Master's in Maltese Studies

I thank Eddie Debono Taylor for his interest in Maltese Studies (The Sunday Times, August 3), now that for the first time ever our University is launching a part taught/part research degree in this subject.

I also thank the many correspondents from Malta and various other countries who responded favourably, sometimes movingly, to my article 'On being Maltese' (The Times, June 28), which also referred to the prospect of such an MA being offered.

Like every new initiative, this MA project has had to overcome some teething troubles, but we are looking forward to a successful take-off in October with the required administrative, infrastructural and academic back-up in place.

The new Rector, Juanito Camilleri, has been supportive, and it is encouraging to see some 11 or 12 students registering for it, which means that it can actually be offered as a viable postgraduate course. By Maltese standards, and first time round, this is a reasonably good turnout.

Two of several correspondents who posted messages at timesofmalta.com, or sent me e-mails about 'On being Maltese', would have preferred to have the course offered in Maltese, not in English. Dr Debono Turner, on the other hand, would prefer it if, in addition to the Institute's MA (and its Ph. Ds), we now also started to offer the MA, and also a BA, online. This, he is sure, would be welcomed by "thousands of Maltese emigrants and their children".

I wish that were true, but I am less sanguine about it. In Australia, in spite of a larger Maltese migrant presence than Canada, and some truly heroic efforts and highly talented individual achievements, state and federal funding for Maltese classes and school curriculums may be at risk due to an insufficient interest.

On the other hand, distance learning was one of the reasons why we had set up Radju Universita', which has since been re-named Campus FM. So in principle I say amen to that - I had submitted the application for its broadcasting licence - but such undertakings would require considerable funding, feasibility studies and human resources, which are often already over-stretched as they are.

I should add, however, that emigration and migrant settlement is one of the units being offered in our new MA course.

Some inter-disciplinary aspect of that could also be a research topic for the supervised dissertation in third year. Such a unit, like others, could also be taken separately, with fees payable on a pro rata basis.

In practice, this means that if students from overseas wished to register for accreditation in one or two units, they would be able to complete these during only a few months in residence.

Those who are keen on the subject, but unable or unwilling to register for such a course, including Maltese overseas, would do well to at least acquire copies of some books which deal with it instructively and fairly comprehensively.

Among these I would mention L-Identità Kulturali Maltija, edited by Toni Cortis (1989), Malta: Culture and Identity, edited by Oliver Friggieri and myself (1994), and Malta: Roots of a Nation, edited by Kenneth Gambin (2004).