Swiss grad school seeks university status in Malta

European Graduate School (EGS) is one of two universities that last year submitted an application, kicking off the process to receive university status in Malta, MaltaToday can confirm.

Already accredited as a university by Switzerland, EGS is now looking to be accredited as a university by Malta, having already received accreditation by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) as a higher education institution in Malta.

Although EGS has no immediate plans to open a dedicated campus in Malta or Gozo, Jennifer Davy – assistant to EGS president Hubertus von Amelunxen – confirmed that a search was being conducted nonetheless.

“For 2016, our intention is to run the residency programme in the historic context of Valletta, using a suitably equipped educational and cultural events venue with a historic connection,” Davy said.

News that there were a total of three applicants seeking accreditation to operate a university in Malta first emerged at a news conference organised by NCFHE. Citing confidentiality, the commission had refused to divulge further details about who the applicants are and what kind of applications have been submitted. 

Now MaltaToday is also informed that EGS also intends offering evening lectures for free to the Maltese public: “EGS will bring distinguished faculty in Philosophy, the Arts and Social Theory to Malta, and we welcome an open forum.”

Davy added that EGS welcomed the cooperation with other higher education institutions in Malta, including the University of Malta, and educational and cultural NGOs.

“We have chosen Malta because of its important topological situation in the Mediterranean culture, and its historic and current role as an axis between Southern Europe and the African continent.

“We are very familiar with what Malta has to offer from a socio-cultural context and are very excited to contribute to the emerging international higher education landscape in the Euro-Med zone,” she said.

“Malta also provides a trusted higher education accreditation and quality assurance regime that is aligned to the EU Bologna process—this was also a major factor in the decision to expand our European presence in Malta.”

EGS’s first residential course in Malta – a compulsory component of its MA and PhD in Philosophy, Art and Social Thought scheduled for Spring 2016 –will start with roughly 50-60 students.

About EGS

The EGS was established as a Graduate School in 1994, and chartered as graduate and post-graduate degree-granting University, with a campus in Saas Fee, Wallis. The EGS is accredited by permission of the Council (Staatsrat) of the State and Canton Wallis, Switzerland, to award recognized Master (M.A.) and Ph.D. (Dr.phil.) degrees and is formally recognised as a university in Wallis by Staatsratsbeschluss (State Council decision, from June 20, 2002). EGS is funded by the not-for profit EGS-Foundation. Co-founders are the State and Canton of Wallis, the town of Saas Fee and The European Foundation of Interdisciplinary Studies (EGIS).

In recognition of the benefits of international scientific exchange the EGS has established a curricular cooperation with universities in other countries, especially in Europe and the USA: Academy of Media Arts, Cologne; Graduate School for Arts, Munich (Germany); University of Arts, Berlin (Germany); University of Split (Croatia); Appalachian State University, North Carolina (United States); Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY (United States); University of Evora (Portugal); Clemson University, South Carolina (United States); 17, Instituto de Estudios Críticos, Mexico City (Mexico); Beit Berl College (Israel); NSCAD University, Nova Scotia (Canada); University of Pristina (Kosovo).