Minister for the Economy and Industry Silvio Schembri presided over the signing of a cooperation agreement between Tech.Mt, the University of Malta and eight Italian universities renowned in the fields of Computer Studies and Technology.
The participating Italian Universities, ranking among the top 20 Universities, are the: Università degli Studi de Camerino, Universita’ degli Studi di Catania, Universita’ degli Studi di Ferrara, Universita’ degli Studi di Genova. Universita’ degli Studi di Milano, Universita’ degli Studi di Perugia, Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale and Universita’ degli Studi di Verona.
“This cooperation agreement shall open doors to exciting opportunities for current and future tech graduates as well as the exploration and growth of digital economy and a wider spectrum through reaching a strong human resource. Tech.Mt, the University of Malta and these eight renowned Italian universities will work closely together, for instance, tangibly speaking – if a student would like to work in Malta or vice versa, it is first identified what the industry needs, then this is followed by the exportation of talent, bridging the gap through placements or internships. A collaboration which sets the tone on the development of digital economy in Malta and beyond and strengthens the sharing of knowledge, research and scientific progression for the benefit of all”, said the minister.
The reasons for this cooperation are three-fold: firstly, there have been undeniably important developments in the various areas of technology and innovation on both a local and international level; secondly, there is a necessity for mutual cooperation for the development of technologies such as Cloud Applications, Internet of Things, Distributed Ledger Technologies, Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics, as well as Artificial Intelligence, a sector in which Malta is amongst the first in the world to have created its own strategy; thirdly, the continuous and considerable demand for human resources within the tech sector cannot be satisfied solely through home-grown talent but also requires the attraction of human capital. This shall strengthen the academic interchange, promote technological research capabilities between Malta and Italy as well as for both countries to attract new talent from overseas academia.
“All in all, from an educational perspective, research which may vary from the field of robotics and biotech or machine learning data science and bio informatics, among others, is further strengthened for Maltese researchers when applying for European funds with the backing of the University of Malta and these universities. Moreover, for instance, if a Maltese student would like to specialise in an area which in our case is limited, such as space, through this agreement, they are given the opportunity to pursue the studies or academic experience within a reputable overseas university”, explained Minister Schembri.
By establishing such agreements focusing on creating opportunities for students, graduates and academics, Tech.mt aims to fulfil its mission to facilitate connections between academia and industry, to ensure that the educational system keeps producing high-quality individuals across industry verticals, and hence, meet the demand required to keep the local tech sector flourishing”, remarked Tech Mt Chairman Mark Bugeja.
“This achievement brings together eight universities which are located in eight diverse regions across the Italian peninsula. From the international perspective, this attests to the very good relations and ability to venture together of Malta and Italy and further enhance the already strong relations and connections between the two countries”, said Ambassador Carmel Vassallo
Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Rector at the University of Malta, called this is a momentous occasion, as it is a recognition of how necessary the element of mutual cooperation is for the development of technology, which in turn is needed to ensure that society keeps bettering itself and its condition.
