High rents, transportation and a significant financial burden are a few of the issues which Gozitan students face, Denis Muscat, president, Gozo University Group, says.

How many Gozitan students study in Malta?

The number of Gozitan students who are choosing to take on a course in Malta is evidently on the increase. At the University of Malta, around 10 per cent of the students are Gozitan, which amounts to around 1,200 students. Moreover, there are also around 900 students attending MCAST and other educational institutions like the Institute of Tourism Studies and private colleges.

What are the main challenges that Gozitan students studying in Malta face?

I would categorise our challenges in three main areas: transportation, accommodation and financial.

I think that the issue of transportation is the one that has irritated students the most throughout the years. Without any delays, it takes a student a minimum of two hours to commute from Gozo to university. Delays occur more often than not: due to traffic and sometimes unreliable bus or ferry service, students are left frustrated time and time again.

Accommodation is another issue. At 18, most Gozitan students who decide to continue their studies in Malta start to experience an independent life away from their parents. This means that students have to step up and do all the cooking and cleaning while keeping up with their studies and social life. This challenge has become more problematic these last few years, since students are finding it difficult to find accommodation at affordable rates and in the vicinity of their educational institutions.

At times, the financial burden that Gozitan students carry is also worrying. Besides the rent, students have to cover their own food, transportation, utility and internet bills. Without significant help from home or a part-time job, it has become close to impossible to keep up with the costs.

What support is available to Gozitan students?

Throughout the years, the government has recognised our financial burden and has tried to help Gozitan students through a financial grant of €400 for every three months during the scholastic period. This grant is of significant help to students who otherwise would not be able to afford to live in Malta. However, the grant nowadays does not even come close to cover the ever-increasing rents and cost of living.

You frequently conduct surveys among Gozitan students. What were the main findings of the latest survey and how do you plan to address them?

The Gozo University Group conducts various surveys, asking students for their opinions on certain matters. Our latest survey was conducted in June and July, 2014. We asked Gozitan students a number of questions regarding the maintenance grant we receive every three months.

Students are finding it difficult to find accommodation at affordable rates and in the vicinity of their educational institutions

The survey showed worrying results with 95 per cent of the respondents stating that the grant is not enough and should be adjusted according to the cost of living. Other findings showed that students prefer if the grant is transferred directly to their bank accounts. The GUG worked on this issue last year and students now receive their grant directly through a bank transfer. The survey also indicated that, since rent is paid monthly, students would prefer if the grant was given to them monthly rather than how it is now, paid every three months in arrears. The GUG is working on this issue in order to ensure that students’ opinions are being heard.

Do Gozitan students commute to study in Malta or do most opt to find accommodation in the University area?

It is very rare that Gozitan students opt to commute to Malta on a daily basis. Students who commute either have a very friendly timetable or cannot cope with the financial burden of renting a place. If there were a fast ferry service, then maybe the story would be much different but as things stand, it’s unrealistic to spend four hours travelling just to get to your lecture and back home. And what if your lecture is cancelled, the bus is late, or you miss the ferry by a couple of minutes? These are the few things Gozitans who commute face daily and this is why most opt to find an accommodation in Malta.

How challenging is it for Gozitan students to find accommodation in Malta?

This is the question that we’ve been trying to address this summer. We are receiving countless e-mails and messages from students asking us if we can help them find an apartment to rent at a reasonable price. Finding an apartment is challenging enough, let alone one at an affordable rent. The GUG has invested a lot of time trying to find out what has caused prices to increase even up to €1,000 per month for a three-bedroom apartment.

What is happening is that once they graduate, Gozitan students are continuing to rent apartments in Malta due to the fact that very few jobs are available in Gozo. Apartment owners, who are aware that most tenants are no longer students, decided that their tenants now have the financial means to pay higher rents. This has caused a domino effect with all owners thinking that they should increase their prices.

The number of foreigners residing in the Msida and Swatar areas has not helped either since many prefer to rent their apartments to them as they can afford to pay higher rents.

In almost two decades since the GUG was formed, what have been your main achievements?

Throughout the years, the GUG has achieved a great deal for Gozitan students. I would say that a lot of our work is done behind the scenes: answering questions, putting forward complaints and simply being the voice for the voiceless is the most rewarding thing about being part of the GUG. We are constantly on the go trying to ensure that Gozitans are on equal playing ground with other students.

If I had to identify our biggest achievement, I would have to mention the crucial role the GUG played in giving Gozitan University students the opportunity to sit for their examinations in Gozo. That was a milestone for our organisation. The pressure the GUG exerted towards getting the grant raised to €400 is another achievement, as was lobbying with Transport Malta to establish reliable routes for Gozitans like X1 and X1A.

How does the GUG address Gozitan students’ concerns?

The GUG tries to be as accessible as possible. We are students as well and we go through everything a typical Gozitan student goes through daily. Our 11 executive members are fully committed to identify problems and discuss issues with students. Our Facebook page and e-mail account are constantly active and we reply to messages as soon as we can.

This year, in order to be able to listen to the students more and tackle issues that concern Gozitan students, we have introduced a new subcommittee to our structure. The new social policy and education subcommittee will be in charge of listening to students and coming up with ideas and solutions for us to bring forward to the relevant authorities. Any student who feels they can make a difference is welcome to join this team as we look to include as many students as we can.

What is your message for the new academic year?

My message to students is to not be afraid to form opinions and speak up. Nowadays we live in a world where if you want something, you have to step up and work for it. At the GUG, we are always willing to listen to students’ opinions and push forward these ideas with the relevant authorities for the greater good of the Gozitan students.

We must work together to make changes easier.

For more information visit www.gug.org.mt.