د . إAEDSRر . س

We Sat Down With The People Behind The Government’s Controversial Plans For University Of Malta

Article Featured Image

A mini-storm erupted at the University of Malta this week, after the government’s plans to shift the Rector’s powers into a governing board controlled by the Prime Minister were revealed. 

With Maltese institutions already in the eye of the storm for their perceived lack of independence, this move was interpreted by critics as an attempt by the government to clamp down on one of the last remaining independent institutions on the island. 

Lovin Malta met up with Dennis Zammit and Charmaine Cristiano Grech – the education ministry’s legal advisers behind this controversial proposal – to pick their brains on why the government was proposing such a shake-up at the University of Malta.

“First of all, this is still just a consultation document which has been out since April, but was pushed back a bit because of the general election,” Zammit said right off the bat. “Secondly, the Prime Minister will only appoint three out of five members on the board, a similar concept as which is already in place within the University Council. Thirdly, the board will not be in charge of running the University but of overseeing it, with the aim of imposing more checks and balance and increasing its financial transparency.”

Proposal

According to the proposal, the governing board will be tasked with approving the University’s plans and decisions, including its annual budget, academic plan and business plan. It will be chaired by the University Chancellor and will include a maximum of four other members – one nominated by the University Council and the others directly appointed by the Prime Minister.

The members must not be MPs, must not have any direct interest in the University or ministries, must have experience in managing large organisations and must be skilled in overseeing financial management and human resources.

“They will be able to analyse the University’s internal affairs from an outsider’s perspective, which will be non-emotional,” Grech said. “Essentially, the board will be a bridge between the University and civil society.”

The advisers said this proposal was based off analysis of the management structures of other European universities – such as the University of Luxembourg, where the seven members of its governing board are all non-academics directly appointed by government, and the University of Iceland, where the education ministry approves its Rector and sets students numbers every year. 

Bartolo

Education minister Evarist Bartolo indicated he could backtrack on this proposal

However, they insisted education minister Evarist Bartolo is more than willing to backtrack on this proposal and said he was “very very open” to a proposal by the University Students’ Council (KSU) to replace one of the three members appointed by the Prime Minister with the University Rector. 

“If we had wanted to stifle the University or academics, we could have very easily just passed a law without any consultation,” Grech said. “However, Evarist Bartolo said he wants the University to function as the critic and conscience of society and indeed this proposed Act will actually increase the University’s autonomy – by allowing it to take out loans and purchase property. Instead of relying on annual government budgets, we are proposing the University and government enter three-year financial contracts instead, which will allow the University to plan more long-term.”

The advisers said the governing board will not have the power to scrap courses, change course content or take disciplinary action against staff and lecturers. Instead, it will approve academic plans and budgets after consulting with the University Senate, and it will itself have to publish annual operational and financial reports so as to allow the public to scrutinise its decisions.

“The government invests €80 million every year on the University, excluding stipends and capital projects, and the public have a right to demand some accountability,” Zammit said. “Academic freedom and good governance are not mutually exclusive concepts.”

What do you make of the education ministry’s justification for this proposed shake-up? Tell us in the comments’ section

READ NEXT: Maltese University Courses Sorted Into Harry Potter Houses

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

You may also love

View All