MaltaMedia.com

The University of Malta offered advisory services regarding opportunities and the choice of university courses to more than 200 students, who for the past two years, attended a Matsec Course at the Sir M.A. Refalo Centre for Further Studies. These services have been provided by the University Gozo Centre to Gozitan students who have continously shown increasing interest.

The Hon. Giovanna Debono, Minister for Gozo met some of the students and parents who attended one of the two sessions held for this aim. Minister Debono explained that the Ministry for Gozo coordinates financial assistance given to Gozitan students attending University or any other educational institution in Malta.

The aim behind this aid is to help the families of these students, to ease the burden of the accomodation and ferry expenses incurred during the course of their studies. The Minister stated that during the past year, Gozitan University students were compensated with around €700,000 for accomodation and €20,000 for transport expenses, whilst students in other insitutions received more than €66,000 for accomodation and €16,000 for sea transport related expenses.

During her visit at the University Gozo Centre, Minister Giovanna Debono was accompanied by the Director of the centre, Profs. Lino Briguglio. The University Gozo Centre was inaugurated in 1992, to give assistance in the logistical aspects for specific courses offered by the University of Malta, in Gozo.

The Centre also offers short courses regarding academic subjects as well as others related to economic and environmental aspects. During the past years, a number of courses co-financed by European funds were organised at this centre. These were aimed at improving the participants’ basic skills whilst others increased the participants’ knowledge about agricultural and environmental practices as well as on specific aspects such as viticulture.

During the upcoming academic year, the University of Malta will be offering the Diploma in Commerce course at the University Gozo Centre between October 2009 and September 2010. This course is cofinanced by the European Social Fund with the aid of the Ministry for Gozo. Those interested can apply on website www.um.edu.mt/apply by Friday 24th July 2009.

Moreover, the University Gozo Centre is offering more opportunities through a number of other courses that cover studies in economy and commerce, history, lace and criminology. More information can be obtained from the University Gozo Centre on 21564559, 21562054 or www.um.edu.mt/ugc.

During her visit at the University Gozo Centre, Minister Giovanna Debono acknowledged benefits gained by the Gozitan community through the services of this centre. ‘This is why there exists a sound collaboration between the Ministry for Gozo and the University Gozo Centre’, Minister Giovanna Debono concluded.