Strengthening educational futures: ‘We want to put Malta on the map’

In the early 2000s, Malta began laying the groundwork for a further and higher education framework, which, by 2021, was being regulated by the autonomous and robust Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA). Here, Chief Executive Officer Dr Rose Anne Cuschieri speaks to Rebecca Anastasi, outlining the Authority’s mission and its drive to help shape the dynamic educational landscape across the globe.

Education is the cornerstone of every successful economy, with poverty reduction and social stability reliant on a country’s intellectual and skills development. Indeed, a report published by Education Finance Watch – a collaborative project between the World Bank, the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) – found that education lifts productivity, so that every one per cent increase in learning is associated with a change of 7.2 per cent in annual growth. Moreover, just one additional year of schooling raises earnings by 10 per cent.

Locally, the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) is driven to boost such transformations. “We are committed to forging a positive change, both locally and internationally, and to have a meaningful impact in the areas of further and higher education,” says the entity’s Chief Executive Officer, Rose Anne Cuschieri. The Authority’s mission, she continues, is “to foster the development and maintenance of high standards, ensuring that the island’s educational needs are met through various strategic actions and regulatory frameworks.”

To this end, the MFHEA employs “rigorous accreditation and quality assurance processes”. It also “promotes lifelong learning to ensure that those who get qualified here are recognised internationally, thus facilitating the mobility of students and professionals.”

In addition, and as part of its remit, the Authority “provides professional development opportunities for educators” and is “active in engaging and providing guidance, as well as support, to educational institutions in the development of curricula, so as to ensure they meet national and international standards, while also aligning educational offerings to the needs of the labour market.

In this way, we ensure that the further and higher educational system remains relevant,” Dr Cuschieri attests.

Across all its activities, the Authority is committed to quality, transparency, and accountability in education. “We operate on these foundational pillars which prioritise ethics and integrity, since we believe that these will help us navigate the evolving needs of the educational landscape.” Such transformation has been substantial in recent years, with “online teaching and learning, mobility, and the widening of diversity in educational methodologies” creating new scenarios and requiring a balancing act.

“For instance, Malta is attracting many foreign students, so we need to be aware of any intercultural issues, while also opening up opportunities to all, regardless of their socioeconomic or national background. We also need to do this while safeguarding our own language, and culture, of course.”

This is no easy feat, and it is one which requires extensive collaboration with global partners. Indeed, the Authority, Dr Cuschieri says, is actively engaged with European networks and initiatives which promote high standards and quality assurance, including the Council of Europe’s educational subgroups.

“Malta’s role in the Council had been absent for some time, but we’re now participants and contributors, with the Authority a bureau member of ETINED (Council of Europe platform on ethics) and EPAN (Education Policy Advisors Network).”

Furthermore, the MFHEA is a member of the Bologna Follow Up Group, as well as represented on the Global Policy Dialogue and Fundamental Values Working Groups, the Working Group on Monitoring the Implementation of the Bologna Process, and the Social Dimension Working Group. “We’re essentially involved in most of the Working Groups; that’s a feather in our cap and, indeed, the more we get involved, the more we network and the more our expertise is sought, so it’s a domino effect.”

Moreover, the entity collaborates with European quality assurance agencies, “to keep abreast of any new development in the field.” Elaborating, Dr Cuschieri describes the involvement of the Authority in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), which represents a consortium of quality assurance agencies within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). “We’re affiliates, but we participate in meetings and provide our input.”

Last year, the entity applied to become a full member of ENQA, to strengthen the Authority’s profile. “Becoming a member would be a mark of prestige and open the door to valuable networking opportunities, so this was one of the first things we embarked on when I joined in 2018. We knew we had to work hard to become ready to submit for membership, and we needed time. We had the physical audit last October, and, hopefully, we’ll have a reply soon.”

Closer to home, the Authority also holds regular consultations with local stakeholders, and organises collaborative initiatives. “We facilitate an open dialogue and gather input to establish our policies and our practice. We have an advisory committee, formed by experts in the field and from industry – and this includes The Malta Chamber of Commerce – which has been instrumental.

“As a point of principle, we maintain transparent communication with all our stakeholders, while also considering their perspectives, so we understand what we need to take action on. In this way, we reinforce our identity and achieve our own objectives in improving the quality of education across the board,” the CEO says.

These close ties were crucial in the development of ‘Malta’s National Strategic Action Plan for Further and Higher Education 2022-2030’, launched by the MFHEA, together with the Ministry of Education this year.

“We started the process to formulate the strategy by having an open consultation; our goal was to take a comprehensive view of the changes necessary and respond effectively to a swiftly evolving scenario. The plan is the culmination of extensive collaboration – we, effectively, codesigned the strategy with national and international benchmarks in mind, and with an understanding of where we want to get to by 2030, and that is the creation of a dynamic and resilient knowledge ecosystem,” Dr Cuschieri attests.

This is set to have a substantial impact on individuals keen to continue their education journey. “We want to inspire them and equip them with the necessities so that we, as a society, are able to move towards a more digital and greener economy. We are confident that this strategic plan will pave the way to significant advancements in Malta’s educational system, fostering growth and sustainability for future generations,” she affirms.

Dr Cuschieri is optimistic about the future. “In the coming months, we want to remain focused on our overall mission, to foster innovation and encourage collaborative research projects among universities and other institutions. For, every year is another opportunity for the Authority to continue its growth and success,” she smiles.

Moreover, the entity is driven to continue fostering innovation, the sharing of expertise and promoting life-long learning. “We are deepening our relationships with our local and international counterparts – we don’t just meet, but we exchange ideas and experience. We want to put Malta on the map, to improve our visibility and help shape the global educational landscape. We have a wonderful team here, and I believe we will succeed,” she concludes.

This interview was first featured on Business Now magazine, the sister brand to BusinessNow.mt, both owned and produced by Content House