THE
LUMINARY
UNIVERSIT Y OF MALTA ALUMNI NEWSLET TER
www.um.edu.mt/alumni
DECEMBER
The Malta Mediterranean Forum
The Institute of Public Administration and Management
(IPAM) and the International Policy Leadership Institute
(IPLI), Paris, France, on Friday 29 November held the
first inaugural international panel of expert speakers on
Mediterranean governance. The conference was held
at the President’s Palace in Valletta under the auspices
of his H.E. Dr George Abela, President of Malta and
was attended by, among others, the Ambassadors of
Spain, Britain, the Netherlands, Tunisia, Egypt, Italy and
Germany, the Auditor-General, Malta’s Ombudsman,
the Principal Permanent Secretary (OPM), Permanent
Secretaries and local and international students.
Speakers at this first Malta Mediterranean Forum
included Dr Sinan Ülgen, Chairman of the Center for
Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), who
spoke about the Turkish model, H.E. Ambassador
Antonio Martins da Cruz, former foreign minister
of Portugal, former ambassador to Spain, NATO
and Chairman in office of the OSCE, who addressed
Portugal’s experience of the reform of the state, H.E.
Souad Gueblaoui, Ambassador of Tunisia, who spoke
about current reforms in Tunisia and Dr Barah Mikail,
Senior Researcher from FIDRE, Madrid, who addressed
current issues in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially
Syria.
Professor Godfrey Pirotta (Director IPAM), convener
of this Mediterranean Forum, spoke about the current
challenges facing the Tunisian Public Service. His
presentation was based on a research project carried
out by IPAM and IPLI in Tunisia earlier this year. Mr
Timothy Reno, Director IPLI, was the conference
moderator. The conference was opened by a speech
from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr George Vella
who spoke about the need for collaborative action by
Mediterranean states in pursuit of good governance.
Awarded Title of Visiting External Professor
During a ceremony, held at the Medical School
Auditorium, Dr Joseph De Giovanni M.D.,
was recently awarded the title of Visiting
External Professor of the University of Malta.
In a brief oration, the Dean of the Faculty of
Medicine and Surgery, Professor Godfrey LaFerla,
said that Dr De Giovanni has distinguished himself
in the field of paediatric cardiology and is highly
respected both in Malta and abroad. His contribution
to this area of study, continued the Dean, includes
regular contributions to journals and lectures
whilst he also undertakes clinical trials and runs
charity workshops in various parts of the world.
THE
LUMINARY
DECEMBER
2
Annual Biology Symposium
Over 100 students, professionals and researchers
attended the University of Malta’s Department of
Biology 2013 Symposium, held recently. This year
marks the twentieth anniversary of the Biology
Symposium which has been held annually since 1993.
The Hon. Leo Brincat, Minster for Sustainable
Development, the Environment and Climate Change,
Prof. Richard Muscat, Pro-Rector for Research and
Innovation, Prof. Charles Sammut, Dean of the Faculty of
Science, and Dr Joseph A. Borg, Head of the Department
of Biology, contributed to the opening session. Mr
Brincat acknowledged that although negotiations
and decisions concerning action to mitigate climate
change remain difficult, science is guiding the goalpost.
He emphasised that the future of biological research
for the Maltese graduate is promising, as the Ministry
intends to explore opportunities for stronger links with
University, and to strengthen the national capacity
for implementation of environmental objectives
and bridge the gap between research and policy.
As in previous years, the Symposium served to showcase
undergraduate (BSc) and postgraduate (MSc and PhD)
research projects undertaken at the Department. The
research projects concluded in 2013 feature topics in
aquaculture, botany, conservation biology, genetics,
freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecology, and effects
of plant extracts on biological systems, amongst others.
Projects in genetics concerned the application
of molecular genetics for phylogenetic analyses
of elasmo branch species, genetics of methicillin-
resistant
Staphylococcus
aureus
(MRSA),
and a study of the hypervariable regions in
mitochondrial DNA of the Maltese population.
Within the area of terrestrial ecology and conservation
biology, projects focused on the developing an index
of naturalness for assessing coastal sites, use of the
island of Comino by migrating passerines, ecology of
freshwater pools, ecology of the Maltese Wall Lizard,
use of the Golden Samphire Inula Crithmoides as
an indicator of the coastal zone, population studies
on the Maltese Everlasting Helichrysum melitense,
characterisation of scrubland habitats in the Maltese
Islands, and the effects of quarrying on biodiversity.
Within the area of marine biology and aquaculture,
projects concerned aspects of the population ecology
of the Noble Pen Shell Pinna nobilis, biomorphometric
features of local rocky shores, ecology of shoreline algal
carpets, ‘tropicalisation’ of the Mediterranean Sea,
ecology of cobble habitat, influence of anthropogenic
moficiation of shore habitat on the associated flora
and fauna, physical factors influencing Neptune Grass
Posidonia oceanica meadows, characterisation of deep
water seabed habitats around the Maltese Islands,
aspects of the population ecology of the Posidonia prawn
Palaemonxiphias, and the influence of light intensity and
photoperiod on the White Sea Bream Diplodussargus.
Other projects concerned the influence of
biochar addition on the growth of Salad Rocket
Erucasativa, the bioactivity of essential oil from the
Mediterranean Cypress Cypressus sempervivens, an
assessment of composting using invertebrates, and
bioactivity of extracts of the microalga Arthrospira.
Abstracts of these projects, which total 25, have been
published in a booklet edited by Mr David Dandria,
with a foreword by the Head of the Department of
Biology, Dr Joseph A. Borg. Copies of the booklet
may be purchased from the Department of Biology
(Tel: 23402272). The 2013 Biology Symposium was
partly sponsored by the Environment Protection
Directorate of the Malta Environment and Planning
Authority. Several of the research projects
were funded by the University’s Research Fund.
THE
LUMINARY
3
DECEMBER
Unveiling of
Commemorative
Bust
On 12th December 2013, the unveiling of
the commemorative bust of Professor
Elisabeth Mann Borgese, the Mother
of the Oceans and the Founder of IOI,
was held at the Arvid Pardo and Pacem
in Maribus Study Area, University of
Malta. This is an initiative of the IOI
President to honour Prof. Elisabeth Mann
Borgese’s contribution to the sustainable
governance of the ocean and future
generations. The ceremony was presided
by Dr Awni Behnam, IOI President, and
Prof. Alfred Vella, Pro Rector, University
of Malta.
Prof. Elisabeth Mann Borgese was born in
Munich, Germany, on 24th April 1918, fifth
of six children of Katja Pringsheim and
Thomas Mann (Nobel Literature Laureate
1929). She completed her studies in
SEASON’S GREETINGS
Switzerland from Fries Gymnasium Zurich
in 1937. In 1939, she emigrated to USA with
her parents, married Giuseppe Antonio
Borgese in 1939 and has two daughters,
Angelica and Dominica.
She was a Professor of political science
and adjunct Professor of Law at Dalhousie
University, Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada.
Before moving to Canada, she was a
senior fellow at the Centre for Democratic
Institutions in Santa Barbara, California,
U.S.A. It was there that she launched
her ocean project, which led to the
establishment of the Pacem in Maribus
Conference and the International Ocean
Institute (IOI).
Prof. Mann Borgese
was a member of the
Club of Rome and the
World Academy of Arts
and Sciences, and an
associate member of the
Third World Academy.
She has served as a
consultant to UNEP,
UNESCO,
UNIDO,
and the World Bank.
Among other honors,
she has been awarded
the United Nations
Sasakawa Environment
Prize, the Francis of
Assisi
Environment
Prize, and the Order
of Canada. Prof. Mann
Borgese is the author
of a dozen books and
many research papers
and editorials. She has
been awarded several
doctorates
honoris
causa.
MEDAC reviewed in
FAZ
Leading
German
newspaper
Frankfurter
Allgemeine carries an
extensive reportage on the
Mediterranean Academy
of Diplomatic Studies
and its students in the
latest edition of its higher
education magazine.
The
Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung also
known as the FAZ, is a
leading German newspaper
founded in 1949. F.A.Z.
has a circulation of almost
400,000 copies. It is the
This newletter is published by the Communications and Alumni
Relations Office within the University of Malta.
All Rights Reserved 2013
German
daily
with
the widest circulation
abroad
and
has
one of the world’s
largest networks of
correspondents.
Six times per year,
the
FAZ
publishes
a
magazine
for
professionals
and
students,
the
Frankfurter Allgemeine
Hoschschulanzeiger
(Frankfurter Allgemeine
Higher
Education
Gazette).