[WATCH] Education minister: academics to take part in drawing up of university act

The government had no hidden agenda when it came to the governance structure as proposed in the draft document for a University of Malta act, education minister Evarist Bartolo said today, and it did not intend to introduce any heavy-handedness on the government’s part in the running of the university.

Speaking at a consultation session organised by the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, where the association presented its position paper on the government’s proposed university act, Bartolo explained that the nature of the document proposed was one which asked for consultation.

The proposed act had garnered criticim from UMASA, who objected to the governance structure proposed.

The government had chosen to present the draft act in the form of a green paper, through which it could take on board the views of the interested parties, Bartolo said.

In a comment to MaltaToday on how the government would address academic’s concerns on the effect of the governance structures being proposed on the university’s academic autonomy, Bartolo emphasised that he would be listening to suggestions academics, and would engage in consultation with them.

Academics would have the chance to take place in the drawing up of the final act, he maintained, and he was open to their ideas on how their role at different university levels can be increased.

Bartolo told academics at the sessions that, in the near future, there would be a bi-lateral meeting held between the government and UMASA, to discuss the contents of the draft act.

“The existing structures need to be changed, and the call for this comes from the academic body,” he maintained, adding that various academics had complained to him that there was no board of appeal at the university. 

“I look forward to every possible proposal to increase the participation of academic staff at every level of the university,” Bartolo stressed, saying that the new law should not be too dogmatic or too prescriptive, and that he had already met with university deans and students, and was impressed by their practical suggestions.

He said that the students had made a point that there might not be the need for four levels of governance at the university, a point he felt was very valid, as he mentioned that there might be too much red tape within the educational institution. 

Moreover, there would be a discussion of the composition of the governance board, in order to remove the danger of interference by the government of the day, he claimed. 

The aim was for there to subsequently be a plenary session in mid-February, bringing together all the different ideas. By that time there would be a clear idea of what the law might look like, he said. 

“I have always let the university decide for itself whom it wanted to run the university,” Bartolo said, adding that the Valletta campus would in the future be transferred to the University of Malta. 

Also addressing the session, UMASA president Jean Paul Baldacchino had previously said that the association was disappointed it had not been consulted in the drafting of the proposed act, and that it expected to be given as seat at the table when the time came to draft the white paper on the act. 

He reiterated that UMASA was opposing the introduction of a governing board as proposed in the draft document, maintaining that the university has a complex governance structure which is being threatened by the proposals of the document, which would see the introduction of more government influence into the structure.

UMASA was also proposing that it be granted an observer status on the Council, he said.

He added that the association however was very welcoming of the initiative to draw up a university act.

University rector Alfred J Vella, also present, said that it seemed the current proposals being applied to the university supported the notion that there would be a single university of Malta in the future. 

There was convergence on a number of university issues, from the point of view of academics, students and the university’s current governance boards, he said, although there were areas where the parties had parted company. 

He emphasised that the state had to reflect carefully on what the stakeholders were saying. Moreover, the public, another stakeholder, had not made its point yet, he maintained. 

“I am fairly convinced that the state will do the right thing,” he added.