The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) was established in 2001 “to provide universally accessible vocational and professional education and training with an international dimension, responsive to the needs of the individual and the economy.” MCAST is the leading further and higher education institution in Malta for the provision of vocational qualifications with over 10,000 students and 640 academics and corporate personnel and 6 Institutes namely, the Institute of Applied Sciences, the Institute of Business Management and Commerce, the Institute of Community Services, the Institute for the Creative Arts, the Institute of Engineering and Transport and the Institute of Information and Communications Technology.
Since its inception, MCAST has striven to reach out to a wider spectrum of students enticing them to follow its vocational qualifications, providing them with various entry and exit points. MCAST’s portfolio spans a wide range of qualification levels, going from MQF/EQF level 1 qualifications to Master’s degrees in various areas. MCAST is widening its portfolio and building solid grounds in Research and Innovation and is developing further internal research capacity to meet the demands of Government and added value industry. As the leading provider of vocational education in Malta, MCAST aims to create a dynamic environment that encourages an active knowledge transfer between academics, students and partners from industry. A new MCAST campus is currently being developed which will host all the Institutes into the largest-single campus in Malta. MCAST is highly experience in international cooperation research and study programmes within Europe and beyond. The Centre for Maritime Studies within the Institute of Engineering and Transport is dedicated to the delivery of courses related to the maritime industry.
MCAST’s Centre for Maritime Studies offers both full-time and part-time courses. Full-time courses include the Diploma for Deck Operations, progressing to ranking officers such as the Officer In Charge of Navigational Watch, Chief Mate and Master Mariner qualifications. Lectures are delivered by qualified and experienced lecturers. Part-time courses lead to licenses required to operate sea craft in local waters. Other courses are intended for port workers and local maritime entities where a significant training level is required. Where necessary, qualifications offered by CMS follow STCW benchmarks and are endorsed by Transport Malta, the managing authority of the Maltese Flag. Typically, graduates from the Centre work on merchant shipping vessels, oil tankers and passenger cruise ships around the globe.
Read More: MCAST’s Centre for Maritime Studies (CMS) has partnered with Bumi Armada
City of Glasgow College is currently one of the largest colleges in Scotland offering a wide range of programmes at non advanced, advanced and professional levels to meet the needs of industry, business and commerce. The extensive curriculum covers areas such as Accounting and Finance, Business and Administration, Construction, Creative Industries, IT, Marketing and Procurement. In addition, the College has subject specialists in the areas of Beauty, Design, Engineering, Food and Hospitality, Maritime Studies, Holistic Therapies and Sport.
It is the mission of the College to deliver world class learning for individuals and enterprises, for Glasgow, Scotland and the International community. In addition, the College’s strategic priorities are to:
1) Engage and inspire students with world-class learning and teaching
2) Maximise student attainment and employability
3) Position the College as a prominent partner in support of Glasgow City Region and the national economy
4) Achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency through innovative practices and continuous improvement
5) Maintain our long-term financial stability.
The College services over 32,500 students, with 1,195 members of staff across the City Centre of Glasgow.
The College endeavours to provide all of its students with an experience that will support the development of their skills and employability prospects through working collaboratively alongside local, national and international partners to establish cross-referral protocols and promote joint working.
The main objective of the Malta Maritime Forum is to provide a platform for the Maltese maritime industry to promote existing maritime services and to assist in the development of new maritime activities. The Forum aims at promoting research, education, standards and training within the Maltese maritime industry, acting as a constituted body to consult and be consulted by government in the development of public policies that can have a bearing on Malta’s fast expanding maritime sector.
The Forum aims at being as inclusive as possible, giving a voice to all the relevant stakeholders in the field. The responsibility of the Forum is to harness the success obtained in various areas within the Maltese maritime sector and seek to disseminate them throughout the whole industry. Coordinating Malta’s efforts in this regard will enable the country to analyse the maritime industry’s sectorial strengths and weaknesses and subsequently to bank upon Malta’s strategic geographical position in order to make of the central Mediterranean island a maritime hub of excellence.