The Institute for Tourism Studies yesterday blamed its poor score in an EU audit on shortcomings in the way the institute used to be run.
The Times of Malta yesterday published the findings of an audit of ITS’s quality as-surance mechanisms which gave the institute a failing grade in 10 out of 11 sections.
In a statement, ITS said as soon as the institute’s current administration took office it identified “serious gaps in the management structure” and had embarked on a process to rectify the situation.
A strategic action plan, it said, had already been launched prior to the audit, which the auditor praised. It had also taken steps to consolidate its programmes of study and increase human resources. Other measures included a review of its full-time programmes.
“The new curriculum was devised on the needed distribution of key competencies, sectoral skills and underpinning knowledge. This was the first time since ITS’s inception that a curriculum was devised according to such high quality assurance practices involving both internal and external stakeholders,” the statement said.
The institute added that it had also formed an innovative scientific committee of leading industry stakeholders to further shape the curriculum to meet the industry’s current and future needs.