A major restructuring of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology will see the creation of a vocational university offering courses at Master’s level.
The educational institute will be reorganised into three colleges – foundation, technical and university – offering courses at different levels.
But Education Minister Evarist Bartolo stressed that Mcast would not be entering into competition for students with the University of Malta. The new set-up would help to entice a wider cross-section of students into higher education, particularly those who leave secondary education without certification.
“The only way forward is to introduce higher standards in education while at the same time ensuring wider accessibility,” Mr Bartolo said.
The proposed structure was unveiled yesterday at the Mcast campus in Paola.
The only way forward is to introduce higher standards in education
Mr Bartolo said the revamp would eliminate educational “dead ends” for students at all levels, while increasing Mcast’s ties with industry.
The foundation college will cater for students at the first three levels of the National Qualifications Framework, equivalent to secondary school level.
The technical college will offer programmes at Level 4, equivalent to Advanced and Intermediate level qualifications. The university college will incorporate diploma and degree-level programmes alongside the new Master-level programmes.
Restructuring is set to be completed in three years but the colleges will be established at the start of the next academic year.
Full implementation of the education programmes will commence the following year and will be followed by the start of cross-curricular programmes between the colleges.
The minister said the changes were needed to address a persistent skill gap in the Maltese workforce that had resulted in half of new jobs created last year being taken up by foreigners.
Silvio Debono, president of the Mcast board of governors, said the new system had been conceived to better cater for the specific needs of students at different educational levels, with each college employing different strategies in teaching as well as work placements and internships.
Mcast’s 10 institutes will also be realigned into six based around industry needs. The new institutes will comprise engineering and transport, business, ICT, creative arts, applied sciences and community services.
“The ultimate aim is to grant a higher level of autonomy to different programmes across the seven levels, enabling a higher degree of flexibility in implementing the programmes,” Dr Debono said.