In reply to the report Senate Should Not Decide On Issues Outside Of University (January 27), the University of Malta would like to clarify that it never sought to decide what should happen in education at primary and secondary levels, except where matters concern the Secondary Education Certificate and the Matriculation Certificate for which it issues certificates and for which it has been entrusted with the responsibility over academic and administrative matters.

In contrast to what is stated in the article, at the request of the Directorate of Quality and Standards in Education, and after examining the documentation about the new vocational subjects to be introduced in Malta’s secondary schools, the University Senate, in October 2010, approved that applicants in possession of one BTEC certificate in the vocational subjects which are going to be introduced in Malta’s secondary schools as from October 2011 will be able to present this certificate in lieu of one of the six subjects required for admission to the Junior College.

Thus students with passes in the four compulsory SEC subjects required (Maltese, English language, Mathematics and a science subject), another pass in a SEC subject and a pass in BTEC will also be eligible for admission to the Junior College.

The University Senate has discussed the admission into University courses of applicants with qualifications awarded by the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology, particularly in the light of the new awards at Bachelor’s level given for the first time in 2010. Applicants presenting qualifications awarded by Mcast have been accepted in certain University courses for many years.

The University has also for many years accepted students in possession of the Higher Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management awarded by the Institute of Tourism Studies (Malta) for admission in the second or third years of Bachelor degrees offered by the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy and the Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture.

Similarly to the procedure used to evaluate and compare qualifications obtained from higher education institutions in other countries, the University will examine any qualifications awarded by Mcast and compare their content, learning outcomes, etc. with the qualifications that are required for admission to the course applied for.

This practice is used in the evaluation of any qualifications obtained from any institution be it vocational or academic and is performed in the best interest of the students.