Throughout the past few weeks, the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) has been in contact with its students who had been abroad for study purposes. ITS made the appropriate arrangements for all students to return to Malta, in view of the current COVID-19 outbreak.
Considering the situation, ITS announced that such a disruption in the students’ internship would not affect the students’ successful completion of their study programme.
As part of their programme of studies, ITS students undergo an international internship and there are also students who go abroad for a semester with collaborative institutions and universities. In view of this, ITS had multiple students in various countries across Europe.
Six students who were studying at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, as part of their Bachelor Degree in Culinary Arts programme, have returned back to Malta and will be continuing their learning in different methods, through ad hoc arrangements made by ITS. Students who are reading for a Bachelor Degree in International Hospitality Management, amounting to 19 students, and who were currently studying at the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Science in Helsinki, Finland have also been repatriated and will continue their lectures online through a dedicated platform with the same university.
Students who had been on their 12-month international internship in various countries have also returned back to Malta. These include three students who were in the Czech Republic, 14 in the UK, one in Hungary, three in Ireland, one in Jersey (Channel Islands), 13 in Scotland and 17 in Wales.
ITS CEO Pierre Fenech said that apart from making sure that students residing in Malta have a minimal disruption in their learning, by carrying on with lectures online, at the same time ITS also worked on safeguarding all other students who were abroad. ITS contacted all students, to offer them a return home and most accepted it and have been repatriated.
Tourism minister Julia Farrugia Portelli praised ITS for maintaining its efficient operations after courses were made available online in view of COVID-19. She said the dedication of all ITS staff members made it possible for all students to continue with their studies with as minimal disruption as possible.
She added she looked forward in seeing the tourism and hospitality industry back to its normal operations, so these students will use their learning in the appropriate environment.