The government seems to have found a solution for a number of students affected by the suspension of EU funds, by setting up fresh arrangements directly with various EU universities and giving financial grants to students.
A number of students who planned to study abroad with EU funds have been told they will receive €300 a month from the Maltese government to make their trips possible this year.
The students have been in limbo in recent weeks after the European Commission suspended EU youth funds due to mismanagement by the Maltese authorities.
The Education Ministry yesterday issued a press statement outlining its ongoing discussions with the Commission for the suspension to be lifted.
However, in another statement the ministry announced that the University of Malta managed to win over the cooperation of other EU universities to facilitate student mobility for this year.
Meanwhile, students who were affected by the suspension told The Sunday Times that they had received letters of acceptance stating their trips could go ahead as planned through a Direct Exchange Programme with various EU universities.
"Funds for this year's mobility will be provided by the government and the hosting university will be waiving fees", students were told.
The news came as a surprise since Malta's Permanent Representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, had said national funds could not be used to replace EU funds.
But when contacted, the Education Ministry's spokesman said the Direct Exchange Programme was a new scheme created by the University, so "we are not replacing EU funds".
Asked if the funds would be going to those students waiting to go on exchanges such as those of Erasmus, he said:
"Not necessarily. Who said so? You're assuming this. In our press release we make no reference to EU funds."
The Sunday Times pointed out that the students who received their letter of acceptance were the same ones awaiting a response on programmes like Erasmus.
"The scheme may include them and is not prohibited from doing so. But we are not replacing EU funds. In fact, we are still working for the suspension to be lifted."
Asked if the new scheme would also be available next year, he said that depended on the University. The press releases and letters seem to have done little to clear up students' confusion.
"I don't know what's going on," said one of the students who received a letter of acceptance on the Facebook group 'Erasmus. Now!', set up to campaign for the Commission's suspension to be lifted.
Another said that €300 would not be enough to make the trip affordable, since the funds given by the EU would have been more substantial. The EU funds were also dependent on the destination of students, whereas the government grant appears to be a flat rate.
The number of students who will be able to benefit from the Direct Exchange Programme is also unknown.
The ministry said students who had been accepted would receive a letter regarding the arrangements that would allow them to participate in the programme.
"The University of Malta is grateful for the cooperation shown by those EU universities that have agreed to join its Direct Exchange Programme as well as for the generosity of these institutions in the waiving of university fees for Maltese students participating in this programme," the ministry said.
In its other press statement, the Education Ministry said the Commission was expected to send a mission to Malta in September to check on the timeframe and deliverables that would be established.
"With regard to the Lifelong Learning Programme, all projects under the decentralised call are suspended. However, contacts are ongoing with the Commission to establish a margin of flexibility as regards Comenius and Grundtvig actions and Erasmus Intensive Training Courses under this programme."