The government was accused this morning of devaluing the definition of universities through a legal notice which provides, among other things, that the Minister of Education may issue university licences ‘in the national interest’.
The charge was made by Opposition leader Simon Busuttul during a parliamentary debate on an Opposition motion to strike down the legal notice. The motion was moved by Nationalist MP George Pullicino.
“Everist Bartolo is telling all those wearing the graduand’s gown that their certificate is being devalued as from now on he can sell licences, in the national interest, to any Tom, Dick and Harry of his choosing, so that he may be called a University,” Dr Busuttil said. The government first sold citizenship, and now it would sell university licences.
He said the legal notice lowered academic standards and made the title of university available for sale.
It was not true that the new regulations would make for pluralism, because pluralism already existed.
In terms of the new regulations a university licence may be given to any commercial company which offered bachelor or master programmes in four areas, instead of the current six, or a single programme at doctorate level instead of the current four.
These changes would mean a fundamental change in the definition of a university, more so as the changes also removed the need for a link between teaching and research, which said a lot about what the government felt about the latter.
But the worst aspect of the legal notice was a clause which basically said that if somebody applied for a university licences and did not even achieve these reduced standards, a licence may still be issued ‘in the national interest’ by the Commission for Higher Education, a screen for the minister. This, Dr Busuttil said, was a disgrace. This was the same government which in the national interest was also prepared to allow the ruin of Zonqor.
The true national interest was for the country to have institutions of the highest level rather than undermining its own reputation by accepting mediocrity. It was no wonder that 150 university academics had objected. But this government ‘that listens’ had ignored them. The door was open for university licences to be sold like cheesecakes.
ZONQOR UNIVERSITY
Dr Busuttil noted that these changes were being made at the same time as the government was considering the setting up of a Jordanian University in Zonqor, without proper consultation. The applicant had no experience in education, but rather, on real estate.
Would the proposed new university have qualified for a university licence under the old regulations? This whole project and the timing of the new regulations raised legitimate questions.
RESIGNATIONS
Dr Busuttil noted that a call had been issued for applications for membership of the Commission for Higher Education. Had there been resignations from the commission. Were the resignations a result of political interference?
Alas, the new regulations were being introduced without consultation, and the government was ruining the consensus which had existed in this sector. The government should reconsider, Dr Busuttil said.
UNIVERSITY LICENCES 'NOT FOR SALE' - BARTOLO
Education Minister Evarist Bartolo denied that standards were being lowered. He said standards were being raised across the board, including the teaching of English as a foreign language.
As for universities, he said he was the minister who had introduced revision classes to enable more students to enter university. He had also allowed stipends for those who needed to repeat a class.
In higher education, Malta was facing tough competition everywhere and the last thing the government would do was reduce standards. The regulator was being strengthened and no one would 'buy' a university licence. Applicants had to work for it.
"Applicants need to show they can offer high standard programmes, and, even more important, the lecturers need to be of the proper standard," Mr Bartolo said. It as this government which had introduced standards on academic staff, he recalled.
Under the government, he said, Malta had not seen the sort of goings on seen in the past, such as when students were defrauded by a so-called (foreign) university.
Mr Bartolo said he looked forward to a proper debate on what Malta needed to do to attract more University-grade students to Malta.
The Vision 2000 strategy issued by the former government spoke of 5,000 students being brought here, but nothing was done about it. It was the present government which was working in this direction.
At the same time, care had to be taken to prevent scenarios, such as human trafficking under the guise of student travel and rackets of false degrees.
One needed to see, Mr Bartolo said, how institutions such as the University, Mcast, ITS and private institutions could be helped in the internationalisation process.
One problem for the university was that since it did not charge tuition fees for the Maltese. Were it to accept EU students, it could not charge them fees either.
One had to see how the university’s hand could be strengthened. It currently could benefit only from foreign students from outside the EU.
Some 4.5 million students studied in countries which were not their own. In 10 years the market would double. Malta needed to redouble its efforts to attract a few thousand of them, especially from Asia. One way how problems could be easier was through easier granting of visas.
Mr Bartolo said a sector which the University of Malta needed to tap was trans national education in association with other universities, particularly at Masters level. In this area, the University could charge even EU students. However being a global univeristy would require changes in curriculum and teaching. Programmes needed to be tailored to a global audience.
Mr Bartolo denied that he exerted undue influence on the Commission for Higher Education and said the government’s aim was to further strengthen the regulator. Members could opt to leave the commission and work elsewhere, but this was not the result of political pressure.
Referring to the number of programmes needed for the granting of licences, Mr Bartolo said some schools were focused on particular areas, such as business, finance or creativity - but could qualify as university because their standards were high and they were serious institutions. This market, he said, should not be lost. Licences were not granted by volume, but by substance.
Mr Bartolo denied that the legal notice was issued to benefit any applicant.