2020 vision for tertiary education

The National Commission for Higher Education (NCHE) last week launched a report entitled 'Further and Higher Education Strategy 2020' with recommendations setting a vision for the future of tertiary education. The vision aims to attract more students to continue their studies after compulsory education and attain post-secondary and tertiary qualifications.

It aspires to increase participation of 17-year-olds in post-secondary education from 60 per cent to 85 per cent by 2015. This is a highly laudable vision. Unfortunately, how this is going to be achieved is not clearly planned. Attracting more students to the University should be accompanied by a similar increase in financial support. One should not increase quantity at the expense of quality.

The Vision 2020 report says there is a need to attract more students to areas of study relevant to Malta's economic and social development by increasing student participation in science and technology.

The report also mentions that 5,000 fee-paying students are to be attracted to study in Malta by 2020. At the moment ours is one of the few universities in Europe that offers free education to all. This means that either the present system whereby students from the EU, who at present are exempt from paying fees, will no longer be exempt, or that these 5,000 students would come from outside the EU. The situation requires further clarification.

It is true that European students provide spin-offs for our economy, for example, by increasing tourism through visits by friends and family of the foreign students. The socio-economic aspects of having both fee- and non fee-paying foreign students need careful planning and study.

The report also aims to increase funding for research at the University, sustain scholarship funding to attract promising graduates into research careers, and link education to strategic national priorities.

To achieve these aims, especially the required increase in student numbers, the report mentions plans to ensure a fair and open access to all students potentially willing to further their studies. One point the report misses is that one should use scientific methods to induce all students to become more willing and eager to join tertiary education.

The relevance of the need to reform the current governance and funding system is included as a key point in the 12-point Vision 2020 report. The NCHE would like to ensure that there are efficient, accountable and autonomous institutions. It envisages that these institutions respond to the challenges effectively. It also expects institutions to develop ways of generating other sources of income beyond the limitations of the public funds.

It may be wise to examine how universities in the US developed their own income through the setting up of foundations. The government is a significant land owner. This land could be handed over to the University for sustainable development as a foundation. The University could then use this limited resource in the same way that Smart City is being developed. It could be turned into a University City, incorporating educational, business and residential aspects. Reputable international universities were made financially viable through such endowments.

The Vision 2020 is a laudable development. But it is only a start. There is a need to commit everyone in it, both young people interested in education and seasoned, experienced internationally-recognised Maltese academics. Malta cannot afford to leave any talents out of the picture. If all stakeholders are given space to participate in the tertiary education reforms, the NCHE could see its strategy coming to fruition even before its target date of 2020.