The number of students at the American University of Malta (AUM) has dwindled again, returning to the level registered when it first opened last September.
The embattled university started out with about 15 students at the beginning of the academic year and 20 more were recruited early this year, mostly from Cameroon and Bangladesh.
But although this group was meant to join the second semester, most of them either never turned up at the Cospicua campus or suddenly disappeared or quit their courses, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
Sources close to the AUM said that of the 16 Cameroonians originally recruited, only 12 arrived in Malta as the others “probably found their way to other EU Member States using their student visas”.
Of those who did arrive, some decided to quit their courses and return home while others simply “disappeared”.
No progress is being registered and this does not augur well for the future of this tertiary education facility
This newspaper is informed that only a handful of the original group are still attending lectures.
A source said the university was in dire straits when it came to student numbers. “No progress is being registered and this does not augur well for the future of this tertiary education facility.”
Last February, The Sunday Times of Malta reported that four Bangladeshis enrolled at the AUM had never showed up on campus and were suspected to have used their visas to travel to another EU country.
Identity Malta, which coordinates the issuing of student visas, started a probe after AUM officials notified the authorities of the students’ sudden disappearance. It is not known if the investigation has been concluded.
The AUM had originally been planning to start operating with 330 students. Those plans fell through when the new university, owned by Jordanian construction company Sadeen Group, failed to attract enough students.
Following that dismal start, the university fired a number of lecturers and members of its administration. A further blow came last Christmas when all the faculty members, recruited mainly from the US, were given termination letters a few days before their six-month probation period had elapsed.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat played down the situation, saying he still saw “traces of success” at the AUM and describing it as a “brilliant institution” on a par with the University of Malta.
The controversial deal signed between the government and the Sadeen Group included the granting of a large area of virgin land in Żonqor, Marsascala, to be turned into a fully-fledged campus and residences for hundreds of students. The plans were amended to fit a smaller footprint and a second campus identified in Cospicua following vociferous opposition from NGOs and the Opposition about the encroachment on virgin coastline.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com