Student organisations are calling for more public funding for the university in the upcoming budget, saying the government should “communicate its willingness to invest in its students through actions, not mere words”.
Twenty-two student organisations, including Għaqda Studenti tal-Ligi (GħSL) and the Labour-leaning Pulse, expressed concern in a statement about the government’s attitude towards the University of Malta.
“Our concern arises from the current attitude, which is evident not only in how the University is spoken about but also in the financial support it receives,” the statement said.
The student organisations referenced Finance Minister Clyde Caruana’s remarks during a Times of Malta event, where he said: “The University of Malta needs to pull up its socks, roll up its sleeves, and generate income”.
“Following the finance minister's comments to an GħSL representative, the student body joins other voices in expressing concern over the proposed approach to addressing the University’s annual deficit,” the students said on Tuesday.
The University of Malta’s most recent publicly available financial statements date back to 2022, when it accrued a deficit of more than €5 million versus the €670,000 shortfall it ran the previous year.
Deficits are believed to have continued to accumulate in subsequent years, though their size remains unknown.
Writing in the foreword of the University of Malta’s 2023 annual report, Rector Alfred Vella attributed a budgetary shortfall to the government failing to increase its financial contribution in line with the additional outlay needed to finance increased salaries for academic staff.
The 22 student organisations backed their rector on Tuesday.
They said that while government spending on the University has nominally increased in past budgets;
“It has certainly not kept up with the rising costs necessary for guaranteeing the institution's continued ability to provide a quality education to the island's population and visiting students”.
“This has since given rise to an exponentially increasing deficit,” they said.
According to the government’s financial estimates for 2024, the University received €91 million in state funding in 2023. It received €88.2 million in 2022 and is expected to receive €94 million this year.
The University employs over 1,500 people, with roughly two-thirds of that contingent made up of academics who teach in more than 900 different courses. Well over 12,000 local students are enrolled in those programmes, with an additional 2,500 international students on campus.
The students said that generating income should not be the University’s main objective, as “the University’s primary purpose is to provide Malta with the workers, professionals, and leaders of tomorrow”.
The government needs to invest in the human resources of tomorrow to enable fulfilling lives, opportunities, and careers, they said.
“As students, we ask for no special treatment compared to our predecessors — just a well-equipped university and a stipend to help us through our full-time studies. Indeed, an investment in students now will only reap rewards for the country hereafter,” they said.
The way the University is spoken about, and the funding it receives, are both causes for concern, the student organisations said.
“We value free education, yet it needs more than ideals to survive. It warrants a serious and sustained investment because education benefits society as a whole. In lieu of this, Malta’s sole university only risks further decay,” the 22 student organisations said.
They appealed to the government to send “a clear message in this year’s budget”.
University should not be treated like a business but as “the key to Malta's future,” they said.
The statement was written on behalf of:
ASCS - Association of Students of Commercial Studies, BetaPsi, CSA - Criminology Students' Association, DESA - Department of English Students Association, ESA - Earth System Association, ESO - European Studies Organisation, GUG - Grupp Universitarji Għawdxin, GħSL - Għaqda Studenti tal-Ligi, GħMU - Għaqda tal-Malti Università, ICTSA - Information Communication Technology Students, JEF - Young European Federalists, JCA - Junior Chamber of Advocates, SĦS - Studenti Ħarsien Soċjali, MHSA - Malta Health Students' Association, MMSA - Malta Medical Students Association, MKSA - Media and Knowledge Sciences Association, MBSA - Malta Biochemistry Students' Association, PACTS - Pharmacology and Clinical Therapeutics Students' Society, Pulse, Scubed - Science Students' Society, SACES - Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students, UM Rowing - University of Malta Rowing Club.