We have come a long way… | Joseph Cacciottolo

Prof. Joseph Cacciottolo is  Pro-Rector for Academic Affairs

Universities have been part of the European social landscape for well over 900 years. They were conceived as exclusive, almost monastic teaching institutions wherein academic freedom was much prized and jealously guarded, and where scholars developed knowledge in its breadth and depth.

The advancement of knowledge is an essential requisite in any civilization. Gradually, and often against formidable political odds, religious oppression, bigotry and sheer ignorance, discovery and the testing of new ideas became the ethos of successful universities. Institutions that failed to embrace critical thinking and innovation, withered, and fell by the wayside. Research and quick response to change, in turn continue to contribute directly and indirectly to the quality, relevance and scope of teaching.

The University of Malta has undergone crucial changes both in concept and in operation. This University, in consonance with European universities of repute, has to a large extent moved away from building bastions, exceptionality and insularity to become a vibrant open community of scholars, teachers and students willing to build bridges. The University of Malta is increasingly more inclusive and diverse; it seeks to be as responsive as possible to today’s needs and aspirations both at an individual level and on a national scale.

The characteristics of the student body have also changed significantly over a relatively short period of time; there are more mature students, and the proportion of international students continues to grow. The size and composition of the current student body is completely different from what prevailed a mere generation ago; 60% of students are women, postgraduate studies have mushroomed and the University welcomes students with different abilities and ways of learning. The number of students pursuing higher studies at doctoral level is on the increase every year and partly as a result, the quality, span, and volume of research are at an all-time high.

Wilhelm von Humboldt’s 19th Century concept of a University, integrating the teaching of arts and sciences with research served its purpose well and is still much discussed. However, times have changed radically and a modern University that seeks to remain relevant to its milieu needs to also engage with society at all levels. It needs to reach out, seek strategic partnerships and form an integral part of the community that supports it. Most, but not all, Universities that consider themselves ivory towers, aloof, and cut-off from the realities and concerns of communities at large are now difficult to sustain.

The Faculty for Social Wellbeing is a young Faculty, now in its eleventh year since its foundation. However, over these few years this Faculty has come a long way in many aspects. The nine Departments within the Faculty make up a whole that is greater than the sum of parts. As a team, and individually, Departments and their academic staff address the concepts and practicalities of the wellbeing of contemporary society in a holistic manner that traverses and integrates disciplines. The relationship between the Faculty and its many stakeholders is a close one; this is both necessary and useful, as it ensures relevance and robustness of the educational products that the University offers.

In its teaching, research, and engagement with society, the Faculty for Social Wellbeing reflects the needs, concerns and aspirations of today’s society in general, and particularly so the Maltese community in its diversity.

The Faculty has never shied away from addressing topical issues that may lead to heated debates at all strata of society, and this reflects the positive attitude of engagement with society by the University as a whole.

This engagement with controversial and frequently politically-charged issues debated at national level is indeed one of the strengths of the Faculty. Very often, individuals and teams from the Faculty are instrumental in putting across rational and scientific approaches to debates and argument at a community level. The Faculty is also a valuable advocate for social change, at times by highlighting the plight and needs of the disadvantaged, the dispossessed, the excluded and the vulnerable.

The educational experience that the Faculty offers is learner-centred and is frequently designed around the capabilities and diverse needs of its students. It is facilitated by contact and support in an environment that fosters reciprocal learning between teachers and students.

Above all, the learning experience in all aspects of social wellbeing is geared towards the development of tomorrow’s leaders; responsible and socially aware citizens that think critically, and approach practical situations both rationally and with empathy.