A university professor and architect has highlighted the importance of understanding context while taking into consideration the individual components in every aspect of life.
JoAnn Cassar, head of Department for Built Heritage with the Faculty for the Built Environment, told graduates yesterday that without understanding context – “the setting, surroundings and environment” – buildings would appear “incongruous”.
Changing Valletta, Mdina or Ċittadella without taking into consideration the surroundings and the past, or undertaking new construction next to Ħaġar Qim or Mnajdra without considering the landscape, should be done “for ourselves at least as much as for our visitors”.
Knowing the context applied far and beyond the field of architecture but applied to everything. “We need to think holistically – above and beyond the here and now,” Prof. Cassar said.
This was also important to apply to the field of education, because an educator who did not understand a student’s background could “never hope” to help the student achieve more.
“We need to be sensitive to our surroundings – our environment in all senses – and at all times.”
However, understanding the individual constituents which made up the whole was also important, she added.
Vincent Caruana, a new Doctor of Philosophy graduate, also addressed the assembled academics and their guests.
Faculty for the Built Environment
Bachelor of Engineering and Architecture (Honours)
Sponsor: Professor Alex Torpiano
Christian Abela, Godwin Abela, Karen Abela, Thomas Abela, Christian Agius, Owen Baldacchino, Andrea Bigeni, Elaine Bonavia, Ioni Bonello, James Bonnici, Steven Bonnici, Maxine Borg, Carmen Bernardette Briffa, Danila Buontempo, Ryan Busuttil, Roxanne Buttigieg, Andre’ Camenzuli, Angela Camilleri, Elizabeth Camilleri, Charlot Caruana, Stefan Cassar, Kim Cassar Torreggiani, Martina Cauchi, Christian Chetcuti, Justin Coppini, Adrian Davison, Martin Debrincat, Lauran Dimech, James Dingli, Ann Marie Ellul, Andrew Farrugia, Eve Gloria Farrugia, Dawn Fearne, Rowena Gauci, Andrew Grech, Katarína Homolyová, Maria Cristina Micallef, Rodney Micallef, Lyanne Mifsud, Lesley Ann Mintoff, Zoe Mizzi, Daniel Muscat, Ilenia Navarro, Beppe Piscopo, Maria Savona, Ian Vella, Juliet Vella, Stephen Xuereb Archer, Francesco Zammit, Gene Zammit and Yanica Zammit.
Master of Science
Sponsor: Professor Alex Torpiano
Celine Schranz and Els Viester*.
Master of Science in Conservation Technology for Masonary Buildings
Sponsor: Professor Alex Torpiano
Daphne Marie Fenech, Vasiliki Filou* and Katya Marie Sammut.
Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage Management
Sponsor: Professor Alex Torpiano
Wilma Plaehn.
Master of Science in Environmental Design
Sponsor: Professor Alex Torpiano
Sarah Crockford, Angelique Maggi, Ivan Charles Pace and Ian Turban.
Faculty of Education
Master of Education
Sponsor: Professor Valerie Sollars
Jurgen Azzopardi, Joanne Brincat, Marie Claire Chircop, Clayton Cutajar, Esther Farrugia, Antoniella Meli, Christian Psaila, Sylvana Saliba Busuttil, Claire Scicluna, Andre Xuereb and Isabel Zerafa.
Master of Arts in Adult Education
Sponsor: Professor Valerie Sollars
Elaine Fenech and Stefan Zammit.
Master in Early Childhood Education and Care
Sponsor: Professor Valerie Sollars
Shaunna Allan, Doris Doku, Kim Louise Enright, Dragana Gnjatovic, Sofia Granerus, Karen Ivonne Gutiérrez Parees, Valbona Istrefi, Ana Janelidze, Timothy Chepkwesi Katiba, Eirini Kynigopoulou, Xin Luo, Loreain Martinez Lejarreta, Gracia Mas Parra, Czarecah Oropilla, Nukuna Kaba Regina*, Lavern Luana Thorne and Grigorios Tsompanidis.
Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Educational Research
Master of Arts in Comparative Euro Mediterranean
Education Studies
Sponsor: Professor R.G. Sultana
Silvana Bugeja, Melanie Casha Sammut, Kim Dimech, Amanda Maria Morales and Christine Scholz.
International Institute for Baroque Studies
Master of Arts in Baroque Studies
Sponsor: Professor Dennis De Lucca
Philip Agius, Bettina Borg Cardona and Derek Carmel Mercieca.
Faculty for the Built Environment
Doctor of Philosophy
Sponsor: Professor Alex Torpiano
Tabitha Dreyfuss.
Faculty of Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Sponsor: Professor Valerie Sollars
Vincent Caruana and Joseph Gravina.
*in absentia