Taking management skills forward | Malta Institute of Management

The Malta Institute of Management was formed the same year as Malta’s independence (1964). How have you seen the institute develop and flourish over the past 53 years?

The Malta Institute of Management (MIM) was founded in 1964 with no coincidence that the same year Malta’s independence. The MIM was formed in view of the National Independence as it aimed at finding a way to train Maltese persons in taking over the vacant positions that would be left by the British within the Public and Private sector. Indeed it aimed at ensuring the necessary skills were available even if not through formal qualifications. Its mission today has not changed in the sense that it still seeks to ensure that the necessary management skills are available in Malta in order to ensure economic growth. 

MIM is a not for profit and a non-political body solely focused on conveying management and business skills. It provides necessary training channels and knowledge to individuals and organizations in order for them to operate within the challenges the market poses and be highly competitive in the business environment. 

Over the past 53 years, MIM ingrained the lead of management development in Malta. As an institute, it developed and flourished through time as it was capable to adapt quickly to the challenges globalization posed on business in particular, in the case of Malta, with the limitation due to its size. Indeed, MIM today provides internationally recognised qualifications also in collaboration with international organisations.

Being the leading business and management school in Malta, in which ways does MIM ensure it equips professionals with the necessary tools to challenge today’s business environment?

The Malta Institute of Management can be seen as full circle, a hub that connects together students and professionals in the business environment. MIM equips students with the necessary knowledge to acquire the crucial tools and methods for them to enter the highly competitive business scene. However, it also helps managers and business entrepreneurs to enhance and improve their skills and contribute more effectively in the development of their company or the organization they represent. This is achieved through the wide range of educational programmes in management and business and is also the focal point of professionals. MIM consistently offers training through courses, seminars and workshops in order for professionals to improve their competencies as well as provide assistance and guidance to raise profit and increase investment. 

Why would one want to belong to MIM, and what are the benefits of membership? How do classes of membership differ from one another?

Being a member in this pioneer institute gives real benefits to its members by offering the nonpareil experience this institute had gained through the various years it operated as well as helps the individual to develop tools and increase its individual portfolio. MIM members are given focused and effective training first of all through the numerous activities, events and courses it organises from time to time coupled with the state of art teaching methods it enriched and ripe through time.

As a member you have the opportunities to share ideas and concerns with people within the same sector and not and at the same time be up to date on the relevant and contemporary business issues. Moreover, you can also benefit from professional management advice and support. There are various types of classes; Fellows, Honorary Members, Members, Associate Members, Affiliates, Student Affiliate Members and also Corporate Members. This difference in class membership was designed exclusively to welcome a wider range of business professionals into the institute. Classes differ from each other according to the practices and academic qualifications in the respective areas of specialization. As a member you are entitled to a membership certification and a post nominal title. You are also invited to umpteen networking events, round-table discussions, educational courses seminars and conferences. Knowledge is also further expanded thanks to the diverse and apt publication of studies and research papers. 

With the phasing in of the continuous professional development the members will gain even more status in the sense that being a member shall mean that the individual is keeping abreast with the latest management theories and practice. An upcoming initiative is expected to be the employers’ scheme, details of which will come up in the coming months.

Could you give us some information regarding the training programmemes in business and management which are available at the institute?

The Malta Institute of Management designs training courses specifically to meet the expectations of employee’s specific needs and requirements. In the dynamic environment we live and work in, the worker necessitates constant schooling and upgrade of skills. If the employee fails to do so, he will not be able to function in the fast paced and complex environment of nowadays. 

MIM delivers courses in areas were it feels that there is a skills gap within the economy. In this context, given the role Malta has taken in the International tax scenario, it has focused part of its efforts on the ensuring adequate training in Malta covering a huge gap the market had. The two main qualification in the area of taxation are the moment are the ‘Advanced Diploma in International Taxation’ and the ‘Diploma in VAT Compliance.’ These have been running successfully over a decade and gave the Maltese practitioners an unprecedented opportunity in Malta. Indeed, to date there is no equivalent qualifications in Malta. 

Other qualifications the MIM is delivering are the Diploma in Businesses Management, the Certificate in Payroll, certificate in real estate, the Diploma in Insolvency and Company Liquidation, the Certificate for Company Secretaries, the Qualification for the Company Secretaries with the Institute of Company Secretaries and Administrators. 

MIM offers also various Masters and post graduate diplomas through Edinburgh Business School having some 300 ongoing Maltese students per annum. Edinburgh Business School is the second largest business school in the world in terms of MBA students. 

What is the overall aim of the MIM?

Our mission statement is: ‘To enhance the management profession in Malta within a broad international framework focusing on developing the competence, ethics and effectiveness of managers’. 

As an institute we strive to provide leaders, managers and students the right tools to get qualified, to be trained and to act effectively and efficaciously and at the same time offer the right networking opportunities and support. MIM acts as a consultative body that directs, advises and helps both prospective and existing managers to thrive in their business experience.

MIM also acts as the voice of the managers in Malta and in various circumstances it has been involved on various discussions. Indeed, regularly MIM issues position papers or research papers on areas of interest to its members.