The University of Malta traces its origins to the Collegium Melitense which was founded by the Jesuits through direct papal intervention on the 12th November 1592.

    Following the plague of 1675, Grand master Nicolo’ Cottoner on the 19th October, 1676 opened a School of Anatomy and Surgery at the Sacra Infermeria of the Knights of Malta.  The two institutions were eventually merged by Grand master Pinto on the 22nd November 1796 constituting the Public University of General Studies which consisted of a number of Faculties.

    During the British period, the University was further strengthened and a few years after Independence, moved to its new campus in Msida.  This is, at present, being further extended in order to accommodate the large increase in the student population which already numbers 4500 students including some 200 foreign students reading for full-time and part-time degrees and attending diploma courses.  Many of the courses are run on the modular or credit system, with the academic year running from October to June.

    The University is ideally situated to serve as a link between developed and developing countries and during its long and interesting history, many graduates have taken up posts of responsibility in countries all around the world.

    There are at present ten Faculties namely: Architecture and Civil Engineering, Arts, Dental Surgery, Education, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Law, Economics, Management & Accountancy, Medicine and Surgery, Science, Theology and ten Institutes.  Each of the Faculties is in turn made up of a number of Departments.  There is a very strong inter-Departmental and Inter-Faculty collaboration and exchange.  The University also has links with a number of universities worldwide.  Situated within the University campus there are two internationally sponsored Institutes, namely the International Maritime Law Institute (I.M.L.I.) and the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies.  On its academic staff, the University has a number of scholars from overseas.

LOCATION

The University is located at Msida, 3 kilometres away form the capital, Valletta.

ACADEMIC YEAR

The academic year is split into two semesters: the first from October to January, with a two week break over Christmas, and the second, from February to May, with a two-week break over Easter.  Examinations are usually held in June.

STUDENT BODY

The student body has grown very rapidly in recent years and is now close to 5,000.  The students have their own representative body, the University Students’ Council (KSU) which is the official channel of communication with the university authorities and which has a seat on the University Council.  The KSU is a full member of the European Student Information Bureau and the European Students’ Forum.

    There are a number of active student groups within the KSU catering for students’ special interests such as politics, sports, the theatre, cinema and the environment.

SPORTS FACILITIES

The Malta University Sports Club regularly organises individual and team competitions in a number of different sporting activities such as soccer, table tennis, snooker, athletics and basketball.  Volleyball, hockey, judo, tennis, wind-surfing and rock-climbing are also very popular.

    Sports facilities on campus include a soccer pitch, a volleyball/basketball court, tennis courts, running track, physical exercise equipment, a sports hall and an Olympic swimming pool .

The Institute of Gerontology at the University of Malta was established in 1989 to develop inter-disciplinary  teaching, education and research in the field of Ageing and the Elderly.  The Institute conducts a nine month International Programme leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics (Dip. Ger.) and a Research Programme leading to a Master’s Degree (M. Ger.).  Both Programmes, which are run on a full-time basis, offer a unique opportunity for a systematic multi-disciplinary training of people who are actively involved in the field of Ageing, so that they in turn will become agents of change in enhancing the well being of the elderly in their own countries.

    The Postgraduate Diploma Course was designed by an International Group of Experts during a Meeting on Long-Term Training in Gerontology and Geriatrics which was convened in 1989 by the International  Institute on Ageing, United Nations-Malta (INIA) in collaboration with the University of Malta and the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Care of the Elderly and with the participation of representatives from WHO and UNESCO.  The Institute also provides consultancy, advisory work and in-service training courses for Health and Social Services personnel working in the field of Ageing.

    The Institute is also responsible for the running of a University of the Third Age in Malta.  It organises educational, academic and cultural activities among the elderly, encouraging them to utilise their own wealth of experiences for their self-fulfilment and for the education of others.

    In the International field, the Institute co-operates with the International Institute on Ageing, United Nations-Malta (INIA) and locally with the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Care of the Elderly.
 

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WHO COLLABORATING CENTRE ON HEALTHY AGING

On the 11th September 1995, after lengthy discussions between the Maltese Government, the University of Malta, and the World Health Organisation, the Institute of Gerontology at the University of Malta, was designated by WHO as a Collaborating Centre for Healthy Aging.

Between the 14 - 18th February 1996, the Centre convened a Consultation Meeting on Development of Curricula for Primary Care Workers in the Care of Older Persons. The Meeting was co-sponsored by the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Eight internationally renowned experts in the field of Gerontology participated in this Consultation Meeting which produced a Short Term Training Programme for Primary Care Workers in the Care
of Older Workers.

The WHO Collaborating Centre in Malta was entrusted to disseminate the programme internationally; to coordinate further related activities; and to stimulate the development of pilot projects in the field of aging.

The Postgraduate Diploma Course in Gerontology and Geriatrics is designed for persons who are working or who intend to work in the field of Ageing or with the Elderly.  It is a nine-month course which also provides the opportunity of proceeding to a Master’s Degree in Gerontology and Geriatrics.
 

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of the Programme is to produce qualified and trained personnel engaged in the provision and planning of services to the Elderly in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors.  The emphasis is on basic gerontological training aimed at giving a better understanding of the various aspects of Ageing and the needs of elderly persons, as well as the skills necessary to meet these needs adequately, thus improving their quality of life and well-being.

    The Course offers a unique opportunity for systematic multi-disciplinary training in a wide range of areas in the field of Ageing including Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Demography, and Economics.  It provides opportunities for correlation of theory and practice, and experience in innovative practices, service planning and delivery.

    The Course is primarily designed to train individuals so that they will, in turn promote the multiplier effect in their respective countries by becoming agents of change through the dissemination of the information and knowledge acquired, thereby influencing policy issues.