Joe Mercieca, a university lecturer and former The Times journalist, died suddenly yesterday at the age of 63.

A seasoned journalist, Mr Mercieca was the coordinator of Journalism Studies at the Centre for Communication Technology at the University of Malta and trained several journalists over the years.

Apart from working for Allied Newspapers Limited, Mr Mercieca also served as head of news at the Public Broadcasting Services Limited, the state broadcaster. For a short while, he worked for Independence Print and Standard Publications Limited. He also served as the communications official at the American Embassy in Malta.

He is survived by his wife Therese and his children Katia and Karl.

News about his sudden death spread like wildfire, with many colleagues and past students posting their comments on timesofmalta.com, praising him for his gentlemanly conduct and his great heart.

Many commented that Mr Mercieca was not just a lecturer, but a mentor and a friend.

Allied Newspapers Ltd and Council of the Institute of Maltese Journalists were among those that expressed their condolences to the family.

The Nationalist Party and Media.Link Communications described Mr Mercieca as an example of correct journalism and the conveyance of factual information.

The National Book Council said: "Joe was a man of few words, who was ready to help anyone, and as a journalist he always did his duty in an exemplary way."