DePaul University of Chicago has no involvement, responsibility, authority or knowledge of the selection process for the site of the American University of Malta.
In a letter to Alternattiva Demokratika it said it has not committed any financial resources to the land being used, buildings being built, and infrastructure.
AD chairman Arnold Cassola said in a statement this afternoon that following the various issues which cropped up after the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the American University of Malta in conjunction with DePaul University of Chicago, AD wrote to the university to clarify matters.
A government source told Times of Malta yesterday that the proposed university was only viable on ODZ land.
This was because any ODZ land being used for agriculture has a much lower value than land allocated for development, and that is the price government is prepared to pay.
DePaul told AD that a number of misstatement were made in various media about its relationship with the American University of Malta, Sadeen Education Investment Ltd.
It said:
“1. DePaul University is not establishing a branch campus and will not be issuing degrees in Malta.
“2. The Sadeen Education Investment Ltd (SEI) is seeking approval to establish the American University of Malta ("AUM"). As part of this process, SEI contracted with DePaul to provide initial curriculum materials for programs at AUM. More specifically, DePaul provided curricula for 5 Bachelor degrees, 1 MBA, and 4 Doctoral level programs.
“3. Such curricula were delivered by DePaul, as agreed, and submitted by SEI to the Maltese authorities on May 4, 2015, in order for SEI to receive a license to operate the American University of Malta as an institution of higher education and, subsequently, as a University.
“4. DePaul is willing to continue collaboration and cooperation with SEI and AUM, by providing consultative academic support to the project (further program development, policies and academic structures development). No agreement in this direction has been signed yet. One is under negotiation.
“5. DePaul has not committed any financial resources to the land being used, building(s) being built, infrastructure, programs, etc.
“6. There is no agreement in place to provide DePaul faculty or staff to AUM at the moment. DePaul will not be involved in hiring faculty or staff for AUM and will not be involved in AUM operations.
“7. DePaul has entertained no negotiation or discussion with the Maltese government in relation to the American University of Malta project.
“8. DePaul has no involvement nor responsibility nor authority nor knowledge related to the selection process for the site of the American University of Malta.
“9. As to the use of DePaul’s name, DePaul University only has authorized SEI/AUM to state that its ‘academic programs were developed in collaboration with DePaul University.’”
DePaul University