The Strickland Foundation, together with The Times, has entered into an agreement with the University of Malta’s Department of English to provide sponsorship as well as opportunities for practice in writing for the media.

The agreement allows for focused training in specialised writing skills in media environments.

The skills involve the identification of sound ideas, the research needed for good reporting, structuring stories to suit multiple media platforms and effective interviewing.

Journalists from The Times will be contributing to the teaching of the units together with Department of English lecturers, allowing students to benefit from the experience of staff at The Times while also getting a guided view of the newsroom through site visits.

Promising students will be invited to participate in the foundation’s internship scheme. The scheme offers aspiring journalists an opportunity to work in any media institution or agency.

The Strickland Foundation will also be supporting the International Postgraduate Symposium of the Department of English, themed ‘Writing Life’, by offering 50 student bursaries.

The agreement takes place in the context of the efforts of the Department of English to enhance and diversify its teaching and research.

The Department now runs four specialised Taught Masters programmes that allow for balance between academic and scholarly profiles and practice-based learning, providing students greater choice in opportunities for further research and employment.