This year, over 3,000 enrolled for University courses, bringing the total number of students in this institution to 11,000. As more young people decide to continue with their tertiary education, the financial strains on our educational system are increasing.
When University Rector Juanito Camilleri appealed to “the Government, the social partners and the Maltese to invest much more in the University”, he was undoubtedly aware of the limitations that the financial strains were placing on his plans for improving facilities.
The University gets most of its funding from the taxpayer. All students can follow the traditional University courses free of charge, while their counterparts in European countries are increasingly forced to pay fees, and most of them receive a stipend, which is fast becoming a thing of the past abroad.
The Rector admitted that the economic crisis could affect the availability of funds for his various projects that he estimated will cost about €240 million. He argued, however, that further investment in the University “is the best way to prepare ourselves through tertiary education, research and innovation”.
Few could argue against this logic. Most countries now realise they can only guarantee a better future for generations to come if they give their young people the educational tools that will enhance their competencies in whichever area they decide to work.
But when one asks taxpayers, and also private industry, to finance massive University investment projects one needs to make a very good case for guaranteeing value for money.
Like those of most eurozone countries, Malta’s public finances are strained and any further borrowing to finance University projects will have an impact on the national debt. However, there is no need to fret too much about this if it is proven that such investment will give the country ample economic returns in future.
So when the University authorities present proposals to the Government for new financing, they must make a convincing case that they are cost effective.
Success in education cannot be measured only by the amount of money we spend or the modern facilities that we have in place, even if these two factors are important enablers.
The University needs to show how such facilities will create synergy with the real economy where success is measured by the number and the quality of the jobs generated and also by the social and economic wealth that these jobs bring about.
When private industry decides to sponsor higher educational projects it does not do this simply for public relations purposes. It does this because it is convinced that it will benefit directly or indirectly by whatever results that such projects will bring about.
There is no reason why public investment in the University should not be justified and financed according to the same strict criteria.
The country’s plans for investment in education need to be hardwired with quality processes that are tough. Quality in educational systems is judged by whether what we do satisfies the needs of the system’s clients effectively.
The clients of the University are the students and their families, current and future employers, other economic operators and society in general.
Quantity in University intake is an important criterion when a country needs to increase the critical mass of students that pursue further education. It is an arguable point, perhaps, but we may have almost reached this stage.
The University therefore has to guarantee that more investment will improve educational quality. It is the very least contributing taxpayers deserve.