THE
LUMINARY
UNIVERSIT Y OF MALTA ALUMNI NEWSLET TER
www.um.edu.mt/alumni
May 2013
THINK
FEATURE
FEATURE
MALTA
Malta with
3 storm lashes
probable to
reality if a Category
could become
minimal but too
The above cutout hour winds. The chances are
Islands followed
per
close to the Maltese compare Malta
178 to 208 km
storm formed
scenarios that
1995 a similar
plan.
Below are two
ignore, since in
management
2006, and 2011.
a solid disaster
by others in 1996,
an island with
stands against
as it currently
[
SCENARIO 1
FEATURE
AN UNPREPARED
ISLAND
[
]
SCENARIO 2
near impossible.
Dr Saviour Formosa
26
RESEARCH
34
THE IDEAL SCENARIO
]
the
is monitoring
aerial drones
to identify
A fleet of small
are using them
disaster. The authorities map out corridors that
areas and
vehicles are
the hardest hit
the ground. Emergency
allow access on
will be redeployed
safely. Services
the main
being deployed
and clearing of
after safety assessments NGO rescue teams, and
Paramedics,
and
infrastructure.
to safer grounds
help move people
buildings
armed forces
operations. Community
carry out rescue
into temporary
are converted
on higher ground
are kept informed
decision-makers
relief.
shelters. In turn,
Room for effective
using an Emergency
inundated with
forces have been
The emergency
to operate a
have few plans
were lost
calls for help and
effort. Key personnel
workable rescue
scene, since the
rushing to the
the
at home or while
out, paralysing
has been knocked
infrastructure
cuts have caused
surges or power
island. Power
an apocalyptic
Islands creating
of a
fires all over the
raging, the lack
the storm still
communication
scenario. With
has rendered
back-end ICT network
EXPERIMENT MALTA
Insects, Fitter
People, 3D maps
and Diamonds
FUTURE-SAFE
THINK FEATURE
27
Stick to one language! Was the old maxim. Otherwise,
you’ll risk confusing your kids and they will never learn
to speak properly. Research by Prof. Helen Grech and
her team shows that this is not true: bilinguals usually
do better. Teaching your child two languages at a go
might delay them initially but helps them in the long
run. Words by The Editor
Prof. Helen Grech
35
THINK RESEARCH
CosmeticRese
arch?
C
A new busines
model for Uni s
versity
U
niversities are
places from
ogy Entrepreneurship
where leaders
and entrepreTraining Programme’.
KTO expects
neurs emerge.
goal for Malta
to use the project
From here,
and the framework
to perform
a giant leap
new knowledge
achieve it. The
and propel the
needed to
originates
result is a roadmap
University of
Malta towards
and students
ture the office
to strucbecoming an
are forged to
face the real
around four
Entrepreneurial University.
world. While
activities. First,
to encourage
University will
retaining these
traditional roles,
collaboration
become more
entrepreneurial
modern universities
between business and University.
by inducing a
embrace new
must orientated
more buisness
ones by
University can
culture in its
business by providing
support
economic progress pushing the social and
alumni, faculties,
students, and
research, innovation,
of a country.
and skills. Second,
staff by collaborating
Stronger relations
to provide consultancy
private companies,
with services
with industry
government entities,
ate and transfer
that link academics
to cre- business
new knowledge
and departments
and University
networks. The
technologies
and new mote
approach will
with buisnesses.
are the primary
pro- port
entrepreneurship
Third, to supdrivers of this
academics by
change. This
protecting and
Malta’s socio-economic at a national level for
new business
cialising intellectual
commermodel
new funding
benefit.
property, and
streams. Investment requires
through licensing
use this,
come from the
needs to
and
corporate
promote innovation start-up activities, to
anthropic organisations. sector and philand stimulate
The Research,
activity. Fourth,
economic
novation and
Into setup a business
Development
tor on campus
Trust (RIDT)
of the University
to support graduates incubaof Malta has,
demics to launch
and
since 2011
when it was set
then grow start-ups. acaup, attracted
an encouraging
One immediate
number of donors
target which
—
launched shortly,
will
stitutions, foundations,companies, public inis the University’s be
individuals, alumni,
Centre for Entrepreneurship
new
and students
— who have
and Business
Incubation (CEBI).
ed funds or equipment. generously donatwill be responsible This academic centre
On the knowledge
for entrepreneurship
creation front,
training at the
University
the
University. The
Knowledge
All big words
Centre will
launch a new
Transfer Office
and noble goals,
(KTO) recently
Intensive Training
but the approach must
won a European
Programme
be practical and
(ITP) in Entrepreneurship
Fund (ESF)
Social The
down to earth.
project
first step has
for graduates
in Engineering,
involved an
Knowledge Transfer entitled ‘Creating a
ICT, Sciences,
audit of the
current situation.
Framework and
Media, and
Creatives. The
Based on this
Technol- the
goal
information,
KTO hammered
with the necessary is to equip graduates
out a realistic
tools to convert
future ideas
their
into successful
start-ups.
“University can
support business
providing research,by
innovation and
skills”
54
Photo by Jean
Claude Vancell
Dr Anton Bartolo,
Director of
KTO, outlined
the
some exciting
development for the
University
future role. “Through of Malta and its
the ESF project
are creating a
we
network of all
stakeholders
involved in the
Knowledge Transfer
Entrepreneurship
and
ecosystem: entrepreneurs, businesses,
academics, investors,
students, lawyers,
accountants,
members of
and
related
the Malta Chamber entities including
of Commerce,
terprise and
EnIndustry, Malta
Enterprise,
MCST, and
MITA. By the
end of the
year we hope
that all Knowledge
fer and Entrepreneurship
Transactivities will
be housed in
the newly built
Faculty of
ICT building.
This will include
the offices of the KTO
and
brand new Business CEBI staff and a
Incubator for
versity spin-outs
Uniand
cluding, we hope, other start-ups, inthose seeded
through
the ITP course."
Without the
proper support
for
search, none
of these developments recan improve
that
Malta’s future
would be
needed. Research
generates new
knowledge and innovations,
and this is the
fuel that can
keep times bubbling. only
arnival revellers
(male and
in particular
female) recently
the Department
plastered
dustrial & Manufacturing
of Intheir faces
with lipstick,
Engineering
(DIME). Through
mascara, facepaint,
this collaboration,
nail many
polish, and
undergraduate
dozens of other cosmetic
students had
possibility of
products. Few
the
applying their
of these cal
wondered
theoretiabout the
background
extensive reto real world
search needed
problems,
which results
to overcome
in win-win-win
the packaging challenges
scenarios,
for Toly, the
behind these
student, and
beautyenhancing devices.
Toly also partnered DIME.
with DIME
Challenges are
other University
and
numerous and
Departments
diverse: tionally
how can a make-up
in nafunded research
mize the chances cosmetic case mini- as
initiatives such
the MCST
of the customer
R&I Automate
ing a dry and
open- This
project.
flaked
concerned industrial
a lipstick container product? How can and
automation
two ERDF projects
be designed
elegant and
in an intended
— one
smooth way
to amplify innovationof them
that opens silently? What
manufacturing
in the
functions can
industry and
make a cosmetic case more
another
one on improving
useful, secure,
energy efficiency
and light manufacturing.
in a handbag?
How can
in
button be improved a cosmetic case’s
Toly’s belief
to prevent broken
in the research
nails?
tial of the UoM
potenis reflected in
A company
regularly sponsored
like Toly Ltd
projects. It recruits
(based in
Malta) needs
graduates
UoM
these questions
to help it remain
answered
to provide
innovative
and competitive.
a world-class
product. To
It
remain competitive
sociate Professor also allows an Asand innovative,
to spend time
search and development
re- his sabbatical
from
period to follow
need support.
Chairman and
product
development.
CEO, Andy
“We cannot
strove to meet
Gatesy future
predict the
these challenges
but we can
create it”, said
head on Gatesy.
by working with
Mr
the University
Experience has
ta (UoM). Toly
of Mal- research
shown that joint
has forged a
with UoM is
long-term
joint research
essential for
to develop its
Toly
collaboration
future growth
with UoM,
towards a
global market.
•
•
55
Manhattan, Chicago and San Francisco are mapped
in gorgeous 3D, now Malta has joined their ranks. Dr
Saviour Formosa has coordinated a €4.4 million EUfunded ERDF project to map Malta like never before,
freely available this June. The project can help Malta
develop better disaster relief plans to save lives.
This story is covered in the research magazine
Think, of the University of Malta, now available at
all newsagents. Other stories cover how University
graduates are excelling in Bahrain and how a 100-word
idea might change Malta.
Researchers are also trying to answer: how can
economics make us fitter and happier? Turning peoples’
assumptions on their head, a new field in economics is
attempting to understand how people make choices.
By using this information to rebuild consumer trust,
citizens should spend more responsibly which will help
dampen future financial crises and might solve the
obesity epidemic.
Locally, most people speak Maltese and English. Past
fears indicated that bilingualism could confuse children
and that they wouldn’t speak properly. Overwhelming
evidence is showing how bilingualism could be giving
our children an advantage for the rest of their lives.
University academics talk about challenges in IVF,
continuing the discussion from previous issues. While
others discuss new services that women need to
compete fairly in academia. On the other hand, students
are researching earthquake monitoring in Xemxija and
how diamonds might be used in computers.
The magazine also covers local research into insects.
Some are loved while others, like the Asian Tiger
mosquito, are feared. Over 6,000 insect species could
inhabit Malta.
Think may be picked up free in newsagents around
Malta and Gozo and in Agenda bookstores, viewed on
Issuu http://bit.ly/ThinkUoM04, followed on Twitter
@ThinkUoM or liked on Facebook.
Science Students Visit Top Research Facilities in Paris
The Science Students’ Society (S-Cubed) at the University of Malta has for the third year running organised
an educational trip abroad. Made up of a group of 40
students reading for various degrees within the Faculty
of Science, S-Cubed organised a visit to the French capital city, Paris between the 23rd and 27th March 2013.
Apart from being a cultural hub, this city also features
a great number of state of the art research laboratories and institutes which are often administered by, or
operating in close collaboration with, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). Some of
the facilities visited during their four day stay include
the Laboratoire de Photonique et de Nanostructures
(LPN), Institute des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHES),
Soleil Synchrotron, Institut d’Imagerie Biomédicale,
Institut Curie and the École Normale Supérieure which
boasts three Physics Nobel laureates, the latest being
awarded in 2012 to Serge Haroche.
CONT>
THE
LUMINARY
2
MAY 2013
International Trade Finance Course launched
Continued from Page 1
The University of Malta has joined forces
with the International Factors Group (IFG)
and FIMBank p.l.c. to launch the Certificate
of Finance in International Trade. The programme aims to introduce participants to
the world of international trade, logistics,
trade supply chain management, asset
based lending and trade finance. It also incorporates the IFG Academy Week, which
is the only truly international comprehensive and integrated course on the theory
and practice of factoring and commercial
finance. The six-week curriculum which will
be held in Malta is designed to provide participants with a wide range of competencies that will enable them to further their
career in the corporate world. Professor
Joseph Falzon, Head of the Department
of Banking & Finance, and Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy at the University of Malta stated that: “We are proud to be associated
with the IFG and FIMBank. This certificate
programme will provide a sound framework for those wishing to pursue further
The students were received with great hospitality by each of the institutes and were given
detailed explanations of
the research being done
there followed by an
extensive tour around
their facilities. S-Cubed
also visited Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
which is the biggest
Science museum in Europe.
S-Cubed would like to
take this opportunity to
thank the CNRS office
for the Mediterranean
in Malta and French Embassy in Malta for their
support in making this
trip possible. This trip
was also recognised
by the Degree Plus
Scheme.
study or seek a career in the field of trade
finance. Jointly with our partners, who will
provide additional international lecturers
and trade finance bankers, the programme
will offer a unique educational experience both theoretical and practical.”
The Certificate of Finance in International Trade has been jointly developed by the
partners in order to meet the demands of
the commercial world and offer a platform
from which participants can increase their
understanding of all aspects of international trade, the import and export business, logistics and trade finance. The principal objective of the course is to deliver a
competitive, industry-focused educational
programme that will provide the tools
needed to achieve professional development goals in international trade finance.
The emphasis throughout will be on the
practical aspect of real life international
trade scenarios The support of this training programme is being effected through
the University’s Research Innovation and
Development Trust (RIDT).
Rights And Remedies For The Consumer In The European Union
Professor Eugène Buttigieg, holder of a Jean Monnet
Chair of European Law at the University of Malta and
Judge at the General Court of the European Union
has just published the book Rights and Remedies for
the Consumer in the European Union. The book, the
third in the series of Rights and Remedies Conference
publications, contains contributions by distinguished
scholars in the field of consumer law: Dr Christine Riefa
(University of Brunel), Professor Christopher Willet
& Dr Youseph Farah (University of Essex), Professor
Christian Twigg-Flesner (University of Hull), Professor
Geraint Howells & Jonathan Watson (University of
Manchester & University of Münster, respectively),
Professor Christopher Hodges, (University of Oxford
& Erasmus University of Rotterdam), Professor Dr
Udo Reifner (University of Hamburg) and Professor
Dr Klaus Tonner (University of Rostock, Germany
and Judge at the Oberlandesgericht Rostock),
The volume that benefited from financial support
from the European Commission discusses the rights
of consumers shopping on online auction platforms;
remedies and enforcement in respect of unfair contract
terms; remedies for faulty goods and the balancing of the
interests of consumers, traders and coherence of the law
in this respect; redress for consumers in respect of unfair
commercial practices; alternative dispute resolution as
a new mode of redress for consumers; financial services
and consumer protection; and passenger rights and
rights and remedies in the context of package travel.
The book should be of particular interest to members
of the legal profession, academics, consultants,
advisors, regulators, public officers, business and
industry, non-governmental organisations and students.
More
information
about
the
book
is
available on http://www.um.edu.mt/laws/notices/
newbookeditedbyeugenebuttigieg
and
copies
of the book may be purchased from the Law
Faculty Office, Room 217 (Mr James Bonnici,
tel
23403460,
email
jm.conference@um.edu.
mt) or by accessing the abovementioned site.
THE
LUMINARY
3
MAY 2013
International Journal of Emotional Education
CRC Public Lecture
The latest issue of the International Journal of
Emotional Education (IJEE) has been published
by the Euro Centre for Educational Resilience
and Socio-Emotional Health at the University
of Malta.
The issue focuses on the training of teachers in
social and emotional learning, with one paper by a
group of researchers from Sweden, and another
by Sue Roffey and Florence McCarthey in Australia.
Another paper by a team of researchers from
Australia reviews the literature on the training in
emotional intelligence as applied to various contexts
such as education, business, mental health and
sports. Another interesting paper from Hong Kong/
UK explores the current interest amongst young
people in negative affect in relation to the history
of melancholy and theories of identity formation.
The IJEE is a biennial, peer-reviewed, international,
electronic journal, indexed in PsycINFO, and
supported by an international board of reviewers
with high level expertise in the field. It is an open
access journal and as from this edition all editions,
including the journal archive, are open to the public.
Professor Carmel Vassallo, Head of the Department of Spanish and Latin
American Studies, Faculty
of Arts and Coordinator of
the Mediterranean Maritime History Network will
be giving a public lecture
entitled “18th Century Cottonera: a vibrant ‘Smart
City’ open to the world”
on Friday, 10 May 2013 at
the Cottonera Resource
Centre, St Edward Street,
Vittoriosa
(ex-Lorenzo
Gafà Boys’ Secondary
School at 7 pm.
This is one of the first activities of the newly established Cottonera Resource
Centre set up to act as a
hub between uni and the
inner harbour area.
EIP AT FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
The 1st Lifelong Learning, Erasmus Intensive Programme
(IP) entitled ‘Predictive Modelling and Risk Assessment’
was successfully hosted at the Faculty of Health Sciences,
Department of Food Studies and Environmental Health. The
course was held in March and April of this year and eight
teachers and 22 students from five different Universities
participated.
Party Politics
in a Fortress
Colony
A third edition of this
book by Prof. Henry
Frendo, first published
in 1979, has just come
out from Midsea, updated to 2012. Available
from all leading bookshops in Malta, it is being launched, together
with his other recent
volume, ‘Europe and
Empire’ (Midsea, 2012),
at Senate House, London University, on 20
May, at the conclusion
of the lecture series on
‘The Legacy of Empire,’
in which the University
of Malta is being represented by Prof. Frendo.
MA in Contemporary
Western Philosophy
The Master of Arts in Contemporary Western Philosophy offers responses
from various strands of
thought or movements in
contemporary philosophy
to questions raised not
only within branches that
are traditionally within
the remit of philosophy
(ethics, logic and metaphysics) but also with the
newer branches of philosophy (artificial intel-
This newletter is published by the Communications and Alumni
Relations Office within the University of Malta.
All Rights Reserved 2013
ligence,
surveillance,
communication).
The programme explores themes and motifs that circulate within
the discourses of contemporary western philosophy. In this respect,
the Master of Arts in
Contemporary Western
Philosophy goes beyond the outdated analytic-continental divide.
More.