The ministries of health and education are exploring various options with the intent to establish a nursing university level institution in Malta.

In a statement this evening, they said contacts had been established with a number of selected international university level nursing faculties. Such contacts were "in a very preliminary stage".

The government said it was consulting with the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses and higher education institutions in Malta on the matter and would continue consultations with stakeholders when the negotiations progressed further.

This nursing education initiative would contribute to efforts being undertaken by the University to address the present shortages of nurses. The need for such an initiative was more pronounced in light of the investments announced in the past weeks in the health sector, they said.

These investments were expected to provide more and better opportunities for recruitment  and the continuous   professional development of Maltese  nurses and make use of the best talents that would further enhance and ameliorate the free  healthcare system for the Maltese in the future.