While every effort should be made to ensure that the impasse the University has faced during the past months passes without inflicting permanent damage, perhaps one should go a step further than the 75-plus pages of the collective agreement presented to all academic staff by the unions last Thursday. It would not be amiss to look at the University both internally and in terms of the first impressions it gives to the public.

First reactions from the public about University academics are unfortunately negative. The University's efforts to win overwhelming public support do not seem to have worked. However, while there is some disquiet about some academic members of staff, a number of positive comments are also expressed by students, by those who receive services from the University, especially employers, and invariably by overseas universities where our students undergo postgraduate and research activities.

It may be worthwhile for the University emphasising two aspects to help maintain a healthy and harmonious relationship between the University and the unions. Firstly, the academics' educational, training, research and development goals need to be met. And secondly, academics' development should be supported to satisfy their aspirations, in line with those of other European universities.

Research is an essential element of any university and the administration has a duty to ensure that the academic body makes a significant contribution towards research, be it cultural, professional, clinical or scientific. The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) and Malta Enterprise may offer a way to enhance the University's research network based and it may be opportune to set up a Ministry for Innovation, Research and Technology to develop these aspects.

Clearly, the University this year will not be in a position to spend large sums of money directly on research. Instead, it must use its expertise, knowledge and influence to help industry build its capacity to conduct research, and to gain access to the much larger funds available, for example, from various European Union sources. The target must be to adopt an affordable strategy that helps keep academics informed of the latest research, improves the evidence base of the University and results in the enhancement of attention to the needs of the country.

Proper research will enable University academics to speak authoritatively and formulate policy proposals, which should always be based on sound empirical evidence. This is clearly needed in such areas as the setting of Malta Environment and Planning Authority policies, where emotion, be it of developers or of the environment lobbyists, often run counter to evidence-based arguments.

Improved two-way communication with the public is also essential. University academics and students must feel they own the University to represent it to the outside world. Politicians especially, and society generally, must be kept informed of all developments at the University. The University administration should seek to use every channel available to allow it to have its academics' work and contribution to society publicised. The public's views and feedback must in turn reach the university.

The University must make sure the public understands what it is doing. An interactive and relevant website offers the best route to achieving this. The University's website needs improvement and it ought to become interactive. Departments and student organisations require all possible support to enable such a website to be developed.

Considering the humble resources available, the services rendered by the Communications and Alumni Office are outstanding and greatly appreciated. However, modern ways of communicating require a change from the civil service attitude to a more public-friendly, open-house form of publicity. For this to be achieved, the cooperation of all academic staff is required. It is a pity that such a requirement does not form an important part of the collective agreement for the academic staff.

The University is now psychologically and strategically ready to accept change in 2009. The academics are flexible enough to accept new roles which may even fill gaps in the government structures through consultation and participation in various boards. Such commitments may form part of the package offered to academics, narrowing the apparent divide between the government and the University. The University is flexible enough to deliver services in a way that best suits Malta's particular requirements.

Dialogue is the answer. There should be no excuse to avoid dialogue or to hinder consultations. There is no reason why 2009 should not be a prosperous year for the University.