Work starts on €29m life sciences centre
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, who visited the site, said the BioMalta Campus will be a knowledge cluster between the University of Malta, Mater Dei Hospital and the Life Sciences industry and will initially consist of four key buildings which will provide 10,000 square meters of space and 3,500 square meters of incubation facilities.
The Campus will also include a multi-functional conference and meeting facilities which are intended to support the continuing educational and professional development of scientists, researchers and medical health professionals.
The project is being co-financed by the government, Malta Enterprise and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
"The development of a Life Sciences Centre represents a giant step towards developing Malta into a truly regional centre of excellence in the life sciences and bio-medical industry," Mr Fenech said.
"This is in line with our Vision for 2015 and beyond and is a practical example of how the Maltese economy is transforming itself into the knowledge-based modern economy."
The minister said Malta Enterprise is already holding talks with research centres abroad to explore possible synergies that can be created through the Life Sciences Centre."
"In the next few weeks, Malta Enterprise shall be announcing the setting up of the BioMalta Foundation, which shall steer all the strategic and business development activities related to the Life Sciences industry in Malta and the BioMalta Campus in particular. Moreover, through partnership with the private sector, we shall also be announcing specific funding initiatives which are intended to develop Malta as a regional centre for research in this industry."
The centre will be built on the site currently occupied by the ex-Yorkie factory, the Malta Enterprise building and the ex-VF factory. Malta Enterprise is moving to the former Institute of Health Care at St Luke's Hospital Complex.
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I Bugeja
Oct 20th 2011, 23:49
another smart city? better not start it at all!!!!!
Nicholas Grech
Oct 20th 2011, 19:57
I hope this will not end up like Smart City.
J. Camilleri
Oct 20th 2011, 17:54
finally something for the sciences :)))....it will be a research facility something that in malta is very limited and for a science student to have some experience, one has to go abroad.... hope future industries will be of this sort :))
David Griscti
Oct 20th 2011, 17:38
In a comment I posted a few days ago I mentioned the need of a fresh mindset, free of our national habit of painting everything red and blue. This is one fine example. A truly worthy public-private project with significant potential and added-value....a project heavily financed by the EU....and yet the only comment posted is negative and rather cynical. What a pity! Why is it that we have to always view everything with our blinkers on? Do we not realise and understand that by doing so we are simply digging our own graves (metaphorically speaking)?
Having said that, can one blame the person who posted that comment? I don't.....why.....because all you have to do is read the newpapers and see the news every day.....the prevalent mindset is mired in pessimism and cynicism. It helps no-one, least of all the younger generation who have dreams, who have aspirations, and who have the drive and stamina to work hard to achieve it. Do we not realise that by literally forcing this negaive mindset on them we are negatively affecting their future? We demotivate them, we scare them, we make them feel helpless. Is this what we really want?
It really is time for people to grow up and start behaving responsibly! It is time for a change in mindset.
Simon Cassar
Oct 20th 2011, 18:00
dawn il kummenti negattivi, forsi ghax kif jidher fir-ritratti hemm fatati flok nies!!?? We ve been hearing about loads of projects and the vision 2015..but how many of these projects had been really materialised.....and if you just click on the "similar stories" here in the times you would read the following news: "This will be hopefully set up this year.....then i read the date of the news and it was May 2010.....arent we in 2011..or better in the last few days of 2011...just read some other comments and get yourself a conclusion why ppl (including myself) are somtimes negative..and btw lets not forget Bighi Hospital which was promised to be a science centre as well...go to Bighi and see by yourself the work in progress there!!!
Joe Attard
Oct 20th 2011, 21:03
tkunux pressimisti ta......imma kif kollox iswed taraw! Jien nemmen li Gonzi ghandhu par idejn sodi.........smart city bio malta...suf malta.......genn malta.... ohlom malta..piano malta........u listorja tkompli!insejt.....mina taqsmek malta!
Michael Sciortino
Oct 20th 2011, 17:32
Could someone please explain what is the 'knowledge cluster' that is supposed to inahbit this rather expensive building? What are incubation facilties and what is supposed to be incubated in these premises?
In any case has anyone considered the impact on the traffic in the area. Traffic at the Mater Dei roundabout has become very heavy. Just imagine what would happen to the traffic if this 'knowledge cluster' and 'incubation facilties' are successful as we all augur.
Ronald Cauchi
Oct 20th 2011, 16:47
Another Smart City?
Paul Smith
Oct 20th 2011, 18:41
Lets hope this is as ground breaking and a resounding success like Smart City was LMAO
I dont know about life Sciences but whomever is responsible for Smart City should get a life sentence
Wilfred Camilleri
Oct 20th 2011, 18:54
What a stupid comment! Can't some Maltese people ever look positively at things or do they have to inject politics and partisanship into every development?
Joe Attard
Oct 20th 2011, 21:00
do we need another one mate