Conflict vs war

Would those who jumped like hungry hyenas to try and ridicule Speaker Anġlu Farrugia for having used the word “conflict” instead of “war” when referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine – including Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelensky – also pour scorn on none other than Winston Churchill for having used precisely the same word when he referred to the unbelievable heroics of British and other pilots in perhaps one of the most famous battles of World War II, the Battle of Britain?

Members of the Ukrainian army’s mobile evacuation unit treat a wounded soldier. Photo: AFP

Thus: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

I dare suggest that Churchill knew that he was speaking about wars when he had uttered those famous words!

Churchill’s famous words can easily be attributed today to the heroic Ukrainian people who are fighting to defend their motherland from Vladimir Putin’s criminal madness.

Eddy Privitera – Naxxar

Correct procedure to revise awarded grade

Reference is made to the article ‘University says beyond Ombudsman’s scrutiny’ (May 10).

The University of Malta (UM) would like to clarify the following:

(i) The title of this article may give the erroneous impression that UM is disrespectful to the Office of the Ombudsman – commissioner for education. This could not be further from the truth as the UM holds this office in high esteem and has always collaborated in a timely and efficient manner to assist in any matter brought to its attention by the commissioner.

(ii) The case under review involves a postgraduate student who read a master’s with the Institute for Islands and Small States and who was dissatisfied with the overall grade awarded for his dissertation.

(iii) In its reply to the Ombudsman, the UM clarified that the board of examiners was constituted according to the provisions of the law (Subsidiary Legislation 327.88) and that the three members of the board, including a world-renowned external examiner, were all competent to assess this multidisciplinary dissertation.

(iv) Following the outcome of the viva and the publishing of the final mark, the student had the right to file a request for a revision of the grade awarded. Had he invoked this procedure, an additional examiner would have been nominated to the board to assess the dissertation.

(v) The student opted not to contest the final mark as per UM procedures and, instead, filed a complaint with the Ombudsman. In his report, the Ombudsman recommended that the UM reconstitutes the board of examiners with academics of “appropriate expertise”. In its reply, the University respectfully outlined the procedure that is applicable in such cases and,  while highlighting senate’s autonomous role as pivotal in nominating boards of examiners, also explained to the commissioner why the academics chosen were in fact competent and suitable for the role.

(vi) For the record, the student in question was asked to make major revisions to his dissertation by the board of examiners and was eventually awarded a pass mark which enabled him to graduate in March 2022.

Pierre Cassar, director Marketing, Communications and Alumni, University of Malta

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