The Institute of Tourism Studies has increased its level of self-accreditation, in a sign that the educational institution has learned from the "mistakes of the past", its CEO has announced.

Previously, any programme of courses that were higher than MQF Level 5 would need to be accredited by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA).

From Tuesday, ITS can independently accredit MQF Level 6 and 7 courses.

Pierre Fenech, head of ITS since 2015 told a news conference: “We had to learn from the mistakes of the past not to repeat them in the future".

He outlined how the institution, which specialises in tourism and hospitality, almost closed at one point due to failed audits, long-standing administrative issues and low standards.

But according to Fenech, this version of ITS is now long gone.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo added: "The ITS of today is not the ITS of ten years ago". 

Today courses at ITS range from foundation to master’s level and include areas of study such as climate-friendly travel courses and diving courses.

ITS is also the first Maltese educational institution to have satellites globally in countries like Jordan, Switzerland and China.

Rose Anne Cuschieri, the CEO of MFHEA said that hospitality was "one of the pillars of the Maltese economy" and described the increase in self-accreditation as "a step in the right direction.”