Students insist on more funds

The president of the Students' University Council - KSU - warned yesterday that nobody should try to gain political mileage out of the stipends system reform.

Speaking to students and academics at the opening of the university academic year, Anthony Camilleri said that, as an organisation run by students for students, the KSU will only serve students' interests.

Referring to the stipends reforms, announced just days ago, Mr Camilleri said one of the initial proposals was for students to have to pay back all their stipends once they graduate and to pay tuition fees. The KSU had been working tirelessly for 18 months to secure the best possible package for the students.

"I think you would agree we have persuaded the government to take a very considerable policy reversal," he said.

He said his council will go back to the negotiation table "for another round of arduous talks" with the aim of securing additional funding for the university, the setting up of proper national quality assurance structures, forming a National Higher Education Commission and committing the government to allocate significant funding into the scholarship and graduate loan schemes it has just announced.

"The least the government can do is give our education the priority it deserves by putting real money into our facilities, our staff and our future," he said.

He said Education Minister Louis Galea - who was present for the ceremony - will be at the university on Thursday to answer students' questions.

About 10,000 students returned to the university for another year of study. The academic year opened with Mass celebrated by university chaplain Fr Jimmy Bartolo, whose first words were dedicated to the memory of the five young victims of Saturday's tragic traffic accident, especially Fabio Magro, who was scheduled to start Junior College yesterday, and Emanuel Vella, who was studying IT at the Junior College.

Earlier on, students observed a few moments of silence in memory of the victims.

Close to 2,300 applicants have been accepted to enter university and the admissions office is working to process a further 1,227 applications from students who had to re-sit exams. This year will see a number of courses opening for the first time - namely Certificate in Youth Ministry, Pre-tertiary Faculty Certificate in Youth Ministry, Bachelor of Library, Information and Archive Studies, Diploma in Archive and Records Management, Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and Master of Arts in Comparative Euro-Mediterranean Education Studies.

The rector, Roger Ellul Micallef, described the university as having different dimensions. It can be considered as a southern European university, a university of an island nation, one of the Commonwealth universities or a regional university.

He said the idea of a regional university was being developed and appreciated more than before. "This is not only a concept or a project but also a reality within the political and cultural sectors. Within the European Union, such a concept is finding greater recognition and support than before."

Prof. Ellul Micallef said Malta's university, which has always believed in its international dimension, has a lot to offer to others within the region. Malta's EU membership, he added, should strengthen the regional aspect.

The rector welcomed the new students, including international students, hailing from 74 countries. China and Bulgaria provide the largest number of students.

This year's international students will be following courses in almost all the faculties, with the three more popular ones being Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and Bachelor of Arts.