The development of the Gozo University campus is always on the back-burner according to the Gozitan students’ organisation, which has called for a revival of the Xewkija premises.

The Gozo University Group (GUG) has claimed that the campus was “always being put aside” when compared to the development and progress at other institutions.

The group said the premises were not being exploited to their full potential and only being used for a limited number of part-time courses. The campus was also used for exams for students attending courses at the Msida campus.

GUG said it believed that through investment the campus could also cater for daytime courses.

Investments in the education sector are never a waste of time or money

According to the group, students focusing on sustainability and on agricultural land and its use could easily further their studies at the campus in Gozo.

GUG put forward the notion that niche courses that were not offered at the University could start being introduced at the Gozo campus. These could also be targeted at foreign students, the group said.

“GUG believes that investments in the education sector are never a waste of time or money and would only be of benefit to our economy, especially Gozo’s economy and its residents.”

Such an initiative would increase jobs in Gozo and income for the University, GUG added.

Last year there were 1,120 Gozitan students – 689 males and 431 females – enrolled in courses at the University of Malta. Of these, 878 were full-time students.

The Gozo campus was set up in 1992 and at present offers two part-time courses at undergraduate level, four part-time, post-graduate courses and one short course.

In this year’s Budget speech, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said that extensions to the Msida campus would be carried out and both the Valletta campus and the Junior College buildings would be renovated. No mention was made of the Gozo campus.