With reference to the article ‘Not enough nurses for new projects’ (March 24), Maria Cutajar, president of the MUMN, is quoted as saying that the system governing the nursing courses at the University of Malta is too stringent.

It should be noted that the University of Malta has a responsibility to ensure that its graduates are able to provide safe and competent care because its qualifications automatically lead to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Malta.

The University programmes are reviewed on an annual basis by external examiners who have consistently expressed the opinion that these programmes are equivalent in terms of level of student work to that of other universities.

This therefore means that the University of Malta’s expectations are the realistic expectations of graduates of any undergraduate nursing programme.

Students are provided with a high level of support by academics and clinicians during their training to help them develop their academic and professional abilities and to ensure their success.

They are assigned to a named academic who follows them through the whole programme of studies and meets with them on a regular basis (about four times every academic year).

Lecturers on individual study units are available for student consultation. In addition, small group tutorials are provided with the assistance of clinicians in simulation laboratories in order to allow students to practice.

Students are also supported in practice by qualified nurses who act as mentors.

Moreover, students who require additional support are referred to the support services offered by the University of Malta.

What is important is that the University of Malta does not sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity.