On July 1, 2024, Science Malta (Xjenza Malta) was officially launched as the successor entity to the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST). One might ask, ‘What’s in a name?’, but in reality, this was much more than a simple name-change. In fact, the establishment of this Government Agency, by means of L.N. 112 of 2024: Public Administration Act (Cap. 595); Science Malta (Establishment as an Agency) Order, 2024, was induced by the structural need to have in place a stronger institutional set-up to drive forward the R&I agenda. This includes the amalgamation of the Foundation’s contribution to nation-wide scientific research elements, with the operational administration of the flagship National Interactive Science Centre, Esplora, so crucial for outreach and interaction with all of the Maltese society, previously managed by an Agency of limited scope. 

Xjenza Malta will therefore henceforth bring together under its responsibility all activities related to Research and Innovation, including Policy Development and Implementation, Funding Programmes and Space-related matters, and the day-to-day running and enhancement of Esplora services, thus representing an institutional shift in the centrality of research and innovation policy making within the public administration, the due attention that this policy needs within the macroeconomic narrative of the country and, through Esplora, the annual public interaction with thousands of people, presenting science in a popular  and palatable manner to all and sundry. 

This major development did not come about by chance. Upon my taking over the Chief Executive role within MCST, 18 months ago, it became immediately apparent that the loose administrative and legal set-up of the MCST as a Foundation was simply not enough. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, I must reiterate that sterling work had been done up until today, but that the frailty of the set-up might prove to be a stifling and hindering factor for the future ambitious plans we have for this sector.

Signing of Xjenza Malta Collective Agreement for Employees.

The formal Agency structure will mean it shall be a “body corporate”, with a distinct legal personality, capable of entering into contracts, acquiring, holding  and disposing of property for the purposes of its functions, and other provisions emanating from this transition into a fully-fledged Government Agency, with all that entails. This will give Xjenza Malta a freedom of operation, within its legal and operational parameters of course, that will serve as a major boost to the Research, Innovation, and Space sectors in Malta and will give it a freer hand in developing and improving Esplora as both a commercial product and an educational service to the populace.

In anticipation of these increased and enlarged responsibilities, administrative and technical structures were beefed-up over the last few months. These efforts were officially recognised, culminating in our significant achievement of the ‘Best Practice in Good Governance Award’ from among all public entities, as adjudicated by the National Audit Office (NAO), following an extensive auditing exercise conducted on several random samples of our public fund administration. The NAO concluded that the processes and documents vetted were not only fully in accordance with the principles of good governance, demonstrating accountability and transparency in administration, but a ‘Best Practice’ example in the administration and governance of public monies. This augurs well for the work of the Agency, the work ethic ingrained in our staff being the major asset that we will carry forward into the future. This certificate of competence, indeed excellence, awarded by the Parliamentary body entrusted with rigorously monitoring the administration of public resources, the National Audit Office, is ample proof of the success of the dedicated groundwork made in these last months as preparation for the planned expansion of the plethora of services we are offering the public and the scientific community. 

Visitors engage with the Planet Earth exhibit.

Xjenza Malta (Science Malta) will act as the national research and space policy development and programming arm of the Government, with a robust and clear mandate to engage in a sustained growth and diversification of its portfolio, including the vital research funding. The Xjenza Malta FUSION research funding programmes currently offer seven unique schemes aimed at developing and commercialising innovative technologies through a budget that has steadily risen from €3.5 million in 2021 to €5 million in 2024. Science Malta will be spearheading the Government’s goal to reach an annual FUSION budget of €8.2 million per year, by the end of the current legislative period in 2027 as per its pre-electoral pledge.

This increase in funding has been complemented by a diversification of our services, primarily through an enhanced effort on R&I internationalisation endeavours. Over recent months, we have put in place several new collaborative agreements, notably with the UAE and Spain, with more such agreements in the pipeline, such as a new mobility scheme with Italy’s renowned Centro Nazionale della Ricerca (CNR). Science Malta has also doubled its funding for the flagship Sino-Malta R&I Programme and the joint funding programme with the Turkish Research Council (Tubitak), and tripled its participation in joint and scoping actions through the Joint Programming Initiative on Oceans (JPI Oceans).

Mediterranean R&I researchers attending a collaborative activity at Esplora.

Horizon Europe – the EU’s Framework programme for R&I – also offers myriad opportunities, and I am proud to point out that, with the help and guidance we have offered to academic, public and private entity players in the sector, participation in collaborative calls has been improving, and we  are currently coordinating Malta’s participation in three co-fund partnerships – the Transforming Healthcare Systems Partnership (THCS), the Clean Energy Technologies Partnership (CETP) and the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP), and striving, and looking forward,  to increasing Malta’s participation in new Co-fund Partnerships in the areas of brain health and resilient cultural heritage.

The new legal mandate for Science Malta also strengthens the organisation’s remit in the area of Space policy, establishing Science Malta as the institutional liaison body with the European Space Agency (ESA), and brokered Malta’s elevation to membership of the Plan for European Cooperating States (PECS), backed by an unprecedented annual €1.5 million investment for a five-year period of competitive funding calls for Maltese entities.  Science Malta shall, in close collaboration with the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth, Research & Innovation, be spearheading the ushering in of a public consultation exercise on a new legal framework for Space activities. All these developments underline the fact that the step we have taken is, in substance, a giant leap (with apologies to the late Neil Armstrong) for the Research, Innovation and Space sectors in Malta.

Sun-and-fun with water experiment.

All these achievements did not take place in a vacuum, in isolation from other efforts or in some elitist environment that is out of touch with our population. We have complemented investments at the cutting edge of the scientific sector, with parallel STEM education efforts in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Public interaction with all levels of our society, for Maltese and Gozitans of all academic backgrounds and levels, and of all ages – from grandchildren to grandparents – is coordinated and executed by Esplora, the National Interactive Science Centre in Kalkara that welcomes an annual influx of over 200,000 visitors.  As a Government Agency with the responsibility for its running, Xjenza Malta will now have boundless possibilities to take what is currently on offer at Esplora to new heights, making it more than ever a must-visit for Maltese and foreigners alike. 

The past eighteen months have been exciting, to say the least, but surely fruitful and productive. We now look forward to move ahead at increased rhythms, speeding up and strengthening our technical, financial and supportive presence in the field, using all the resources that we now enjoy for the benefit of the Research Innovation and Space sectors. We will continue to increase our investment in the number and type of exhibitions that the public has learnt to enjoy and appreciate at Esplora. The future looks bright for our contributions to the whole scientific spectrum and to living up to our new name, Xjenza Malta (Science Malta), having ownership and responsibility for all things science in Malta.

Silvio Scerri, CEO, Xjenza Malta

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