At MCAST, a war over engineering degrees rages

As the engineering board prepares to start granting warrants to MCAST graduates, the engineering trade union fears that this will cause serious harm to the profession.

The Malta Association of Professional Engineers (MAPE) told Times of Malta that since MCAST’s courses are unaccredited, unlike the University of Malta’s courses, allowing MCAST graduates to obtain a warrant would lower the engineering standard. “The principle of a level playing field would be completely erased, with consequential damage to the repute of the engineering profession as it stands today,” it said.

The long-standing feud between MAPE and the engineering profession board continues and recently a court rejected the union’s attempt to block a vote by the board that would allow MCAST graduates to apply for a warrant. Although many warrant applications by MCAST graduates have been submitted, they remained on hold. The vote allows processing of the applications and interviews to begin.

The decision to grant MCAST graduates a warrant would also open the door to any person who presents qualifications that are not accredited, the union warned. It clarified that it has nothing against MCAST students, but it fears allowing graduates of unaccredited courses to be granted warrants will lower the profession’s standards.

MCAST is not confident that the engineering courses it runs would pass the accreditation process- Malta Association of Professional Engineers

How does accreditation work?

The University of Malta’s engineering courses have been accredited by an agency that is recognised by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE).

ENAEE is an organisation that defines common European standards for the engineering profession and recognises accreditation agencies to use these standards.

MCAST’s engineering courses are not accredited, although years ago it had engaged German accreditation agency ASIIN, which is recognised by ENAEE, to evaluate MCAST’s engineering courses and help restructure them to meet European standards.

The agency released an evaluation report in 2022 concluding that MCAST’s engineering courses meet European standards. But this does not mean MCAST’s courses are accredited, as the report clearly states that this was only an evaluation.

MAPE also questioned why MCAST never applied for accreditation after ASIIN’s evaluation report. “It seems that MCAST has got cold feet, as it is now obvious that MCAST is not confident that the engineering courses it runs would pass the accreditation process.”

Court takes board’s side

In October, the engineering board approved a vote allowing MCAST graduates to be considered for warrants. Two board members, both affiliated with MAPE, voted against the decision.

The union tried to block the decision by filing a prohibitory injunction shortly afterwards. Maltese law states that the board shall grant a warrant to anyone who has a degree from the University of Malta or “an equivalent academic qualification”.

The union argued that since the university’s courses are accredited and MCAST’s are not, then MCAST’s courses cannot be considered “an equivalent academic qualification”.

It added the board had previously insisted accreditation was required to obtain a warrant, referring to a 2021 e-mail sent to the American University of Malta (AUM) in which the board stated that its engineering programme needed accredi tation for its graduates to be eligible for a warrant under Maltese law.

On this point, the union told Times of Malta: “Allowing MCAST students to apply for a warrant contradicts the position the board took with AUM and constitutes clear discrimination.”

On the other hand, the board argued that MCAST referred to ASIIN’s evaluation and how it found that MCAST’s engineering courses meet European standards.

The board added that MCAST is a “self-accrediting” institution, just like the University of Malta, and as such it does not need to obtain accreditation from third-party institutions.

Madam Justice Doreen Clarke was convinced by the board’s arguments and denied MAPE’s request, as the union was unable to prove that it would suffer any “disproportionate prejudice” if the request was rejected.

Following the ruling, the board told Times of Malta that the court’s ruling supports the board’s decision as it “clearly defines and upholds the manner in which the board decides on applications for the issuing of engineering warrants”.

It added AUM “never requested that its course be considered for the issuing of a warrant, nor has any of its graduates ever applied to be issued with a warrant”.

“The board applies the law as written, and the law does not distinguish between applicants on the basis of nationality, whether Maltese, EU, or non-EU, with all applications being assessed according to the same legal and regulatory framework,” it said.