Graduation Ceremony 6
Academic Oration
Monday 29 November 2010 at 1630hrs
SIR TEMI ZAMMIT HALL, University of Malta – MSIDA
Prof. Christian A. Scerri
Department of Physiology and Biochemistry
Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Hon. Minister, Chancellor, Rector, Registrar, Distinguished Guests, Fellow Members of
the Academic Body, Graduands, Ladies and Gentlemen.
It was a real honour for me that Senate invited me to deliver this graduand address, on my
25th year since graduating from this same institution. I can assure all the graduands
present in this hall, and this from personal experience, that you shall cherish this day for
your entire life and thus my first advice to you on this day, is to enjoy it to the full.
Seen with the modern eyes of the 21st century and compared to the highly technological
surroundings, the Universities around the world, and this one is not an exception, would
seem to have a number of seemingly odd rituals. One of these is the peculiar way we are
dressed this evening. The gowns and other regalia worn during the graduation ceremony
remind us of our past and our foundations, dating back to the medieval era. This fact has
led me to take a closer look at the origins of the concept of the university in its historical
context.
The word university is derived from universitas magistrorum et scholarium, roughly
meaning "community of masters and scholars." The concept of a community is very
similar in fashion to medieval guilds, organised so as to protect their members from
uninitiated outsiders. In the case of an academic institution such as the university, one
might rightly ask what was there to be protected and from whom? The answer lies in the
historical perspective and environment of the medieval years. In a time when both the
State and the Church endorsed an authoritarian attitude, the Universities were the cradle
of objective and scientific discussion and thus often in direct conflict with prevalent
policies. In addition, and quite surprisingly for the time, the university was a democratic
institution. For example, and I am sure most of you would have welcomed this, in the
University of Bologna, students could elect and fire teachers whilst in Paris professors
elected the Deans and these in turn elected the Chancellor. Thus it should not come as a
surprise that in an era of despotism, the university required protection.
The forgoing facts resulted in academic freedom being an important notion within the
definition of university. This first documented evidence of this notion can be found in the
academic charter, Constitutio Habita, adopted by the University of Bologna, in 1155,
which guaranteed the right of a travelling scholar to unhindered passage in the interests of
education.
How do these concepts of protection and academic freedom make sense in the 21st
century? Though in democratic countries the attacks might not come directly from the
State or Church, the changing role of the university in the modern economic context, can
result in stealthy attacks against these very concepts.
Through their historical delivery of teaching and research, their increasing role in the
support of the innovation process, their integration with the local communities and as
vehicles for regional development, universities have a significant role to play within the
knowledge based economy. Because of this evolving role, universities are facing new
challenges including an increased demand for higher education, the internationalisation
of education and research and the development of effective and close co-operation
between universities and industry.
These challenges are compounded by the fact that whilst the world is passing through an
economical crisis where government expenditure is being curtailed, investment in
education and research are considered to be essential in overcoming the economic crisis.
Thus there is a real risk that the State demands relevance, specialisation and practicality
within the university’s curricula and research priorities.
Relevance is the idea that course work and research should address issues which are
"relevant." The main issue here is what is relevant and to whom? Society would usually
define relevance in accordance to the issues that it would be currently confronting and
hardly to possible future problems. On the other hand scholars look at issues that attract
their intellectual interests and that these issues might eventually be relevant. Though
scholarly and institutional research seem to be on opposite ends of the research spectrum,
there are scientific areas, for example in life sciences, ICT, engineering and chemistry,
just to mention four, where excellent scholarly research would attract research based
industry to the country. The tough part is identifying and marketing these areas.
The exponential increase in knowledge has tended to increase specialisation in the areas
of research of faculty members. This has in turn produced a specialisation in teaching.
Though specialisation might make life easier for the faculty, it can also lead to academic
isolation and thus to the loss of the magisterum or the community.
Relevance and specialisation are partnered by practicality. In an apparent bid to provide
full employment within the present economic situation, society might feel the need to call
for career preparation as the main function of undergraduate education. In my opinion
this would be a short sighted move as the university should be the cradle that produces
intelligent and educated persons and where students acquire the necessary analytical and
entrepreneurial skills that can be utlised in a wide area of employment.
How has the University of Malta fared in all of this? During the past two decades or so,
the university has seen a consistent increase in the number of students as well as in the
width of available areas of studies. Though, not without its hiccups and problems, the
University has succeeded in balancing relevance and practicality without betraying the
traditional roles of the university. It has invested heavily in a number of research areas
such as ICT, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Medical Biotechnology, that
have been identified as the primary areas in which Malta has a potential advantage over
its competitors, whilst still supporting the other areas that are required to consolidate and
cement together all the elements of society. This investment has already shown results
both in the increased number and quality of published papers, patents as well as general
improvement in Malta’s competitive index. The high quality of its curricula has also
resulted in an ever increasing number of foreign students, both communitarian as well as
extra-communitarian. This, together with the presence of Maltese graduates in foreign
institutions, has resulted in a higher degree of interaction between foreign and Maltese
institutions.
The University has also identified the lack of entrepreneurial skills amongst both
academics and students and has thus initiated a process to introduce these skills within
the curricula as well as within a continual education programme. This initiative is
complimented through the setting up of the Office of Corporate Research & Knowledge
Transfer.
Though research and innovation has taken great strides forward, a number of hurdles still
exist that are halting the required quality leap forward that would place Malta clearly on
the research map. Two of these hurdles are surely post-doctoral positions and research
funds.
In his opening speech for this academic year, the Rector has listed the great advances in
the research infrastructure that have occurred in the past few years. All of this is true and
has put the University in the forefront as far as research infrastructure is concerned. But
an excellent research infrastructure without solid, focused and multilayered research
teams is similar to a palace without inhabitants. Wherein the number of undergraduate
and postgraduate students actively involved in scientific research is constantly on the
increase, opportunities for post-doctoral experience is chronically lacking. Post-doctoral
research is an important transitional phase from a mostly supervised doctoral student to
an independent researcher being groomed for an academic leadership position. The
postdoc position offers an opportunity not only to acquire new skills, broaden one’s
horizon and a transition into cross-disciplinary areas, but also a springboard towards
entrepreneurial activities. Experience shows that the best research groups have a mix of
doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows with the later offering a level of experience
and maturity. Though it is encouraging to see our Ph.D,. graduates seeking, and being
accepted for, post-doctoral positions overseas, we need to have institutional mechanisms
to attract Maltese, and why not foreign, Ph.D. graduates, to postdoctoral positions in
Malta. To succeed in establishing Malta as a centre of scientific research and thus reach
the national goals of major investments in science and technology, we urgently require
the formulation of a sustainable and effective post-doctoral fellowship programme.
Embryonic steps seem to be taking place wherein the Faculty of Medicine have
advertised for two such positions and plans are at hand so that the next cycle of MGSS
shall include for the provision of these positions.
Though it is always difficult to have enough local research funds while trying to balance
the national budget, the government needs to identify adequate and innovative means by
which to support research. And here again one faces the eternal tug of war. Should
research funds be directed only by relevance? This question is even more important in a
country with limited resources such as Malta. Though the concept of research and
innovation finds its way in all the government’s policy and strategy papers as well as in
political party’s policies, few realise and accept that investment in R&D is a long time
investment and hence might not be seen by the general population as a priority. Apart
from increasing the appeal of science amongst school children and students, the
popularisation process should also be concerned with the presentation of its long term
advantages to the general public.
Wherein the level of funding is tied with the economic performance of the country or the
institution, and thus somewhat distant from academic discussion, the discussion on
research priorities has to involve the academic and research body. Returning back to
relevance, what makes a research area relevant? Should research funds be constrained
only to applied research at the total exclusion of basic research? But then, what is
demarcation of basic research, especially in certain fields such as health and
biotechnology? Without a healthy dose of basic research, it is difficult to have a
successful applied research programme. National research funds should be targeted at
both basic and applied research areas and while remaining within the parameters of
national economic strategies and focus areas, be as wide as possible in scope.
It might pertinent here to remind those that put relevance as the topmost of priorities,
Michael Faraday’s reply to William Gladstone, the then British Chancellor of the
Exchequer, when asked of the practical value of electricity, “One day sir, you may tax it”.
And to those that request actual, tangible and fast results from scientists, Thomas
Edison’s quote: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
These are my main messages to the relevant institutional bodies.
And now some advice to the new graduands.
Stay Curious
Curiosity is a principal human characterisitic that has helped the evolution of
homosapiens. It is an imperative ingredient for life-long learning, the principal force that
takes us to the final frontier and beyond and thus of utmost importance to keep pace with
the rapid changes in knowledge and technology.
Pursue Your Passion
It is an accepted fact that normally success follows those that pursue the goals and paths
that ignite a deep and real significance in them. Though uncertainty is a common factor in
everyone’s early career days, as long as it gives you the internal satisfaction and a
positive feeling, then pursue it.
Value Our Community
By valuing our community we will take an active interest in it, be able to contribute
through our ideas and actions, increase the community’s economical activities as well as
being key players in the country’s or better still in the world’s sustainable development.
So to this year’s graduands, my heartiest congratulations to you and your loved ones. I
wish you every success for the future!
Thank you.