It is often surprising that despite our country's limited population, we can lose track - and sight - of our university contemporaries. As a result, attempts to organise reunions do not always prove to be successful - the lack of contact details, and unawareness about whether our former colleagues are still in Malta or not, are among the drawbacks.
This year, it is University itself which is organising reunions for its former graduates. Not one, but two reunions: the first, which will be held next Thursday at 7.30 p.m., will gather alumni who graduated before 1970, while the second, which will take place today week at 7.30 p.m., will gather alumni who graduated in 1971 until 1977.
Both reunions will take place at the MITP Theatre at the Old University Building, a venue which promises to be all too familiar to the guests, some of whom might have spent a year or two, while others might have spent their entire university life in Valletta. Former graduates, including former undergraduate and postgraduate degree students, certificate and diploma students, as well as those who participated in a student exchange programme, are also invited to bring along a guest.
But what has motivated the University to finally organise these reunions?
Patricia Camilleri, the University of Malta Communications and Alumni Relations director, said that the number of students who graduate from University every year - estimated at 2,000 - together with the many alumni who graduated even well before the 1970s, comprised a significant percentage of the Maltese population.
"Our graduates are active in every area of Maltese life and are also to be found in some of the top companies and universities in Europe, the US and Australia. Most have maintained contact with Malta through their families.
"Our mission is to enrich the lives of our former students and involve them in the University's vision. We would like our alumni to establish a life-long relationship with their alma mater and we shall try to do this by providing information to keep them updated, connected and informed."
In reality, the reunions are part of a bigger project - the establishment of the Alumni Association - which will include a database, listing groups according to faculty, department, course and year, as well as special interest groups, such as sports.
Ms Camilleri said: "The University of Malta will be promoting the Alumni Association and encouraging friend-raising amongst all University of Malta graduates. There are plans for benefits, privileges, services and general activities for all graduates."
In addition, the Communications director announced that the University is working on a benefit package for alumni, in collaboration with various entities within the institution, which should be announced further down the line.
Thus, on the one hand, the Alumni Association will enable the University to keep its former students informed on the latest developments, while at the same time, provide a platform through which alumni can get in touch - and remain so - with their former colleagues.
On the other hand, the University hopes that alumni can offer their friendship and experience to both the University and their former colleagues.
"We would like them to offer their friendship and their experience. Alumni can offer expertise to present-day students that does not have to be expressed in monetary terms but in, for example, placement opportunities, to give our students workplace experience, seminars, and networking in general," Ms Camilleri explained.
And what about former students whose graduation does not go back as far? The University hopes to organise events - at the Msida campus - for alumni who graduated after 1977.
Meanwhile, next week's reunions will also feature an exhibition of photos of graduants, set up by the Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students (SACES).
Alumni are invited to confirm their attendance by contacting the Communications and Alumni Relations Office. Alumni are also invited to submit details for entry in the alumni database by accessing the online form on www.um.edu.mt/alumni, or by calling Daphne Kelleher on 2340 2142 or Angela Xuereb on 2340 2163, or by writing to the Communications and Alumni Relations Office, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080.