Malta: Restructuring of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology
As from October 2015, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), the main provider of post-secondary VET courses in Malta, has been reorganised to further develop and strengthen its organisational structure and better address the needs of students at different levels.
MCAST provides different programmes ranging from Level 1 to Level 6 of the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF). In order to strengthen each of these different levels, MCAST, whilst remaining one entity, has established three Colleges: the Foundation College, the Technical College and the University College. In this way, MCAST is emphasising the possibility of one continuous and strong pathway between the different levels. This corporate structure enables each College to create focused strategies that address the specific needs of students at each level while maintaining a healthy dialogue with all interested stakeholders:The Foundation College focuses on providing curricula and learning pedagogies for candidates following courses at MQF/EQF Levels 1, 2 and 3. This is achieved by addressing students’ specific needs and preparing them for further education at the Technical College.
The Technical College provides MQF/EQF Level 4 programmes in closer collaboration with industry. The Advanced Diplomas on offer prepare students for technical jobs within industry, or to progress to the University College. These programmes incorporate a wide range of apprenticeships enabling students to gain practical work experience while they are studying.
The University College caters for higher education programmes and vocational degrees while also working in close collaboration with industry. Thus these students are both academically prepared and practically trained to satisfy the current needs of local industry.