Academics hail new funds for education, research

The University of Malta Academic Staff Association (Umasa) has welcomed the increased funding made available to the university, as well as the proposed increased funding for research and innovation announced in the budget.

The Lm4.3 million allocated to the university from the EU Social (Structural) Fund to initiate a programme of construction, infrastructure and purchase of equipment should ensure that the proposed increase in university student numbers will be comfortably accommodated in modern, well-equipped lecture rooms and state-of-the-art laboratories, Umasa said.

This was definitely a good start, although more capital funds should be made available for the complete modernisation of university premises, it said.

The association also welcomed the re-allocation of funds for scholarships at Masters and Doctoral levels under the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme for 2007, saying it augured well for the commitment shown by the government towards increasing the number of post-graduates.

University faculties and departments running post-graduate programmes should also receive financial assistance through this scheme to help support existing programmes and generate new ones.

The increased funding for research and innovation by Lm250,000 to Lm1.5 million was definitely welcome and a step in the right direction, Umasa said.

"One should mention here, however, that despite this increased funding, Malta is still far from reaching the target set in Lisbon of three per cent of GDP to be spent on research and development."

While it appreciated the investment of Lm9 million by the government to support the students' maintenance grant, it emphasised that this is not direct expenditure on education but rather a social policy decision.

The 2004 Chalmers report identified the burgeoning pressure of financing students' education at the expense of pressing needs in the education sector, and hence of quality education, the association said.