Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said today that ‘no one will buy a licence’ to operate a university in Malta and he would not allow a reduction of standards.

He was speaking at the conclusion of a seminar on a quality assurance framework for further and higher education.

During the same event, Martin Scicluna, chairman of the National Commission for Further and Higher Education underscored the independence of the commission.

He said its judgment on the accreditation of the American University of Malta would be reached independently by the commission, advised by its quality assurance committee after a rigorous due process.

There will be no lowering of standards, he insisted.

“The methodology being adopted under our watch will be correct, pragmatic and within the objectives and rules set down by the law.”

He insisted that recent changes to a legal notice did not mean lower standards. 

“Those who claim that the wider definition of a university would somehow vitiate Malta’s reputation in higher education  are simply incorrect,” he said.

He said every programme at the new university had to satisfy quality critieria as established three years ago, which criteria remained untouched.

He said the commission intended to issue guidelines to clarify the interpretation of the legal noice to remove ambiguities on accreditation which may have crept up in specific areas.

The clarifications would include the experience/qualifications of applicants wishing to set up universities