University of Malta rector Alfred Vella has denounced the lack of local funds for research and innovation, as he made a strong case against the closure of schools in the face of the pandemic.
“Research and innovation are not being given much support. We do tap into EU funding for research but I would like to see more local funds and a bigger commitment by the state,” he said as he addressed the EY Malta event which discussed attractiveness and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
The event was held against the backdrop of the result of EY Malta’s attractiveness survey, which found that Malta’s attractiveness to foreign investors is at its lowest-ever level since data started being collected 16 years ago.
It found that the lack of stability in the political environment is being viewed as a drawback by investors when, previously, the country’s political stability was a leading factor in drawing investors to the island.
The majority of respondents still find Malta an attractive destination for foreign direct investment but, at 62 per cent, this figure is the lowest the survey has ever recorded.
The figure is down 15 percentage points from last year.
A quarter of respondents now say Malta is not an attractive investment destination – up 10 percentage points over 2019.
The university rector stressed that, while everybody was worried about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, climate change would bring “a bigger catastrophe”.
“I do not think we are as focused on climate change as we are on COVID.
“If nothing changes, the outcomes are going to be much worse than what COVID-19 has delivered to date. I would like more research and innovation focused on climate action and sustainability, particularly waste and water management,” Vella told the virtual conference.
He also insisted that the closure of schools should be the very last resort and that children do not get their education from home but at school.
“Home is not where education happens,” he said.
Vella said the university took unprecedented action following the onset of the pandemic by lowering the entry requirements for some of the courses because of the effect the lack of preparation in the last scholastic year had on their studies.
He said he was not advocating the lowering of standards but said this year would be a test period to see if these students follow through to the next year.
If it works, the university would need to revisit entry requirements, he said.
Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry president David Xuereb des-cribed Monday’s Budget as an unprecedented and social one although he said the addition of a day’s vacation leave “could have been postponed to another year”.
“Malta needs to emerge from the fog,” he said.
“It needs clarity in vision so we appeal to commitment to make Malta a smart island that enhances the quality of life of its people, in tandem with good governance measures.”