University Debate

I'm managing to post this having returned from a discussion event I hosted on our University campus. yesterday It was a fantastic feeling returning to the quadrangle and being able to have a one-on-one question and answer session with the many students that attended. The fact that it was held hot on the heels of the launch of Malta’s higher education strategy for 2020 and on the same day that Minister Cristina is signing a new Bologna Process communiqué in Belgium made it even more significant. The Bologna Process started in 1999 as an intergovernmental education reform initiative. It now consists of 46 countries whose Ministers of Education meet every two years to discuss the progress made in higher education reforms and to plot the way ahead in setting up a European Higher Education Area where all national systems are compatible and comparable with one another allowing for increased student mobility, better degree recognition, increased quality in education, a better credit system and more.

The debate was moderated by Peppi Azzopardi and Julia Farrugia who also took the opportunity to ask any pressing questions they thought of – I wanted to keep the event as open and free as possible so I did not limit it to a particular topic and preferred instead to allow students to ask whatever they saw fit to question. It was refreshing to see that interest in these EP elections remains high on campus and questions ranged from whether I faced any particular difficulties as a female candidate, to how I cope as a wife, mother and candidate, to illegal immigration, education and the environment – in particular the need for faster reform of MEPA.

The hour flew by and – too early it seemed - I was forced to rush to another radio programme and continue my house visits…I hope I will have the opportunity to return to campus or perhaps MCAST and ITS to continue where I left off before the end of this campaign.

In the meantime, as always, please continue to send any questions, comments or feedback you may have directly to roberta@roberta2009.eu!

Be in touch.