This news release includes students enrolled in formal education with a minimum duration of one semester of full-time study (or the equivalent in part-time) and that are delivered from Malta. Students are included irrespective of whether they are residing in Malta or abroad. The population of educational institutions considered include institutions delivering formal education programmes from Malta, whether online or face-to-face, at post-secondary and tertiary level.

The number of students enrolled in post-secondary levels stood at 10,399, whilst 22,276 students were enrolled in tertiary education. Males outnumbered females in post-secondary education by 2.8 percentage points, whilst there were more females enrolled in tertiary education than males by 10.6 percentage points. 

Post-secondary students

Post-secondary students enrolled in sixth forms and other post-secondary institutions totalled 10,399 during academic year 2023-2024, an increase of 2.8 per cent over the previous academic year. This reference year saw more males than females enrolled at post-secondary level, as was seen in the previous academic year.

The largest proportion of post-secondary students was aged under 19 years (86.0 per cent). Foreign students enrolled in post-secondary institutions amounted to 1,808, accounting for 17.4 per cent of the total students enrolled at post-secondary level.

The vast majority of students at post-secondary level were enrolled in state-run institutions (84.2 per cent). Slightly more than half of the students were enrolled in courses or programmes of vocational study orientation (55.7 per cent).

Tertiary students

Students enrolled in tertiary level courses totalled 22,276 during academic year 2023-2024, an increase of 5.5 per cent when compared to academic year 2022-2023. An increase was also reflected in the total number of educational institutions offering tertiary education during this academic year. Female students comprised 55.3 per cent of the total students enrolled at the tertiary level.

The number of students at tertiary level who were studying on a full-time basis amounted to 16,293, or 73.1 per cent of the total. Part-time enrolments showed a decrease of 8.7 per cent over the previous academic year. The largest proportion of students in tertiary education were aged between 20 and 24 years old (39.1 per cent).

During academic year 2023-2024, foreign students enrolled at the tertiary level totalled 8,252, equivalent to 37.0 per cent of all tertiary enrolments, where 21.9 per cent were non-EU nationals and 15.1 per cent were other EU nationals. This resulted in an increase of 27.0 per cent of foreign students over the previous academic year.

The largest proportion of tertiary students were engaged in courses at ISCED level 6 (Bachelor’s or equivalent) (50.2 per cent), followed by ISCED level 7 (Master’s or equivalent) at 32.5 per cent. Maltese students made up the majority of enrolments in ISCED levels 5 (Short-cycle tertiary education), 6 (Bachelor’s or equivalent) and 7 (Master’s or equivalent), whilst in ISCED level 8 (Doctoral or equivalent), the majority of students were foreign nationals (72.7 per cent). Female students outnumbered their male counterparts at almost all tertiary ISCED levels, except in ISCED level 8 (Doctoral or equivalent).

At tertiary level, the most popular field of study was ‘Business, administration and law’ with 6,807 students, or 30.6 per cent of the total number of students. This was followed by the ‘Health and welfare’ field with 5,050 students, or 22.7 per cent of the total. The least popular field of study at tertiary level was ‘Generic programmes and qualifications” scoring an uptake of only 0.1 per cent.

The majority of students enrolled at ISCED level 6 and ISCED level 7 were mainly enrolled in state-run institutions (70.2 per cent and 61.9 per cent, respectively), whilst those in ISCED level 5 and ISCED level 8 were mainly enrolled in independently-run institutions (75.5 per cent and 67.1 per cent, respectively). The fields of study “Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary” and “Education” were mainly composed of Maltese students (94.7 per cent and 93.4 per cent, respectively).

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The University of Malta’s long-awaited sports complex project will take seven years to complete, the University has told this newsroom. This project is set to cost €10 million.

The University will be developing its football pitch and athletics track, adjacent to the National Swimming Pool complex and Maltese Olympic Committee’s offices, into an approximate 27,000 square metre area for new sporting facilities. The entire project is estimated to take seven years to be completed from when works start, the university said.

These works have not yet commenced. The University of Malta is currently finalising initial funding arrangements while reviewing technical specifications amidst this project’s preparatory phase.

When contacted, the University did not disclose whether there is a date in sight for these works to begin. The information was sent to this newsroom after queries were sent to the University of Malta.

This newsroom received the new details on this infrastructural project from the communications office of the university, a few days after the Minister for Education, Clifton Grima, disclosed the University of Malta’s debt: a staggering €23.2 million.

Once completed, the University of Malta campus will feature a full-size astroturf football pitch, an eight-lane synthetic athletics track, a spectators stand, and a one-storey underground car park, the university said.

The underground car park will provide 1,000 parking spaces to students and academics, free of charge during office/lecturing hours.

This project will also provide sports research, rehabilitation, and performance labs, an indoor 100-metres athletics track, three squash courts, performing arts facilities as well as facilities, offices and lecture rooms for the Institute for Physical Education and Sport, it adds.

Performing arts facilities are also marked for development through this €10 million project, namely a black box theatre, dance studios, offices, and multi-function rooms.

The idea to incorporate an underground car park into this project, below what will be its new university track, was recommended by the Planning Authority just over seven years ago, back in April 2018. Back then, the PA’s Executive Chairman, Johann Buttigieg, said that not including a car beneath the track would be a missed opportunity for locals in the area as well.

The original permit for this sports complex project was granted back in 2019 on the condition that works could not begin before a new application for an underground car park was secured.

In 2022, UoM Rector Prof. Alfred J. Vella shared that the underground parking lot was excluded from the originally proposed project due to costs, though the PA assured that it would fund this parking area itself. During this past interview, the University Rector lamented that this inclusion had significantly delayed the entire process, thus crushing his vision for the sports complex project to be completed after just three years when he had just started out as UoM Rector.

Rector Vella could not at the time provide a timeline for this project. He had envisioned for this new sports complex to become a hub for sports and a site where sports science is practised professionally.

This project featured in the Labour Party’s 2022 electoral manifesto as electoral pledge number 248.

Earlier this May, Education and Sports Minister Clifton Grima said that progress on this University project will be revealed at some point this summer, with the project to be split into two phases. He noted that costs have skyrocketed due to global inflation and that resultantly, those involved in this process have been discussing the optimal way forward.

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Feltom, the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations in Malta, this week launched its 2024 Annual Benchmarking Report.

In 2024, Malta welcomed 80,946 international students to Feltom-accredited English language schools – a 3% increase from 2023. Participating Feltom schools reported 52,400 student arrivals, up 4.8% from the 50,000 recorded the previous year.

While student arrivals increased, total student weeks declined by 6% overall, and by 8.7% among participating schools, indicating shorter average stays. The average length of stay dropped from 20.3 days in 2023 to 17.6 days in 2024.

Despite the decrease in student weeks, total revenue among Feltom-affiliated schools rose by 2.2%, highlighting a trend towards greater student spending during shorter visits. Tuition revenue per student week increased by 7.8%, while weekly accommodation revenue rose by 13.2%. These gains were accompanied by a record-high average weekly student spend of €99 – the highest in the past decade.

Addressing stakeholders and media at Feltom’s new headquarters within the Chamber of Commerce in Valletta, CEO Jessica Rees-Jones remarked: “Shorter stays with higher engagement and spending reflect a shift towards quality-driven Edutourism. More than a recovery in numbers, this is a redefinition of value.”

However, the report also outlined key challenges namely the ongoing shortage of qualified teachers and the processing of visas for third-country nationals, particularly from countries like Turkey, which remains a significant obstacle.

“Feltom is calling for smoother visa procedures which are essential if Malta is to maintain its competitive edge in an increasingly globalised ELT market,” added Rees-Jones.

Rees-Jones noted how the report also highlights how the shoulder season widened, with 19.2% of total student weeks recorded between October and December – up from 17.4% in the same period in 2023 – reinforcing the sector’s growing contribution to year-round tourism.

“This report tells a powerful story about the resilience, innovation and commitment to excellence of our member schools and partners. To sustain momentum, we must face challenges head-on and recognise the ELT sector as a cornerstone of Malta’s tourism strategy,” concluded Rees-Jones.

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The delegation was comprised of a team of ten care managers and nurses. The primary aim of the visit was to gain insights into the management and operation of CareMalta Group’s facilities, enhancing their professional skills and enabling them to deliver even better care to their clients in Estonia.

During the visit, the delegation engaged in hands-on experiences within CareMalta facilities, job-shadowing care managers and nurses for three to four hours daily. This approach allowed participants to observe best practices and innovative care strategies in real time. CareMalta Group has also organised meetings and seminars, providing a platform for discussions on care methodologies and innovative approaches to elderly care.

The Chief Executive of CareMalta Group, James Sciriha, together with COO Noel Borg and the rest of the senior Management and Operations Team of CareMalta Group accompanied the Estonian delegation throughout their visit.

This study exchange underscores the shared commitment of Südamekodud and CareMalta Group to professional development and knowledge-sharing within the care sector as both organizations believe that such international collaborations are vital for raising standards in elderly care.

The visit also highlighted the importance of the Erasmus+ program in facilitating cross-border learning opportunities that inspire innovation and strengthen professional networks.

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A journey that has been years in the making, reached a climax with the inauguration of the Mediterranean College of Sport (MCS) and the marking of the end of the St Aloysius Sports Complex project of which the new school forms part of. The school was inaugurated by Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta.

Vassallo Group, one of the most diversified groups of companies in Malta which employs a total of 2,000 persons, invested around €11 million in the project. The school and new facilities were built following the signing of an agreement between the Vassallo Group and the Jesuits who run St Aloysius College whose students will also be able to use most of the facilities. As part of this agreement other existing facilities such as a multi-sport indoor pavilion, a canteen, a fitness centre and two dance studios were given a total overhaul in the first phase of the project completed last year.

On this occasion guests were welcomed by MCS CEO Charlo Bonnici and messages were also delivered by Myriam Spiteri Debono, the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Clifton Grima, the Rector of St Aloysius College, Fr Jimmy Bartolo and Vassallo Group CEO Pio Vassallo. Apart from students and educators from both the Mediterranean College of Sport and St Aloysius College guests included the shadow ministers for education and sport, Justin Schembri and David Agius respectively, the Mayor of Birkirkara, Desirei Grech, Jesuits and representatives of St Aloysius College, shareholders and members of the senior management of Vassallo Group, as well as the permanent secretary in the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Matthew Vella.

During the event short videos were shown, including one with a message by two high officials of this Portuguese team, Davide Gomez and Lorencio Ferreira, with whom MCS has a technical partnership through which Benfica manage the college’s football programme with the help of other coaches, including Maltese, employed by MCS.

Vassallo Group CEO Pio Vassallo announced that the Group “invested more than €11 million in this project creating  7,000 square meters of new sports spaces, including a 25-meter pool with a retractable roof, a gymnastics gym, new football grounds, padel courts, and a sports science centre, alongside 2,000 square meters of renovated and modernized spaces such as an international-level pavilion, dance studio, and gym.”

The Rector of St Aloysius College, Fr Jimmy Bartolo sj expressed his gratitude to all and highlighted the benefits of such a project characterized by reciprocity between the two Colleges: “Two characteristics of this project are certainly the reciprocity between the two educational institutions, and the promotion of sport in our country.”

Student-athletes joining MCS, which opened its doors for the first time on 30^th September of this year, will get the chance to specialize in their respective sport disciplines while continuing their education in a school that recognizes the need for flexibility towards and understanding of the student-athletes’ needs. 95 students are currently attending the college offering secondary and sixth form education.

Additionally, the complex also includes a sport-themed childcare and kindergarten centre as well as accommodation facilities for international students as well as nurseries and teams organizing retreats and training camps for their athletes and coaches.

The Mediterranean College of Sport’s school population is expected to grow to around 400 students in the next few years.

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“The Adult Education Survey (AES) aims to collect data on the participation of adults in various forms of education and training: formal, non-formal and informal. This cycle of the survey, conducted in 2023, references the year 2022, and is implemented nationally in accordance with EU regulations. The survey targets adults aged 18-69 residing in private households across Malta and Gozo. For this wave of the AES, the age group considered was extended since, during previous waves, the target population referred to adults aged 25-64.”

The NSO said that less than 25% sought information about learning possibilities during 2022 (24.3%). “This percentage was slightly higher for females, with 26.8% of females within that age group seeking information, compared to 22.1% of males. When broken down by age group, the percentage of persons seeking information on learning possibilities increased with younger age groups. The highest rate was among those aged 18-24, with 43.6% seeking information.”

In 2022, 18% received some kind of guidance regarding learning opportunities, the NSO said.

“The most common type of guidance involved counselling or advice, received by 14% of persons. Screening or evaluation of individual learning needs was less common, with 7.1% undergoing such guidance. The least common form of guidance was advice or help on the validation or recognition of skills, competences, or prior learning, experienced by 5.8%.”

Almost 60% of those seeking guidance on learning opportunities in 2022 did so through education or training institutions (59.2%), it said.

“Additionally, 37.5% sought guidance from employers or prospective employers, while 21.8% sought guidance from public employment services. 28% sought guidance through other institutions or organisations, with more than one type of institution or organization possibly being accessed. A large proportion of those seeking guidance did so through methods offering interaction with a person, such as face-to-face meetings, video conferencing applications, phone, or email (72.9%). Meanwhile, 44.1% sought guidance without human interaction, such as through bots or web robots and online automatic applications. Respondents could have chosen more than one type of interaction.”

Regarding participation rates in different forms of education and training, 46.8% participated in some form of formal and/or non-formal education or training during 2022. Specifically, 11.6% participated in formal education, with a higher participation rate among females (13.9%) compared to males (9.6%, it said). “Participation rates for non-formal education and training were relatively stable between the sexes, averaging 41.8%. The participation rate in informal education and training was 52.4% for females and 51.3% for males.”

“When examining participation in formal education, the highest rate was observed in the 18-24 age cohort, with 52.6% participating in formal education during the 12 months preceding the survey. Of those participating in formal education during 2022, 41.2% attended their tuition either completely online or mostly online, while the remaining 58.8% attended either completely on-site or mostly on-site.” Regarding the type of payment for formal educational activities, 40.8% were fully paid by the respondent, 16.2% were either fully or partially paid by someone else, and 43.1% were free activities, it said.

More than two-thirds of individuals enrolled in some form of formal educational activity during the 12 months preceding the survey reported personal benefits as an outcome of their most recent formal educational activity (68.4%). “Improved performance at their current job and the introduction of new tasks were chosen as outcomes by 57.8% and 50.7% of those enrolled in formal education, respectively. Additionally, 45.3% of individuals attending formal education reported getting a job or a new job as an outcome of their most recent formal activity, while 39.3% noted a higher salary or wage as an outcome of their most recent formal activity. Furthermore, 28.6% reported a job promotion as an outcome of their most recent formal activity.”

Participation rates for non-formal education varied according to age cohorts. Younger age groups reported higher participation rates, with 54.5% and 54.7% in the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups, respectively. In comparison, 42.6% of individuals aged 35-54 participated in non-formal education, while 27.5% of those aged 55-64 participated. Participation rates for non-formal education were also higher among the employed population, with 51.5% of employed individuals participating in non-formal education, it said.

The AES sought information about four types of non-formal educational activities: courses, workshops, guided on-the-job training, and lessons. “More than half of the individuals participating in non-formal education attended courses (55.4%), while 31.3% attended workshops or seminars. Additionally, 24.8% participated in guided on-the-job training, and 5.7% attended lessons. Individuals could have attended more than one type of non-formal education activity, it said.

“Of those who participated in formal or non-formal education, 68.1% did not want to participate in more educational activities, while 31.9% wanted to participate even more. This percentage was higher for females, with 34.2% of females who participated in formal or non-formal education wanting to participate more when compared with the 29.8% for males. Among those who did not participate in formal and non-formal education, the majority (81.8%) did not want to participate in any educational activity.”

“More than half of individuals aged 18-69 participated in some form of informal educational activity during 2022 (51.8%). The age cohort reporting the highest rates was the 18-24 age group, with 62% participating in such informal educational activities. This cohort was followed by the 25-34 age group, with a participation rate of 58.3% in informal education.”

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In March 2023, the Malta Financial Services Advisory Council (MFSAC) launched a National Strategy for a stronger financial services industry to promote Malta as a more reputable and innovative international financial centre.

One of the five pillars of this strategy, which proposed a total of 175 initiatives, focuses on the supply of talent through HR and education in a firm bid to address the skills’ gap in the sector. The strategy seeks more professional and academic education to encourage more students to consider this industry in their subject option considerations.

In line with this commitment, the Malta Financial Services Authority, in collaboration with the University of Malta, is announcing a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Regulation and Compliance with applications now open.

According to Dr Bernice Buttigieg from the Programme Management Office of the MFSAC, this academic programme represents a significant milestone in the jurisdiction’s commitment to advancing the standards of financial regulation and compliance education in Malta.

“Finding talent remains a challenge for many and one of the key thrusts in the National Strategy refers to ‘building talent’ because although Malta is already highly regarded for its skilled financial services workforce, potential growth is leading to a high demand for new sought-after skills,” says Dr Buttigieg.

“This newly-launched Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Regulation and Compliance, being offered in collaboration with the MFSA’s Financial Supervisors Academy, is an important development which should attract individuals and professionals to the financial services industry who will help us strengthen Malta’s capacity in compliance and anti-money laundering (AML).”

The financial services sector is poised for more growth. From 11,000 employees in 2018, the sector today employs around 18,000 people, including professional activities which support the industry.

On a nationwide level, there is increasing recognition of enhancing financial literacy among the population, with the Strategy identifying some 70 active financial literacy programmes or activities. FinanceMalta is also doing its part by collaborating with both FreeHour and JA on two separate initiatives, aimed at promoting financial literacy with youths, towards the end of the year.

The Advisory Council’s HR & Education team is also working on recommendations to increase the availability of skills and to achieve better retention, focusing first on third-country nationals.

A national strategy for Malta’s Financial Services Industry

According to Dr Buttigieg who is also chief Strategy officer at FinanceMalta, the National Strategy’s 175 proposed initiatives focus on five vertical pillars: banking and payments, insurance and pensions, capital markets, wealth management and fintech and AI as well as horizontal enablers such as the elimination of bureaucracy, taxation, the supply of talent through HR and education and open and sustainable finance.

Describing the national strategy as “very ambitious and varied in scope, scale, and complexity” Dr Buttigieg noted how thanks to 15 distinct workstreams and the contribution from experienced stakeholders from firms and regulators, half of this year’s planned deliverables are already completed.

“Technology needs to be at the core of Malta as a financial services jurisdiction. Digitalisation and innovation feature very prominently in this strategy, in fact, three of our four key initiatives are deeply embedded in technology. We also want to expand our potential in Fintech.”

“Given the MFSAC’s focus on capital and talent acquisition, regulatory frameworks, technical infrastructure and the promotion of Malta within this framework, we are very happy seeing Malta-based companies proposing very innovative tech services in areas such as compliance,” she added.

Dr Buttigieg acknowledges that the fight against financial crime remains a key element in strengthening Malta’s competitiveness and, following Malta’s greylisting, the approach to financial crime has changed significantly in the past two years.

“Malta’s swift exit from the FATF grey list within just a year reflected the country’s commitment to rigorous financial regulations and more robust anti-money laundering measures and today, there is real awareness and understanding that the crimes by a few can hurt the reputation of many.”

“This is why we are in line with Moody’s expectations in its latest report about Malta to continue to engage with the financial community to ensure more effective compliance and enforcement of the regulatory framework to support the island’s financial competitiveness more sustainably,” she added.

She also noted how the increase in Suspicious Transaction Reports filed with the FIAU and the decrease in Malta’s overall money laundering residual risk as reported by the latest National Risk Assessment reflect a higher level of vigilance.

According to Dr Buttigieg, the new national strategy will encourage the financial sector to also redirect private capital towards more sustainable investments and to promote greater transparency with more focus on sustainable finance and specific financial instruments that promote sustainability.

This includes initiatives which incentivise instruments such as green and blue bonds, sustainability-linked bonds and social bonds, as well as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).

Innovation is also seen as a key element of growth as the jurisdiction moves towards further specialised niches including the fintech sector, asset management, insurance and aviation, particularly through aircraft registration and maintenance activities.

“The MFSAC has received conclusions of an extensive study on the opportunities in aircraft leasing. This will be followed with a plan of required legislative changes and incentives and some major developments are targeted for the end of this year,” concluded Dr Buttigieg.

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Welcoming Ms Rees-Jones to its new role, Rebecca Bonnici, Chairperson of FELTOM thanked Caroline Tissot for her work throughout the past years, specially made challenging by the COVID-19 pandemic which had greatly impacted FELTOM’s operations and that of its member schools.

Jessica Rees-Jones was born in Malta and brings with her twenty years of international experience in strategic leadership, general management, and humanitarian work across diverse institutional and cultural contexts.

“I am excited about this new chapter for  FELTOM With my global experience, I hope to bring a transformational impact through strategic insight, operational excellence, and high-level relationship management to assist FELTOM in its continued commitment to its members.”

“The very challenging past years have shown the importance of strong stewardship for an organisation like FELTOM, an organisation with a pivotal role; upon which the operations of our member schools depend a lot if they are to thrive,”  said Ms Rees-Jones.

“We thank Caroline for her long-standing commitment to FELTOM’s mission to promote the highest standards in Malta’s English language teaching industry and its importance in strengthening the role of Malta as a destination for English language stays of quality. We are confident  that under Jessica Rees-Jones’ leadership, FELTOM will continue building on the solid foundations for an even stronger Federation.” Said Ms Bonnici

FELTOM was founded as a self-regulating, non-profit organisation in 1989 by 10 established English Language Schools who foresaw the potential of the ELT industry in Malta.

Since then, it has consistently continued to shape the landscape of English Language Education in Malta through the promotion of professionalism within the field of English language education and by maintaining the highest professional integrity and meticulous adherence to high benchmarks.

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This collaboration will include the implementation of preclinical studies over Cannabis extracts as well as joint R&D projects plus the setting up of internships and alumni placements. 

The agreement unites academics and industry experts in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines and marks a significant step towards establishing Malta as a competence for research and development in medical cannabis. It also underscores UM’s commitment to driving innovation and collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry.

Cannaflos Research Labs Ltd. is a Maltese subsidiary of Cannaflos GmbH, a German EU-GMP licensed pharmaceutical company with a focus on cannabinoid-based products. Through harmonised processes and quality standards, Cannaflos and its partners promote medicines based on cannabinoids under fair business conditions.

The company’s central objective is to develop cannabinoid-based finished drugs in the scope of two specific therapeutic areas: Orphan indications and Female Health indications. To achieve this goal, Cannaflos creates synergies along the value chain of medicinal cannabis, generating IP from plant to patient.

Cannaflos Research Labs is currently building a Research and Development competence for the development of intellectual property in 5 key areas: Cannabis sativa genetics, cannabis extraction, drug formulation, administrative routes, and digital therapeutics.

These steps in the R&D process lay the foundation for the development of finished drugs, leading up to the clinical development phase. To this end, Cannaflos Research Labs Ltd. has successfully received Business Development and Start-up financing from Malta Enterprise.

“We are proud to collaborate with University of Malta on conducting the groundwork for the future of cannabinoid-based medicine”, said Max Schmitt, CEO of Cannaflos Research Labs Ltd. “The university holds great expertise in cannabis-related research and is a key stakeholder for the cannabis hub that is forming on Malta.”

Through its various Faculties and Institutes, the University has a large number of laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art facilities which serve its teaching and research activities. 

Over the past years, UM has developed a unique research competence on Cannabis, responding to the gradual proliferation of medical recreational cannabis in Malta and Europe overall.

Through this agreement, the University will deploy its labs and expertise at the service of Cannaflos Research Labs to foster their R&D objectives, while enabling a direct knowledge exchange between academics and industry. The Corporate Research and Knowledge Transfer Office will act as an intermediary to facilitate talent placement opportunities within Cannaflos Research Labs and the medical cannabis industry overall.

Through the framework agreement, both parties are currently developing a collaboration involving various Faculties, such as the Department of Physiology & Biochemistry, led by Prof. Richard Muscat, the Department of Pharmacy, led by Prof. Lilian M. Azzopardi, who will collaborate through the Centre of Molecular Medicine and Biobanking Lab and Pharmacy labs respectively. 

Furthermore, ongoing discussions include the Faculty of Science, led by Prof. Emmanuel Sinagra, for conducting further analytical tests on phytochemical composition, microbiological presence and stability.  

Prof. Azzopardi said there certainly is a synergy in research focus between the two entities, as the Department itself has held its belief in the potential of medical cannabis to treat pain for quite a while, and is thus looking forward to collaborating with Cannaflos Research Labs. 

The agreement was signed by Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Rector of the University of Malta, and Mr Max Schmitt, co-founder and CEO of Cannaflos Research Labs and Cannaflos GmbH, in the presence of Prof. Richard Muscat and Prof. Lilian M. Azzopardi as well as Mr Gilles Vromman, Head of Business development, Mr David Mendoza, Head of Operations of Cannaflos Research Labs and Dr Adán de Salas, expert in neurobiology and cannabinoid medicine from Cannaflos Research Labs. 

Speaking at the signing ceremony, University of Malta Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella showed his support of this initiative that intertwines the actions of the University and of Cannaflos Research Labs Ltd. “Universities are practical beings; it’s in our interest to continue to prepare our graduates to be more employable and entrepreneurial, and in this collaboration, those factors are at play. I look forward to seeing where this collaboration takes us”, he concluded. 

The post Paving the way for the future of cannabinoid-based medicines first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The Foundation Program lasts 9 months and allows students to learn core business concepts while developing the necessary language and technical skills to apply for GBSB Global’s undergraduate courses, which are taught entirely in English. It will also help them take a more critical approach to their studies and become stronger learners while familiarizing themselves with GBSB Global’s academic culture and a more independent way of life.

“This accreditation allows us to broaden the scope of our education and create more opportunities for prospective students in Malta”, said Wiktor Patena, Dean of GBSB Global Business School.
“We are a multicultural business school with more than 150 nationalities, most of whom do not speak English as their first language or share the same academic background. The new program will serve as a stepping stone for those seeking a solid academic foundation before moving on to higher levels of education.”

The new Foundation Program offers two Exit Awards that can be pursued as stand-alone certificates based on the specific needs of each student, whether or not they are willing to continue education and apply for a bachelor’s degree upon completion of the program:

Level 4: The Pre-tertiary Certificate in English for Business Studies (30 ECTS) is designed for students who only wish to improve their English language skills and prepare for academic studies in English while meeting all other admission requirements. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to achieve an IELTS – 6.0 level in English.

Level 4: The Pre-tertiary Certificate in Business Studies (30 ECTS) is useful for students who are fluent in English but do not have a specific achievement in certain subjects taken during their high school studies and do not meet all the entry requirements for the Bachelor of Business Administration and Digital Innovation. In this case, students can join this program at a later stage and do not need to complete the Pre-Tertiary Certificate in English for Business Studies section.

The latter will be particularly attractive to local Maltese students interested in exploring business-related academic or professional careers. Applications for the fall intake of the Foundation Program are already being accepted, and the first students will begin their studies in October 2024.

A detailed description of the Foundation Program can be found on the Malta Qualifications Database (gov.mt) page. For further information and admission requirements, please contact the GBSB Global Business School Admissions Office at admissions@global-business-school.org.

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