The Foundation for Human Resources Development (FHRD)’s recent graduation ceremony saw 33 individuals completing one of the HR programmes offered by the University of Leicester, out of which 14 obtained a Master’s and five a B.Sc degree. The ceremony took place at Smart City Malta.
Twenty-three students were awarded certificates for completing the FHRD HR Competency Certificate programme, together with 10 other students who followed the first intake of Level 5 Train the Trainer.
Tania Abela won the Louis Naudi Award for academic excellence to Tania Abela. Ms Abela obtained a distinction in her dissertation and the highest overall assignment average among the Master’s graduates, who obtained their degree from the University of Leicester’s Centre for Labour Market Studies (CLMS).
The foundation also awarded Marilyn Silvio for her outstanding performance in the 2012-2013 cohort of the Level 4 HR Competency Certificate.
The certificates were presented by foundation president Ivan Refalo and Daniela Rudloff from the CLMS, University of Leicester.
During the presentation, Mr Refalo said the foundation had been working closely with the University of Leicester for the last 14 years, and, more specifically, with the Centre for Labour Market Studies, in the area of HRM and HRD.
The experience was an excellent one, he said, and the partnership served industry in Malta well, as these graduates were now in senior management positions across all economic sectors.
He added that this partnership had worked so well that in 2012 the university extended its agency agreement with the FHRD to cover the whole School of Management.
Now, the foundation offers not only HR management and HR development programmes but also MBAs, Master’s in Management, Master’s in Finance, Master’s in Marketing and a Diploma in Management.
Dr Rudloff said the relationship between the University of Leicester and the FHRD went back many years and was instrumental in providing Malta with HR professionals at different levels.
“This collaboration has served the country well and it is a pleasure to see FHRD consolidating its position in the learning and training sector in Malta. The University of Leicester is proud to be part of this development.”
Josette White, who graduated with an M.Sc HR Management and Development graduate, and Claudette Portelli, a Level 4 Certificate in HR Competency graduate, had words of praise for the foundation.
Being working mothers, they said the foundation’s services and staff members helped them maintain a balance between family, work and studies.
Foundation CEO Joe Gerada said this was the first time the FHRD was awarding graduates in Level 5 in Training the Trainer programme.
He added that the foundation was committed to offering local students a wide selection of HR programmes, both academic and vocational, to give better access to quality learning and training.
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