Agreement for university research in SMEs

This research, which will be fully funded by the ministry, will serve to establish the solid, peer-reviewed, and ongoing study of SMEs as an important requisite of policy making, at present under the auspices of the Parliamentary Secretariat.

The agreement will seek to foster the collaboration between the scholarly expertise of University and the resources and policy direction of government. The study will lead to a detailed report on the findings of the research and their relevance to policy development, followed by the dissemination of information regarding the contents of the report.

Dr Mark Anthony Falzon, head of the sociology department, said the collaborative venture will enhance the profile of the department as a centre for research. Dr Jason Azzopardi, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Land, said the agreement will create a sound relationship between the ministry and the university, and help government design tailor-made policy to suit Malta’s SMEs’ needs.

Dr Jason Azzopardi and Mr Alfred Camilleri, Permanent Secretary, signed the Agreement on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, while Rector Professor Juanito Camilleri and Dr Mark Anthony Falzon, signed on behalf of the University of Malta.