Education tourism (2)

Malta has carved some niches for itself in the tertiary education. The achievements of the Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies, the International Maritime Law Institute and the Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking indicate our potential in this field. Malta has the right credentials and competencies to exploit the opportunities being created within the Bologna Process. What is lacking is a coherent overall strategy that corroborates Malta's role as an education hub in the Mediterranean Sea.

Such a strategy needs to be an integral part of our broader plan for the future of tertiary education in our country. While it is the task of the National Commission for Higher Education to ensure that the medium- and long-term policy development is in harmony with national social and economic objectives, the preparation of such a plan calls for debate and consensus-building. The different stakeholders - the government, institutions, students, teaching staff and the scientific community, the private sector and civil society - need to share ownership and be committed to the implementation of the plan.

The landscape of our tertiary education has been changing very fast over the last decade. There has been a boom in both private and foreign tuition, especially distance learning. One in 10 of our tertiary students is studying overseas (mostly in the UK). Various institutes and agencies have been set up to tap this lucrative market. Even though education in Malta can be obtained for free, Maltese families are prepared to invest good money in education at all levels. Mcast has recently announced its intention to offer "vocational" degrees. A new campus for 10,000 full-time students is in the pipeline. This is a positive development but raises important questions as to the financial sustainability of public-funded tertiary education in our country,

The internationalisation of our tertiary sector will need to take into account the fact that students from other EU countries studying in Malta have to pay the same fees as local students. Under Erasmus, the EU's student exchange programme, Malta's hosting of students is over four times the EU average. Innovative solutions are required to enable our country to tap the lucrative EU market. Presently, some 500 overseas students from 72 countries are studying at our university. Almost one in three comes from China. The majority of these students (55 per cent) are female. A good number of these overseas students (45 per cent) are following postgraduate courses. This is undoubtedly a good foundation upon which to build for the benefit of all stakeholders.

On the global market for higher education, Malta is still relatively unknown. Limitations of size would indicate a "niche" role for our country. By contrast, Singapore was not deterred by size considerations. Singapore, which is twice the size of Malta and has a population 10 times bigger, presently has an overseas student population of 70,000. Positioning itself as the "global schoolhouse", Singapore is targeting to double this number in the next five years.

If Malta opts for niche marketing it will need to build a reputation for specialisation rather than numbers. Niche marketing is probably an even more onerous strategy; the lack of "economies of scale" demands greater "economies of scope". Much will depend on our ability to create synergy through better coordination and inter-linkages. It is critical to create a coherent image and to transmit consistent messages.

These days competition is intense and there is a lot of clutter on the education markets. University league tables have become an important marketing and public relations tool. Students care about where they go to study because they do not pay just to get certificates. They are after the benefits that certificates confer in terms of employment prospects, status, etc. In this business there is no better advertising than satisfied students and word of mouth.

The provision of tertiary education is a service involving a high degree of interpersonal contact and complexity leading to a lengthy relationship, which often does not end with the term of study. When young, I too had the opportunity to study overseas and can vouch for the affinity that I still feel for New Zealand, the country that hosted me.

Geopolitically and socially, Malta belongs to the Mediterranean. Our tertiary education could evolve into a multi-disciplinary centre of excellence with a focus on Mediterranean affairs. The perspective would need to be reality- and future-based rather than nostalgic and static. We have to start thinking outside the box; the sea that surrounds us is but a causeway to the rest of the world. Such a development could benefit all those countries in the region that lack the know-how and local capacity to service an ever-rising demand for tertiary education.

Education tourism presents unique business and socio-cultural opportunities for our society. As a country, we have what it takes to be successful. What we need is a commitment to make things happen.