Michaela Spiteri, B. engineering (electrical), third year.

Unfortunately, we engineering students haven’t received any results yet (the exam period ended over a month ago).

I find the electronic students’ information management system (eSims) quite practical to a certain extent; however, I think it is slowly losing its importance due to the introduction of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

I suggest having eSims linked to VLE, where the notes and tutorial sheets are available on the same platform as the study-unit description so that students may ensure they are covering all aspects of a study-unit by referring back to the description of that subject.

In fact, eSims caused a bit of a problem for us engineering students this year, especially those who entered the course in 2008/2009. This is because a year was recently added to our course, resulting in students in the same stream (electrical/mechanical/industrial engineering) not having the same compulsory study-units.

Before we were registered to eSims we were unsure of the content of the study-units which we were registered for and which we had chosen in haste (due to the deadline of the add/drop period). I believe it would be easier and quicker for staff and students alike if students could register themselves to subjects through eSims (rather than having to fill in applications).

If this were the case, engineering students wouldn’t have had to wait till December to be registered for study-units, and we would have been able to check the content of our study-units in those crucial weeks before the exams.

Kyle Vella, B.A. (Hons) international relations, second year.

No, I have not received all my results yet; I have only received one. This was not unexpected since it is usual for results to take a long time to show up on eSims.

The system in general is a great idea. The section which allows you to display your results is very well planned and efficient. The fact that results tend to be published very late does not seem to be because eSims is inefficient but rather because lecturers and the administrative staff take a long time to correct papers and process the results.

However, other sections of eSims are poorly developed and could do with a major reprogramming. The system is slow and inefficient.

A better, and updated, database would allow the student to access their timetable online rather than compiling it from information gathered from all over University.

My first impression of eSims was that it was outdated and confusing.

After two years, that hasn’t changed at all.

Jeremy Said, B. Com insurance (Honours), fourth year.

I have not received all my results because the system in our faculty is extremely slow. We have received four out of six results.

There are only 12 people in my course so I can’t understand why it’s taking so long. We are waiting for two lecturers to sign our exam papers so the remaining results can be published on eSims.

There is no communication between the secretary and the head of department. We had a meeting with the latter this week, where we complained about our lectures being cancelled without notice and the faculty was not aware of this.

Without good guidance, how are we as students supposed to perform well if the faculty is reluctant to perform well itself?

In today’s world where everything depends on technology, eSims has proved to be an efficient way of viewing the student’s progress throughout the course. It has made it easier for students to have a copy readily available of their scholastic transcripts. However, I have heard students complaining that it is not always accurate, and mistakes have been made when inputting the exam results.

Claire Galea, architecture and civil engineering, fourth year.

I have finally received my results after an awfully long wait. I completed my exams a month ago.

I would love it if deadlines for results were imposed on examiners; after all, we students are strictly asked to adhere to deadlines. I don’t think it is fair that we are made to wait for such a long time for our results, especially in between semesters; as this means that new projects and papers have already been assigned to us.

It is only fair for us to know where we stand in the course. If such deadlines have already been set then it must be seen to that no exceptions are to be made to any examiners.