The Opposition is to file a parliamentary motion to repeal changes made in a legal notice which it claims will erode Malta’s excellent reputation in tertiary education.

Education shadow minister Therese Comodini Cachia told The Sunday Times of Malta the motion will be presented tomorrow. 

The Opposition is also claiming the changes are intended to make life easier for Jordanian investors intending to set up a university campus called the American University of Malta. “We don’t have any issue with clauses that increase the penalties in case of a breach in licence and give Masters recognition to courses being offered by the Malta Council of Arts Science and Technology,” Dr Comodini Cachia pointed out.

“Our concern is that these changes will lower the minimum standards across the board to the detriment of established institutions including the University of Malta,” she said.

The PN is concerned that the minimum number of Masters degree programmes to be eligible to set up a university in Malta was reduced from six to four. Secondly, it is no longer necessary to provide doctorate courses in at least four different fields.

Furthermore, institutions failing to meet the set criteria may circumvent them, as the National Commission for Further Higher and Education has been empowered to give university status if this is deemed to be in “the national interest”.

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