The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) marked its success todate during the first Foundation Day last month, while planning to grow and offer more courses and at higher levels.
The college was established by public deed in 2000 on the initiative of Education Minister Louis Galea. In July 2006, MCAST was incorporated in Malta's Education Act. The official Foundation Day - October 26 - is to be celebrated on the fourth Friday every October.
The college accepted its first 1,539 students in September 2001. Today, it has a student population of about 8,700 of whom 4,700 are enrolled in full-time courses and a further 4,000 are following courses on a part-time basis.
Edexcel, the UK's leading qualifications awarding body, which forms part of Pearson Education, the world's largest education organisation, has already recognised MCAST as a centre of excellence. Only five other centres in the world having achieved this recognition, and MCAST is the first centre in Europe to achieve this status, which is truly a great accomplishment when one considers that Edexcel operates in over 110 countries worldwide.
Yet MCAST has to develop further. The college still has to develop courses leading to tertiary level education, first in specific areas as deemed appropriate by the economy and in line with the college's strategic plan to develop the professional competences of the academic staff to ensure a quality provision at the higher levels.
The Board of Governors launched the college's strategic assessment about 18 months ago. Compiled by economists, it provided recommendations on how MCAST could move forward in order to satisfy the aspirations of the individual, industry's demands and the country's changing economy within the international context.
The assessment's findings were used to develop MCAST's strategic plan, which explains how the college is responding to the needs of an ever expanding and highly competitive knowledge-based economy within the overall context of globalisation. It aims to ensure that Malta and Gozo will have people with the knowledge, skills, competences, values and attitudes for personal development and the determination to contribute to an improved standard of living as well as a sustainable economy for future generations.
During the Foundation Day event, Dr Galea said that the Budget for 2008 had confirmed the government's firm commitment to MCAST, with an increased allocation both in recurrent and capital expenditure. He added that Government still has ambitious plans for MCAST. During the next few years, the campus would be almost completely re-built, transforming it into a state-of-the-art college with an investment of Lm50 million.
He added that the college had been benefiting substantially from EU funds - the European Regional Development Funds for infrastructure and equipment, and European Social Fund to promote both trained human capital and social inclusion.
Dr Galea said that the MCAST success story was based on the dedication and commitment of all those involved in the vocational education and training programmes, and on the in-built flexibility and close collaboration it had developed with the main stakeholders and industry.
He said that MCAST had also been collaborating with the University of Malta by offering practical sessions in the use of equipment and tools in workshops to university students following courses in engineering. Agreement had also been reached between the two institutions so that they did not duplicate the acquisition of expensive equipment that could be used by students of each institution.
During the event, Mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Paul Cremona, and short speeches were delivered by Dr Galea, Frank Edwards, Principal and CEO, Paul Attard, president of the Board of Governors, and Cladonia Scerri, Student Council representative. The minister later unveiled a commemorative plaque in the presence of the students and staff of all the college's nine institutes, and distinguished guests.
Other activities held for students included a two-hour musical performance by two bands - Mind the Step, and Cable 35 - a human table soccer, and an exhibition by the Student Council and its sponsors, MCAST, NCHE and Young Enterprise.
Hairdressing students at the Institute of Community Services offered their services free of charge to raise funds for Dar tal-Providenza, and the AFM Band put on a high quality musical performance.