The University of Malta has set up a doctoral school to provide doctoral researchers with a holistic experience in the course of their studies.
Rector Prof Alfred J. Vella said the school will seek excellence in all aspects of doctoral education and training and will be working with different stakeholders to ensure that researchers are responsive to national and international needs and developments.
Prof. Nicholas Vella, director of the doctoral school, said it will be a central coordinating and support framework for the University’s doctoral researchers and supervisory teams.
The school will have two committees: the Doctoral Academic Committee and the Professional Development Committee.
The Doctoral Academic Committee will take over from the Ph.D. Committee and retain its scope and function, whereas the Professional Development Committee will be responsible, amongst other matters, to develop cross-disciplinary training courses and workshops intended to nurture skills suited to the researchers’ career path – academic or otherwise.
Prof Vella spoke about the increasing number of doctoral researchers across Europe, including Malta itself. He emphasized that the doctoral school will be committed to promoting and facilitating widespread dissemination of doctoral research at different levels of public engagement.