The University of Malta recently organised a seminar based on literature and observations accumulated through Include-ed, a five-year study on social cohesion and community involvement through education.

Suzanne Gatt, a partner in the integrated project Include-ed, provided an overview of the research and spoke of Malta’s contribution to the identification of transformative and exclusionary practices in education and the resulting effects that this leaves on social cohesion within the modern society.

University pro-rector Mary-Anne Lauri gave an opening speech that detailed the dedication the University is investing to encourage higher numbers of students to go for education at higher levels. MEP Simon Busutil spoke of the EU perspective towards education and the recent legislation addressing Roma people. He also emphasised the importance of societal representation at high positions, particularly stressing the role and position of women within the social system.

Include-ed is an integrated project of the European Commission’s sixth Framework Program. Such projects incorporate together the critical mass of activities and resources needed to achieve ambitious, clearly defined scientific objectives and are expected to have a structuring effect on the fabric of European research.

The project has been designed to look at different areas of study, over a span of five years, through the collaborative work of 10 working groups from five different countries, an international panel of experts, international free task-oriented groups and an advisory committee composed of representatives of vulnerable groups.