Oil & gas partnership between Global College Malta and Bluhull Group.

Global College Malta (GCM), the first tertiary education facility at SmartCity, has signed an agreement with Bluhull Group to partner on promoting GCM's Oil & Gas related courses to Bluhull partners, stakeholders and staff. Bluhull believes in the importance of education with Oil & Gas degree and post-graduate courses for professionals in the field taking centre stage through GCM's selection by leading oil & gas educator Robert Gordon University as its primary hub in the Mediterranean.

One of Bluhull's most important missions is to promote higher education in the oil & gas sector. GCM sees the importance of cooperation with the local business sector and professionals in the field, which can lead to lasting value in numerous ways, such as supplying graduates to Bluhull or offering students of GCM's degree courses internship within the company. These shared values and a keen understanding of the increasing importance of higher education in the industry led to the landmark agreement being signed.

Robert Gordon University announced late last year that it is working in partnership with Global College Malta to deliver three of its oil and gas engineering courses. To be launched in March, the partnership agreement will see industry experts from RGU’s teaching staff travel to GCM to deliver an MSc Oil and Gas Engineering.

GCM, which opened in September last year, is the first higher education establishment in SmartCity Malta and currently offers four British-style business and management related courses. Targeting students from Malta, Africa and the Middle East, the RGU courses will mirror the content delivered at RGU’s home campus in Aberdeen, Europe’s oil capital, and are tailored to reflect the latest industry demand, equipping the Malta-based students with the relevant skills and knowledge required for successful graduate employment within the oil & gas segment. The teaching programme will combine a mixture of on campus lectures delivered at GCM by RGU staff and distance learning. On completion of the courses, GCM students will graduate with an RGU degree certificate at a ceremony held on GCM’s campus.

Brian Smart, Rector at Global College Malta said he was delighted to partner with Bluhull who have established a global business from their base in Malta: “GCM is delighted to be working with Bluhull and RGU to bring world-class oil & gas postgraduate education to the strategic location of Malta. The course commencing in March is of great significance to the region and Malta, particularly as Malta begins a new round of exploration in its territorial waters and should be a key factor in helping to meet the government’s objective of growing the provision of higher education to foreign students on the island."

Bluhull Group is an expert in the Human Resources Management and Development areas of the oil & gas industry across 3 continents. Candidates are screened and interviewed to identify the right candidates for the right job. The founders provide Bluhull Group with over 25 years of valued reputation and experience in the industry with direct involvement onboard drilling installations and marine vessels, project management and personnel management.

Bluhull Managing Director Jonathan Borg says, "I consider myself a link in a larger movement aiming to secure a responsible energy future through sustainable development with very high-quality education being at the heart of this philosophy. A key comparative differentiator for us is technology, both in terms of equipment, research and implementation which Bluhull brings into its operations. With Professor Smart's impeccable credentials in the field and with GCM aligned to RGU, we feel this is the most viable route to securing global talent from the tertiary sector. 

Mr. Borg went on to say, "Through Bluhull I want to secure Malta’s long-term presence in the development and growth of the oil and gas sector in terms of creating a regional hub for oil and gas investors, in various fields such as research and production, development of other capabilities in the industry such as rig stops, project support services and engineering provisions of design, human resources management and other specialist services. Having access to best practice and consulting through GCM will reinforce that position, as will a steady flow of graduates emerging from GCM's advanced teaching facility. When you look at the Mediterranean today and see the drilling activities going on in our neighbouring countries and with the arrival of RGU on our doorstep, I cannot but think that Malta can be the centre of excellence in developing into a platform in exporting services to the oil and gas industry. We look forward to working closely with Professor Smart and his team."