxiplini u b’akkwisti ta’ kollezzjonijiet rari li
jkomplu jtejbu l-Melitensia, kif ukoll bix-xiri ta’ servizz ta’ aċċess għal kotba u ġurnali
akkademiċi li saru l-bażi li mingħajrha wieħed ma jistax jagħmel riċerka serja.
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Bl-għajnuna tal-Librar, fassalna pjan ċar ta’ x’akkwisti għandna bżonn fis-snin li ġejjin, u dan
mhux biss biex naġġornaw il-librerija ħalli tibqa’ denja ta’ Universita` ta’ kalibru internazzjonali,
iżda wkoll biex jinħolqu spazji ġodda kemm għall-arkivji kif ukoll biex studenti u akkademiċi
jsibu ambjenti addattati għall-istudju u għar-riċerka fil-forom varji tagħhom.
L-investiment li hemm bżonn li jsir mhux trivjali. Aħna nistmaw li bejn l-espansjoni tal-binja tallibrerija u bejn l-akkwisti ta’ kotba u ġurnali akkademiċi fil-forom varji tagħhom, hemm bżonn
investiment ta’ bejn wieħed u ieħor €35 miljun fuq medda ta’ ħames snin, u dan fuq iċ-ċifra ta’
flus li ġa ninvestu ta’ kull sena.
F’moħħi m’hemmx dubju li dan l-investiment hu kruċjali partikularment issa li l-Universita`
qiegħda twessa’ l-firxa ta’ postgraduate degrees, u issa li qiegħda tibni saff saff u bil-għaqal linfrastruttura biex tissaħħaħ fir-riċerka għall-ġid u għall-iżvilupp soċjo-ekonomiku tal-pajjiż.
Issa tibqgħalna l-isfida ta’ kif ser niffinanzjaw dan il-proġett – u hawn ninpenja ruħi li naħdem
magħkom ilkoll biex jinstabu l-fondi biex dan il-proġett isir realta` wkoll.
Waqt li nħarsu lejn proġetti ġodda għall-futur, tajjeb li nsemmu ftit mill-istejjer ta’ suċċess li
qegħdin jiżvolġu madwarna. Kif tistgħu taraw jekk idduru dawra mar-ring-road, ix-xogħol ta’
skavar għall-bini tal-Computer Services Centre u għall-bini tal-Fakulta` tal-ICT huwa lest, u lfażi tal-bini ser tibda dalwaqt. Ix-xogħol estensiv li kellu jsir fuq il-faċċati tal-librerija kważi lest
u qiegħed isir xogħol ta’ bini ta’ Data Centre ġdid biswit carpark 5 biex niżguraw li jekk ikun
hemm xi ħsara kbira jew xi inċident fuq id-Data Centre prinċipali jkollna l-facilita` li nkomplu
noperaw bla telf ta’ ħin, iżda aktar importanti bla telf ta’ informazzjoni jew riżorsi ta’ riċerka.
Jekk taqbżu qabża sal-Junior College taraw li l-bini tal-espansjoni tant meħtieġa qabad ritmu
tajjeb ukoll.
Barra minn hekk, hemm ammont sostanzjali ta’ apparat li ser iforni numru ta’ laboratorji f’oqsma
varji tax-xjenza u tat-teknoloġija li ser ikunu addattati għat-tagħlim, iżda huma mmirati
partikularment biex tissaħħaħ l-infrastruttura għar-riċerka.
Irrid insemmi wkoll proġett ieħor, li beda ftit xhur ilu, bl-għan li tinbena sistema integrata ta’
informazzjoni amministrattiva għall-Universita`. Dan għandu jħalli ħafna frott siewi fil-futur biex
ir-riżorsi jintużaw aħjar, u l-effiċjenza u l-kwalita` ta’ servizz li noffru kemm lill-istudenti kif
ukoll lill-akkademiċi jitjiebu.
Dawn il-proġetti, aktar ma jgħaddi ż-zmien, aktar ser iħallu frott tanġibbli. Baqa’ ħafna proġetti
oħra li jistgħu jsiru u l-isforzi biex inġibu aktar fondi ser ikomplu. Il-proġetti infrastrutturali li
diġa’ bdew u li ser naraw jinħadmu fis-sentejn li ġejjin għandhom valur ta’ aktar minn €50 miljun
bejn investiment tal-Gvern u dak tal-Unjoni Ewropea.
Nixtieq nirringrazzja lil dawk kollha li ħadmu, u qegħdin jaħdmu b’impenn fuq dawn il-proġetti,
kif ukoll lil dawk kollha, barra mill-Universita`, li dejjem sibniehom ta’ għajnuna meta nqala’ xi
intopp.
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F’dawn l-aħħar sentejn, fid-diskors tal-ftuħ tiegħi semmejt l-iskema `DegreePlus` li nispera diġa’
smajtu biha, u jekk le, jien ċert li ser tisimgħu biha fil-jiem li ġejjin.
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L-għan ta’ din l-iskema hu li jinħoloq spazju informali fejn kull student u studenta – hu x’inhu lqasam ta’ studju tagħhom – jistgħu jipparteċipaw fl-isport jew fit-teatru, jipprattikaw il-mużika
jew xi lingwa, jikkontribwixxu fil-volontarjat, jitgħallmu fuq il-patrimonju Malti, iżuru kumpaniji
u jiltaqgħu ma’ imprendituri ewlenin, jitgħallmu aktar fuq kif l-aħjar tuża t-teknoloġija talinformazzjoni jew kif tfassal xi proġett.
Aktar u aktar fi ħdan id-`DegreePlus` l-istudenti huma mħeġġa biex jibbenefikaw millopportunitajiet ta’ skambju ma’ Universitajiet oħra lil hemm minn xtutna. L-importanza ta’ dan
ġa aċċennajt għaliha.
Fil-qosor, x’qiegħed ngħid? Ftakru li lil hemm mit-taħriġ preskritt, kull student u studenta
għandhom jieħdu kull opportunita` biex jiftħu l-orizzonti tagħhom, biex jifformaw lilhom
infushom, biex jimmaturaw f’kull sens. Ebda ċertifikat qatt ma għamel gradwat. Gradwat denju
ta’ ċertifikat tagħrfu minn għemilu u mill-preżenza intellettwali tiegħu… minn kif jaħseb, minn
kif jitkellem, mill-impenn tiegħu lejn il-ħajja.
Ftakru li l-Universita` mhix post fejn inrawmu pappagalli li jirrepetu bl-amment dak li
jisimgħu… u lanqas ma rridu nrawmu pappagalli diġitali b’assignments magħġuna bil-‘cut and
paste’ minn fuq l-Internet.
Hawn irridu nkomplu nrawmu nies f’kultura ta’ qari, nies li jaħsbu fil-fond, li jafu kif jużaw
sewwa l-aħjar għodod ta’ taħriġ, li għandhom opinjoni informata, li kapaci jkunu kreattivi, li jafu
jesprimu rwieħhom, li lesti u kapaċi jxammru u jmiddu idejhom biex joħolqu l-ġid.
U fuq din in-nota, nixtieq ngħid kelmtejn bl-Ingliż għax huwa importanti li niftakru li fostna
għandna studenti barranin, li llum, nistidinkom tilqgħuhom magħna bil-qalb kollha. Grazzi.
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Dear international freshers, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the University of Malta and I
thank you for patiently listening to the initial part of my speech which I delivered in Maltese in
accordance with established tradition.
I understand the challenge you face and the excitement of leaving your homeland to pursue
studies abroad. Coming to terms with a new country and a new culture whilst delving into one’s
study or research programme is a challenge, but, I assure you that once you settle in you will
cherish every moment.
I trust you will feel welcomed as I believe that the experience you bring with you from your
respective backgrounds and respective countries enriches the cultural and intellectual milieu on
campus.
Of course, please do not hesitate to seek the assistance of the International Students Office should
the need arise and please note that Dr Mary Anne Lauri, the Pro-Rector in charge of Student and
Institutional Affairs, and Dr Maureen Cole, my delegate in charge of International Student
Wellbeing, are available to assist you.
A university experience should be a period of discovery and acquisition of skills beyond the
prescribed confines of a specific degree programme.
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It is for this reason that two years ago we launched an initiative branded Degreeplus which is
intended to give students the opportunity to continue learning languages, appreciate Malta’s
cultural heritage, acquire ICT skills, enhance communication and presentation skills, gain a better
insight in the world of enterprise and entrepreneurship and participate in voluntary work and
student societies, and all this in a semi-formal or informal setting.
The idea here is not to create more work against credits! In fact no formal credits will be assigned
to activities done under this initiative, and indeed nobody will be forced to enrol or participate.
The idea is to encourage all students to socialise and grow beyond the curriculum of their degree
programme, and acquire informal skills which will undoubtedly enhance their career and
employability.
Your effort and achievement under this scheme will be given due recognition in your transcript.
So, do visit the University website to sign up if you are interested.
The theme I had chosen last year for the outgoing academic year was: converting research and
creativity into socio-economic growth.
I did so because I strongly believe that research and creativity must be the backbone of all
modern-day universities if they aspire to survive the test of time. I see research and creativity as
the basic ingredients that can help define identity and enhance competitiveness.
Likewise, I see research and creativity as key economic drivers as they define the propensity for
innovation and value-creation.
I believe that in the past year we have made significant steps forward to strengthen the research
infrastructure at University.
First, an agreement has been reached with academic staff which provides a framework not only to
encourage individual research to emerge from the grass-roots, but which also allows for the
creation of corporate research programmes in response to the needs of industry and the country at
large as well as to exploit opportunities for collaboration with European and global counterparts.
Second, we have managed to secure in excess of €20 million which are being used as we speak to
purchase equipment to strengthen the facilities for research mainly in the fields of medicine,
science and engineering.
Finally, we have set up an office for Corporate Research and Technology Transfer and have just
recruited a director to help us build the administrative capacity to manage the University’s
corporate research portfolio and to exploit it and disseminate it as broadly as possible.
This year, the theme I have chosen highlights the need for Malta to remember the crucial role this
University has played through history to make this country what it is, but, more importantly it
invites us all to commit unreservedly and wholeheartedly to this institution to ensure that it
retains its position at the heart of the social and economic development of Malta in its European,
Mediterranean, and global context.
I believe that the future well-being of this University depends very much on the ability of all of us
here today to work together to project a progressive outlook of a university that is constantly
renewing itself, of a university that intends to retain its pride of place as the cornerstone of our
Malta. However, this cannot be achieved if we attempt to do it alone.
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The University of Malta must continue to identify strategic partners of repute, on a degreeprogramme by programme basis; perhaps, where this makes sense, on a faculty by faculty basis.
I am pleased to announce the launch of two dual International Masters Programmes which have
commenced classes at our Valletta campus. The first, in tandem with James Madison University,
is on Sustainable Environmental Resource Management. The second, in tandem with San Diego
State University, is on Integrated Marketing Communications.
We are also in advanced stages of preparation to launch another two dual international masters
programmes next academic year. The first, in tandem with Western Michigan University, on
Criminology and Criminal Justice; the second, in tandem with George Mason University on
Conflict Resolution and Mediterranean Security.
There are also several other very promising prospects being explored with an eye to extending the
growing profile of bilateral or multilateral dual and joint degree programmes.
I am also pleased to highlight another two major achievements last year in our internationalisation
strategy. The first, is an agreement reached with the Government of Kuwait which has secured a
significant steady influx of Kuwaiti students to pursue their studies in a range of subjects. Second,
I am pleased to note that the offices of the Confucius Institute which will be located in Binja
Guże Cassar Pullicino will soon be up and running and we welcome the arrival of Dr. Wang who
together with Prof. Anthony Frendo will be co-directing the Institute. We encourage staff and
students who are interested in learning more about the Chinese language and culture, or who wish
to participate in exchange programmes with China to contact the Institute.
On the research front, whilst we build our capacity as described, we continue to forge
international collaborations, mainly through participation in European Framework and
Interregional programmes.
There is a world of opportunity around us… may God give us the wisdom to leverage intellectual
capital to create value, and the insight to seek and find the truth to guide us in our endeavors…
Once again, and without further ado, I would like to sincerely welcome you all – academics,
support staff, and local and international students - to a productive and fruitful year.
Let’s make this year another excellent one, let’s find the wisdom to ensure that our legacy will be
passed on to future generations enriched by our very best endeavours.
Thank you very much for your attention.
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