Malta’s development in science and technology over the past four years has helped it become the fourth most successful member state in acquiring funds from the EU’s research and innovation programme known as FP7.

During a visit by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MSCT) premises in Bighi yesterday, CEO Nicholas Sammut said Malta had acquired €13 million of EU funds for 120 research projects since 2008.

The island is also actively participating in COST – the European Cooperation in Science and Technology programme – with more than 90 projects.

Addressing some 40 members of staff, Dr Gonzi said the Government had invested heavily in this area since 2008 and increased MCST’s budget five-fold to reach €1.6 million this year.

He said that the Government, with the help of EU funds, had awarded almost 2000 scholarships worth €16 million to Maltese graduates who wanted to further their studies and obtain expertise in various areas in universities and educational institutions abroad.

The next stage of development by MCST is building Malta’s first National Science Interactive Centre – a €26 million project partly funded by the EU, which according to Dr Sammut will be a state-of-the-art centre aimed at stimulating a science and tech-nology culture among the young. Already approved by the planning authority, the project is expected to be inaugurated in 2014 and will occupy a 20,000-square-metre area in Kalkara overlooking Grand Harbour.

The centre’s design is innovative for Malta as it incorporates new and modern styles into part of the Villa Bighi complex, which was used as a naval hospital until 1970.

According to Dr Sammut, a feasibility study commissioned by MCST shows running the centre should be practically cost-neutral as it will incorporate various commercial activities.