If you are a student aged 15 to 21 and are curious, full of ideas, enjoy debating topics of a European/scientific nature and would like to go abroad, then the National Student Travel Foundation (NSTF) has just the opportunity for you.
Through three of its educational programmes you can improve your analytical and debating skills and put forward your ideas through a guaranteed enjoyable learning process.
On a Science level there are two programmes on offer: the NSTF Malta Student Science Forum and the NSTF Contest for Young Scientists, whereas the other programme, the NSTF Mini European Assembly, focuses on European affairs.
The NSTF Malta Student Science Forum runs between November and April, and is open to students aged 16 to 22. Topics of current scientific importance are assigned to the participants who team up in twos or threes and perform research on the topic. The team then presents their research during one of the five sessions and a debate ensues.
Winners and runners-up are eligible for participation in the London International Youth Science Forum and the International Wildlife Research Week held in Switzerland.
The NSTF Contest for Young Scientists on the other hand is less of a debating forum and more of a research project initiative. Students aged 15 to 21 may participate as individuals or in a team of two or three and have to come up with an original research project - with a model for display purposes - from any scientific field.
Participants exhibit their projects at the NSTF Science Week held in March/April. The winners and runners-up are eligible to participate in the EU Contest for Young Scientists, the 2006 edition being held in Stockholm, and in the Expo Science Contests. The NSTF - Mini European Assembly is a debating assembly on European affairs, held between November and April. The assembly is a simulation of the European Parliament where students from post-secondary and first-year tertiary educational institutions, in teams of four-five persons, represent a different European country and meet at six committee meetings and plenary sessions to discuss topics of European relevance. Each plenary session is chaired and addressed by a European personality.
Participants are evaluated throughout the year by an adjudication panel and the winners participate in a prize tour of the major European institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg.
To apply log on to www.nsts.org/nstf , fill out an application form and return to: NSTF, 220, St Paul Street, Valletta by Wednesday (note change in deadline).
All programmes are held on a non-contributory basis. Meetings will be held in the evening. For further information contact Ilaria Flores Martin, head of educational and cultural affairs at NSTF, at iflor@nsts.org or on tel. 2558-8241.