22-year-old Miguel Borg has been fighting cancer since October 2017, around the same time he began reading for a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.  

In spite of the challenges brought about by his illness, Borg graduated on Friday.

The challenges included three medical trips to London, one of which lasted six months, Borg said. 

“I managed to do this with the help of God and those around me, including my family and friends who never doubted me,” he said. 

“Perseverance, faith and love are what life is all about... It's not easy but when we accept God, our lives become a bit easier,” he said. 

Borg's special graduation ceremony, held at his home in Lija, was attended by the University of Malta rector, the academic registrar and a number of other academics. 

Lecturer Paul Refalo, who worked closely with Borg, said the course requires a consistent and dedicated effort, particularly in the fourth year when students are assigned engineering projects which require them to put into practice the knowledge and skills gained. 

“Miguel persevered and produced a very good work,” he said. 

Miguel’s dissertation focused on making industrial practices more sustainable. His work will form part of a larger project, Air Save, which aims to create systems that autonomously control air and energy consumption in industrial scenarios, Refalo said.