Diskors tal-Ftuħ tar-Rettur
BEJN VIŻJONI U REALTÀ... HEMM INT, L-IMPENN, U L-AZZJONI
BETWEEN VISION AND REALITY... THERE’S YOU, COMMITMENT, AND ACTION
Kanċillier, Membri tal-Kunsill, membri tal-korp akkademiku, ħaddiema tal-Università,
għeżież studenti...
BONĠU “UNIVERSITY OF MALTA”.
“Sieħbi... għodd din is-sena mal-oħrajn,” nisma’ Professur anzjan jgħid lil wieħed
żagħżugħ... “Iva, Profs, ma’ xejn anqas minn erba’ mija u għoxrin sena qabilha...”
iwieġbu ż-żagħżugħ, u biex jiġbidlu saqajh, żied jgħidlu... “Qed nixjieħu Profs, u biżżmien, is-saħħa dejjem tmajna.”
“U le,” qallu l-Professur bi tbissima bħallikieku ma fehmux... “L-Università għadha
f’saħħitha u bl-impenn tagħna ser tibqa’ b’saħħitha.”
U kompla jgħid ... “Kollox relattiv, sieħbi, kollox jiddependi minn mnejn, u lejn fejn,
qed tħares. Għall-grazzja ta’ Alla, jien dejjem ħarist ’il quddiem, u f’dan l-istadju ta’
ħajti, anke jekk dejjem jara x’jinqala’, żgur mhux qed tmajna la l-viżjoni u l-anqas limpenn. Għalhekk ma ngorrx. Fiċ-ċiklu ta’ kull sena, inħoss li niġġedded, nibni fuq ilpassat, inħares ’il quddiem u nazzarda nipproġetta dak li għad jista’ jseħħ... int ħares
ħarsa sew x’qed jiġri madwarna...”
Hekk kif dalgħodu bdew jinġemgħu l-istudenti, il-korp amministrattiv u l-korp
akkademiku... il-kampus reġa’ beda jieħu l-ħajja. Bħal f’xi bejta tan-naħal, kulħadd
hu impenjat: min jaqdi xi qadja urġenti, min ifittex xi kamra, jew xi rokna fejn
jipparkja, min għadu ma sabx art għax ġdid għal dan l-ambjent... kulħadd iħabrek biex
jerġa’ jingrana, jew biex isib ir-rutina tax-xogħol, jew il-muża tal-istudju wara sajf
xalar.
Illum il-professuri libsu t-toga ċerimonjali tagħhom kollha lwien varji li jixhdu l-istorja
ta’ minn mnejn ġew, bħal xi ċertifikat ta’ dak li wettqu u ta’ x’kapaċi jagħmlu.
Rajniehom jimxu bħal f’xi purċissjoni għal quddiem ta’ din is-sala, mimlija daqs bajda
bi studenti tal-ewwel sena – friski, ħerqana u iva kemmxejn eċċitati...
“U mbagħad hemm dak”... “Dak min?”
“U dak tat-toga sewda kollha xejxi tad-deheb... dak li kien ma’ ta’ wara nett u issa
spiċċa fuq il-palk... daqslikieku xi monsinjur ser jibda jipprietka...”
“Isimgħu. X’qed jgħid? Qisu eku tal-passat...”
“Kanċillier, Membri tal-Kunsill, membri tal-korp akkademiku, ħaddiema talUniversità, għeżież studenti...”
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“Dan bis-serjetà? Jaqaw għonost u għaddiet sena oħra bla ma indunajt? Jew dak reġa’
beda diskors tal-ftuħ ieħor u jien għadni fejn kont?... din qisha deja vu kerha!”, tenna
ż-żagħżugħ.
Mela qum u moħħok hemm!... għax tista’ tgħaddi sena f’ħakka t’għajn u int tispiċċa
tħoss li bqajt fejn kont, tiġġieled l-istess battalji, tlissen l-istess kliem, tisma’ l-istess
diska, bla ma twettaq jew toħloq xejn ġdid.
“U żġur!” nisma’ lill-Professur iwissi liż-żagħżugħ... “Iżda dan jiddependi minnek,
sieħbi... għax int biss tista’ tagħżel li timpenja ruħek għall-futur... toqgħodx tosserva
gallerija, il-ħajja għaddejja sena wara sena, jew tmiddx idejk biex twettaq dak li
toħlom... l-għażla tiegħek u tiegħek biss!”
“Insomma Profs, għadek m’għedtlix dak min hu?”
Mela xieraq li nibda billi nintroduċi ruħi... jisimni Juanito Camilleri, u jien ir-Rettur
tal-Università ta’ Malta. Bħal dawk id-disgħa u sebgħin l-oħra li ġew qabli, tul erba’
mija u għoxrin sena storja ta’ din l-istituzzjoni, jien responsabbli mit-tmexxija ta’
kuljum mill-aspett kemm akkademiku kif ukoll amministrattiv.
Insomma, ħalli tifhmuni żgur, qisni goal-keeper nipprova nilqa’ l-blalen – ħafna drabi
nispiċċa nipprova nevita l-auto goals!
Illum, għat-tmien darba, reġa’ mess lili bħala r-Rettur biex nagħmel id-diskors tal-ftuħ
ta’ sena akkademika ġdida... ċiklu ġdid ta’ ħajja, nifs ġdid għal din l-istituzzjoni...
deja vu ikrah żgur li mhux għalija għax diment li nara l-progress iseħħ, kull sena ġġib
tama ġdida...
Imma ż-żmien fejn qed itir? Qisu lbieraħ kont ir-Rettur “Fresher” b’qalbi tferfer bleċċitament fl-ewwel diskors tal-ftuħ tiegħi... illum, seba’ snin wara nistaqsi lili
inifsi...
X’qed nagħmlu hawn, Profs? Il-viżjoni għadha ċara? U l-boxxla, il-boxxla għadha
tipponta fejn suppost? Qed jirnexxilna nwettqu dak li tfajna ħarsitna fuqu? Dak li
hemm bżonn isir, qed isir?
Qabelxejn, u mhux biex naħrab dawn il-mistoqsijiet pertinenti... daqslikieku kont xi
politiku stuż... għan-nom tal-korp akkademiku u amministrattiv ta’ din l-Università, bi
pjaċir nilqa’ lill-istudenti l-ġodda tagħna għax tefgħu ħarsithom fuq karriera
Universitarja... ħadu l-impenn tal-istudju bis-serjetà... ħadmu u stinkaw... u llum
qegħdin magħna għall-ewwel darba... biex iġedduna... biex ikunu d-demm ġdid li għal
sena oħra jagħti lil din l-Università u lil pajjiżna futur... mhux biss passat...
Għeżież studenti, bħala l-gradwati prospettivi ta’ din l-Alma Mater, bħala l-mexxejja
futuri ta’ pajjiżna, bħala s-sisien tal-ekonomija u tas-soċjetà ta’ għada, aħna
nistidnukom tħarsu ’l quddiem b’kuraġġ, għax kull wieħed u waħda minna hawn illum
għandna bżonn minn dak il-kuraġġ, l-enerġija, u l-entużjażmu taż-żgħożija li intom
iġġibu magħkom illum... ibda minni!
Intom ġejtu biex iġġedduna... aħna lesti biex inħarrġukom...
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Tibżgħu qatt toħolmu... iva, kunu idealisti fil-viżjoni tal-futur li tipproġettaw... u anke
jekk xi aspetti tar-realtà tal-preżent, bħal dejjem, huma iebsa jew ħarxa... issaħħu
fid-determinazzjoni u fl-impenn tagħkom biex tilħqu l-għanijiet tagħkom... tħallu lil
xejn u lil ħadd jaqtgħulkom qalbkom.
Għalhekk it-tema li għażilt għal din is-sena hi:
BEJN VIŻJONI U REALTÀ... HEMM INT, L-IMPENN, U L-AZZJONI.
Fil-qofol tagħha din it-tema tħaddan l-istess messaġġ li tennejt is-sena li għaddiet... u
b’apoloġija lil dawk kollha fl-udjenza li semgħu din id-diska qabel... nistqarr li qatt ma
nixba’ ntenniha...
Kunu studenti impenjati, mhux mumji rrassenjati... wieżnu l-paroli b’azzjoni konkreta
għax hekk biss tibqgħu kredibbli... aħdmu, u ħaddmu raskom, iva, kif stedint lil
sħabkom is-sena li għaddiet... qatt tieqfu toħolmu...
Iva, oħolmu f’teknoloġiji u servizzi ġodda, oħolmu f’soċjetà aktar imħarrġa u miftuħa,
oħolmu f’ekonomija dinamika u minsuġa tajjeb fis-swieq globali, oħolmu f’ambjent
sostenibbli, oħolmu f’valuri umani mill-oħla, fit-tolleranza, fil-ġustizzja vera, oħolmu
f’Malta ta’ għada, dak il-wirt li tixtiequ tħallu lil uliedkom... iżda aħdmu bla heda u
ħaddmu t-talenti li tħaddnu għax hekk biss tkunu denji li tkunu gradwati ta’ din l-Alma
Mater... hekk biss tistgħu tkomplu tibnu lil Malta fuq is-sisien li ħallewlna
missirijietna.
F’din l-ewwel ġurnata tal-ħajja universitarja tagħkom hu ferm importanti li tieħdu dan
l-impenn bis-serjetà.
“Profs, Profs, qum minn hemm... qed tongħos!”
“Eh... iva... fiex wasal dak... għadu għaddej?”
“Ħeqq, kien qed iwerden fuq il-viżjoni u l-impenn... insomma, jekk jibqa’ sejjer hekk
ser iqabbiżli d-dmugħ...”
“Mhux hekk!... u jqabbiżhulek id-dmugħ sejjer... stenna sakemm jibda jitkellem fuq
il-finanzi!”
Mela, ara ġejja...
Dejjem ftakru li dan il-pajjiż ġà investa u qiegħed jinvesti ħafna flus fl-edukazzjoni
tagħkom, u fl-opinjoni tiegħi qiegħed jagħmel sewwa...
Iżda biex il-kwalità ta’ din l-Università dejjem titjieb u l-firxa u l-fond tal-programmi
ta’ studju u ta’ riċerka jkunu sostnuti, hemm bżonn ħafna flus, iva, hemm bżonn
investiment akbar. Għalhekk hu ferm importanti li jinstab mezz ta’ finanzjament fittul biex niżguraw li l-Università tibqa’ sostenibbli u li l-awtonomija tagħha tiġi
protetta u msaħħa.
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Dan jitfa’ fuqna lkoll responsabbiltà kbira. Irridu nibqgħu naraw li l-flus li jintefqu flUniversità jintefqu bil-għaqal, irridu nibqgħu naraw li l-investiment jissarraf – b’mod
dirett kif ukoll indirett – f’livell ta’ għajxien aħjar għall-Maltin kollha.
Iżda fl-istess ħin l-Università m’għandhiex tibqa’ tgħix minn sena għal oħra... minn
budget għal ieħor... bħal xi ġerwa mxennqa marbuta b’ċinga qasira b’qajla spazju biex
timraħ...
Anke jekk wara erba’ mija u għoxrin sena, hu importanti li nkomplu nispjegaw li lUniversità għandha tingħata l-mezzi biex titħalla timraħ u tiskopri lil hinn minn dak li
hu magħruf u ċert, u lil hinn minn dak li jista’ jkollu utilità jew applikazzjoni
industrijali immedjata... Tiħdunix ħażin, m’hemm xejn ħażin li r-riċerka tkun
applikata u li tkun utli – iżda jien nemmen li kull tip ta’ riċerka anke dik mill-aktar
eżoterika u pura, biż-żmien tinstab l-utilità tagħha... Ir-riċerka pura tal-lum hi l-qofol
tal-kreatività, tal-innovazzjoni u tal-produzzjoni ta’ għada... L-istorja mimlija
b’eżempji minn dawn!
Għalhekk nemmen li l-Università għandha jkollha l-mezzi finanzjarji u infrasrutturali,
għax b’dawn il-mezzi biss jista’ jkollha l-libertà neċessarja biex tfassal il-programmi
ta’ riċerka tagħha.
Irridu nevitaw sitwazzjoni fejn il-fondi li dan il-pajjiż għad jinvesti fir-riċerka jiġu
kkontrollati esklussivament u b’mod preskritt u restrittiv minn aġenziji esterni millUniversità. Għax jekk jiġri hekk, għalkemm ir-rieda tajba qatt ma tonqos, nibża’ li lawtonomija akkademika u l-progress fir–riċerka u l-innovazzjoni f’pajjiżna jiġu limitati
żżejjed.
Hu ta’ pjaċir għalija li nara li dawn il-messaġġi li issa ili ngħaddi sena wara l-oħra
kemm ili Rettur, bil-mod il-mod qegħdin jiġu mifhuma u nispera li l-azzjoni neċessarja
biex l-għan tiegħi li jitfassal qafas finanzjarju sostenibbli għall-Università għad jiġi
milħuq. U hawn nixtieq nirringrazzja lill-Ministru għall-impenn u l-għajnuna li qed
jagħtina f’dan ir-rigward.
Xogħolna lkoll hu li ta’ kull sena nħarsu ’l quddiem b’rieda ġdida u b’kuraġġ, waqt li
b’għajn kritika inwieżnu dak li wettaqna ... Xogħolna wkoll hu li nwettqu dak li
nipproġettaw, kull fejn dan hu umanament possibbli...
Irridu nkomplu nfasslu u nimplementaw pjan ta’ żvilupp fuq medda ta’ snin li, kif
ħabbart fi snin oħra, qiegħed jara lill-Università tittrasforma ruħha f’Università
moderna tat-tielet ġenerazzjoni, imsejsa fuq tliet pilastri ewlenin: it-Tagħlim u tTaħriġ inkluż b’mezzi ġodda ta’ taħriġ fuq sistemi elettroniċi; ir-Riċerka u lInnovazzjoni; u s-Servizzi lill-Industrija u lis-Soċjetà Ċivili li għandhom jinkludu wkoll
impenn ġdid li l-Università ssarraf b’intraprenditorija, il-frott tal-għerf li tħaddan,
f’impriżi ġodda, u f’valur miżjud għal pajjiżna.
Irridu nkomplu naħdmu fuq il-programm ta’ bini infrastrutturali, fuq Master Plan ta’
żvilupp. Kif dejjem qed nesperjenzaw, hekk kif l-attivitajiet, l-inizjattivi u lprogrammi ta’ studju dejjem jiżdiedu, il-ħtieġa ta’ aktar spazju u faċilitajiet dejjem
jiżdiedu wkoll.
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Irridu nsaħħu l-profil akkademiku tal-Università biex bħala Università internazzjonali
mhux biss isservi l-bżonnijiet utilitarji u dawk umanistiċi ta’ pajjiżna iżda tipproġetta
ruħha bħala sede akkademika ta’ prestiġju li tiġbed lejha numru dejjem akbar ta’
studenti, riċerkaturi u akkademiċi barranin.
Biex jintlaħaq dan il-għan, hu kruċjali li l-Università tibda tissaħħaħ fil-livell “postdoctoral” billi tingħata u tiġġenera r-riżorsi, u tibni l-infrastruttura, biex tkun tista’
timpjega akkademiċi fuq Research Fellowships li jiddedikaw numru ta’ snin wara li
jġibu d-Dottorat fuq xogħol ta’ riċerka, fuq proġetti ta’ eċċellenza internazzjonali jew
ta’ importanza partikulari għall-iżvilupp soċjali u ekonomiku lokali.
Irridu mhux biss inħarrġu l-gradwati għax-xogħol tal-lum, iżda kif semmejt qabel,
irridu wkoll naraw li l-Università, bir-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni li tħaddan, tistimola u
tiżviluppa xogħol f’pajjiżna għall-gradwati ta’ għada, u dawn f’oqsma li għad irridu
nwelldu.
Fl-aħħar mill-aħħar din l-Università għad tiġi meqjusa fuq bażi ta’ kemm jirnexxilha
tkompli tinfluwenza t-tmexxija ta’ dan il-pajjiż fl-isferi soċjali u ekonomiċi kollha
biex, bħala membru fl-Unjoni Ewropea, Malta tibqa’ sostenibbli u sovrana, kapaċi
tikkontribwixxi b’wiċċha minn quddiem fi sfera internazzjonali, u kapaċi tilqa’ l-isfidi
ta’ għada.
Mela ejja nieħdu ħsiebha kif jixraq lil din l-Omm... din l-Alma Mater... ejja ma nitilfu
qatt il-viżjoni ta’ dak li għad tista’ tagħmel għal pajjiżna.
Int... iva int ukoll... kull wieħed u waħda hawn illum... intom parti minn din listorja... tħallu qatt l-impenn tagħkom lejn pajjiżkom fi ħdan din l-Università jonqos
jew ix-xogħol tagħkom imajna... din l-Università trid tibqa’ f’saħħitha u rilevanti.
Flimkien ejja nagħmlu passi konkreti kuljum, sena wara l-oħra, biex b’impenn ilviżjoni tagħna ssir realtà tassew.
U fuq din in-nota nixtieq ngħid kelmtejn bl-Ingliż għax huwa importanti li niftakru li
fostna għandna studenti barranin minn erba’ u tmenin pajjiż, li llum nistidinkom
tilqgħuhom magħna bil-qalb kollha. Grazzi.
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.
Today you have joined a vibrant academic community which looks at the future with
optimism and looks back on its past with pride.
I understand the challenge you face and the excitement of leaving your homeland to
pursue studies abroad. Settling down in a foreign country whilst delving into one’s
study or research programme is a challenge, but I assure you that you will soon cherish
your stay with us.
Please do not hesitate to seek the assistance of the International Students Office
should the need arise, and please note that Professor Mary-Anne Lauri, the Pro-Rector
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in charge of Student and Institutional Affairs, and Professor Marilyn Clark, my delegate
in charge of International Student Wellbeing, are available to assist you.
As you can see, judging by the on-going infrastructural works on campus, the
University is investing significantly in upgrading its facilities and in scaling up its
capacity. I am delighted that the new air-conditioning and energy-saving lighting
systems installed in the library are being put to good use and that now the library
together with the new state-of-the-art facilities at our IT Services Centre provide our
students with a comfortable study environment.
Unfortunately, the installation of the Mechanical and Electrical Systems and the
internal finishes of the extension of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences,
have fallen behind schedule – don’t ask me why! – let’s keep today a happy occasion.
In any case, this means that those of you who have their offices, study-rooms,
lectures, or who have reason to frequent that quadrant of campus will need to put up
with more noise and dust during the first semester. I apologise for the inconvenience
this will cause, but, alas such is the price of expansion on a live-campus… not to
mention the consequence of the somewhat archaic public procurement system we are
compelled to follow.
As you walk around the ring road you will also see the spanking new Faculty of ICT
building which has finally opened its glass doors to business. A special word of thanks
goes to all those – and there are many - who have contributed in some way to the
successful completion of this project and to the move into this new building. No doubt
there will be trouble-shooting that needs to be catered for as this new facility
becomes fully operational. We hope to launch it officially sometime in November as
part of the Discover University open week programme.
I am pleased to announce also that the old premises of the Faculty of ICT is being
refurbished and will be housing the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Business
Incubation, the Knowledge Transfer Office, and the Business Incubator proper which I
hope will soon host new technology start-ups inspired by your work.
The internal wiring and finishes of the two new floors on the Biomedical Sciences
building is also at an advanced stage and should be completed by early next year.
These new floors are intended to consolidate and expand our wet-laboratory facilities
and to create the right environment to enhance our research programmes in genetics,
biotechnology, and pharmaceutical sciences, to complement the development of the
Life Sciences Park close to our Msida campus.
Thanks to the new state-of-the-art equipment installed in a broad spectrum of
disciplines, ranging from materials and physical sciences, the life sciences,
engineering, and ICT we have launched research projects which hitherto have been
inaccessible to us. I am delighted that we have recently managed to secure some more
funding through European Regional Development Funds allowing projects we had in the
pipeline to be implemented. These funds and Government’s continued support are
proving instrumental for the University to enhance its research profile.
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On another note, if you happen to detect furtive activity taking place in one of the
buildings that was formerly part of the garden centre at the entrance to campus, I can
assure you it’s not the Smurfs who have taken up residence.
I am pleased to announce that the University has actually bought the land formerly
occupied by the Garden Centre as well as the neighbouring house. We have a
wonderful vision for how we can develop that tract of land, but, I will not bore you
with this, this morning…. well ok, if you must know, we hope that that site will be
developed into a University Residence and Community Centre but that will not happen
for some years yet. Suffice to say that at this stage, we have refurbished one of the
buildings on that property to temporarily host the Institute of Digital Games until their
permanent facilities are built… but, that’s yet another project!
Talking about more projects… the embellishment of the Valletta campus into an
international conferencing and graduate centre continues to unfold. We are working
on plans to expand the facilities of the Gozo campus, and we are delighted that the
recent investment we have made in the sports facilities at the Junior College are
being used as envisaged. Moreover, we have just opened the doors of a new childcare
centre on the grounds of the Junior College.
At this point, I would like to thank my Pro-Rectors who I am pleased to introduce in
alphabetical order:
Prof. Joe Friggieri is the Pro-rector for Gozo;
Prof. Mary-Anne Lauri, as mentioned earlier, is the Pro-rector for Students and
Institutional Affairs;
Prof. Richard Muscat is the Pro-rector for Research and Innovation; and
Prof. Alfred Vella is the Pro-rector for Academic Affairs.
I thank them for their unstinting support and for sharing my vision, joys and
frustrations… but most importantly for getting on with it, most times against the odds.
I am truly proud and blessed to work with them.
As I hinted in the opening speech last year the University dreams on… but we have
worked hard to bring our vision closer to fruition. In consultation with the College of
Deans, who I take this opportunity to thank publicly, the Rectorate has been making
progress on a number of new projects which will hopefully address the operational and
recreational space requirements on this campus, and which will provide the required
infrastructure for research and innovation particularly at post-doctoral level. So if you
thought you have seen the gradual exit of construction cranes on campus… I’m afraid
we may experience a fresh invasion in the coming years.
I will not repeat the long list of projects I outlined in my speech last year, but, I assure
you that we are working relentlessly on designs, financing options, and project
logistics on a number of fronts which, if all goes as we hope and pray, will see an
unprecedented leap forward in the capacity and range of facilities available on
campus in the coming years. God willing, I sincerely hope that next year I can report
on a number of concrete initiatives – excuse the pun - which by then would hopefully
have taken off…
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Before I close off my welcome speech this morning, I would like to appeal to the staff
and student community on campus to engage and help out in any way we can in the
run-up and during the unfolding of two events of national importance which will
undoubtedly benefit from the input of the University community.
The first is Malta’s presidency of the EU in 2017, the second is Valletta the City of
Culture in 2018. These are both projects of National and European pride – I invite all
Deans, Directors, and Heads to actively encourage their staff and students to lend a
hand both in the run-up as well as during the unfolding of these events. Both events
can create backdrops for project work, practical work experience, summer
placements, specific studies, extra-curricular voluntary work under the aegis of the
Degree+ programme, and other initiatives which I’m sure can provide an invaluable
learning experience and exposure for us all.
So to summarize, this year I’ve invited us all to continue to walk the talk… to project
the future, but then to work hard to make it happen…
There is so much more I can say and announce, but, I’m afraid the psychiatrists in the
audience will send me a prescription. So without further ado, I welcome you all –
academics, support staff, and local and international students - to a productive and
fruitful year. Let us carry our legacy with pride! Let’s get on with it!
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