Many blame students' lack of enthusiasm for the European Parliament elections on their timing, falling in the midst of the examination period. Some election candidates even cite difficulties to campaign since they are involved with final course examinations either as students or lecturers.

Yet University students have benefited greatly from Malta joining the EU. The obvious gain is the participation of staff and students in the Erasmus and Socrates exchange programmes. One just has to look at the massive development taking place to build the new Faculty of Information Technology, which is partly being developed through an EU grant, to gauge the amount of support that the University is receiving.

The two major parties are claiming that their candidates are the best to safeguard jobs and create employment. One factor that is essential to enhance employment is a good education. Not all election candidates are presenting themselves as defenders of education at all costs. Unfortunately, the current election debate centres more on the progress or otherwise of the Nationalist Party in government rather than on the individual candidates' capabilities.

One question we should be asking is: Are students and academics going to have a voice in the European Parliament? One important aspect relevant to Malta is how we can benefit from funds allocated to research and development. What are the present, and more importantly, future problems that hinder Maltese researchers from obtaining European research grants?

Most EU projects or grant applications require the applicant institution to guarantee that it will contribute not less than 25 per cent of the project expenses. The University has no such funds available in its budget. This means that that the University is not eligible to many EU grants. It is important for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to convince the EU to cater for Malta's particular research and development needs. Funds should be budgeted to be used as seed money so that the University would not need to to fork out this 25 per cent of the expenses.

MEPs should also guide the University on how specific areas and courses could be developed through EU assistance. The Faculty of IT would not have developed where it not for EU grants. For example, considering the great shortage of veterinary surgeons in the EU once could consider developing a course in veterinary medicine at the University.

MEPs need to be people capable of guiding academics and industrialists to apply for grants to increase their research and innovation capabilities. MEPs' duties should go beyond attending and voting at EP sessions; they need to lead the Maltese to grasp EU opportunities. This should be done by keeping close to academics and students, and if necessary to hold their hands initially. They need to spearhead applications and raise enthusiasm so that we can benefit from the EU as much as possible.

To merit students' vote it is not enough for MEPs to say they would vote against abortion, or would favour more EU assistance regarding illegal immigration, or would emphasise the need to create jobs. More is expected from the candidates. The University expects them to come closer to its assistance especially in the much-needed area of developing research centres of the highest international calibre.

EP candidates are still in time to propose how they could get closer to the University. One way could be by paying regular visits to University faculties to explore ways how they could assist in the development of research and innovation in specific areas.

The political parties have urged all registered voters to cast their vote. However, it is regretable that students studying abroad who are willing to come to Malta during their examination period to cast their vote on June 6 are not allowed to pick up their vote on June 5. Why is it not possible to allow such students to collect their voting document in a way that causes the least disturbance possible to their studies?

Politicians must show their enthusiasm for people to vote by making it as easy as possible for those willing to take their advice by insisting that one should be able to collect their voting documents up to midnight on the eve of the election.

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