The International and EU Office has issued the Erasmus teaching staff applications for mobility during the academic year 2007-2008. The scheme provides partial financing in the form of grants to University lecturers to conduct short teaching mobility periods in other European universities. Over the past year, over 227 bilateral agreements have been signed with universities in 27 countries for teaching staff mobility in a wide range of subject areas.
Since its introduction locally in 2000, the Erasmus mobility programme has attracted participation from a large number of faculties and institutes and has been extremely useful not only for personal academic development but also for the development of co-operation in research areas, mobility of students and the development of new curriculums.
Further information is available on the Website: www.eu-unit.um.edu.mt/erasmus/erasmus.html or from Annhelica Scerri at the International and EU Office on tel: 2340 2804 or e-mail annhelica.scerri@um.edu.mt
Seminar on social policy
Institute of Public Administration and Management students are organising a five-paper seminar entitled 'Aspects of Social Policy' on Thursday between 9 and 11 a.m. at Mt St Joseph, Tarġa Gap, Mosta.
Frances Camilleri-Cassar will chair the proceedings.
More information is available from Charmaine Pace on e-mail: charmaine.pace@um.edu.mt or tel 2340 2726.
Composite indices: benefits and pitfalls
The Islands and Small States Institute in collaboration with the Malta Observatory for Sustain-ability Indicators (SIMO) is organising a seminar on 'Constructing a Composite Index: Benefits and Pitfalls' at the University Gozo Centre on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., with a break for lunch.
The programme will include talks by Prof. Lino Briguglio and Nadia Farrugia on composite indicators and a series of discussions on the Economic Vulnerability Index, the Econo-mic Resilience Index, the Environmental Sustainability Index and the Human Development Index.
Staff members and students who are interested may contact Isabelle Vella on tel 2134 4879 or e-mail: islands@um.edu.mt.
Exploring the past to unravel the future
Over 200 historians and other scholars from related disciplines from 45 European universities attended the third plenary meeting of the network 'Creating Links and Innovative Overviews for a New History Research Agenda for the Citizens of a Growing Europe (CLIOHRES.net).
This five year project brings together historians, geographers, art historians, linguists, theologists, philologists, sociologists and philosophers in order to explore how differences, connections, conflicts and positive interaction have developed in the past and can develop in the future. It involves 180 research staff and doctoral students from 31 countries.
Prof. Victor Mallia Milanes from the Department of History is the local co-ordinator of the network, which is supported by the Sixth Framework Programme.
Christmas choir
The University Chaplaincy is organising a choir for Christmas Midnight Mass and New Year's Eve Mass at the University Chapel, Msida. Those who wish to take part may contact the Chaplaincy on 2340 2341 or via e-mail: chaplaincy@um.edu.mt.
Maltese poetry in Cypriot publication
An academic paper entitled 'Savage Boys and the Predatory Woman in Holland's Garden' by Adrian Grima (picture), who lectures in Maltese literature at the University of Malta, was included in Cultures of Memory, a book edited by Prof. Stephanos Stephanides and recently published by University of Nicosia Press, in collaboration with the School of Humanities, University of Cyprus.
The book also includes a poem by Dr Grima entitled Kwarta 'l Bogħod (Fifteen Minutes Away), translated by Maria Grech Ganado, the only poem by a non-Cypriot writer in the publication.
Effective writing skills
The Office for Human Resources Management and Development, in collaboration with the Department of English last month organised a series of two-hour training seminars in effective writing skills.
Mario Aquilina, the seminar tutor, offered guidance on how to format documents that suit the needs of the receiver, how to make appropriate choices concerning style and tone, and how to avoid a range of common writing errors.
Participants were encouraged to work on sample material individually and in groups. For further information contact Karen Cacciattolo on e-mail karen.cacciattolo@um.edu.mt or tel 2340 2479.
Exploitation of women in 1930s Malta
Sexual exploitation of women in 1930s Malta is the theme of a public lecture that Paul Knepper from the University of Sheffield will be delivering at the University on Tuesday at 11 a.m., in the Old Humanities room 112.
The talk, entitled 'The Music Hall Affair in 1930s Malta', is sponsored by the Institute of Forensic Studies, and entrance is free.