Higher Education in Malta is provided by the University of Malta (UM), The Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology (MCAST), the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) and the Institute for Education (IFE).

Planning policy

Higher Education institutions employ academics of full-time and part-time basis. A call for lecturing staff (full-time or part-time) is made by the respective Heads of Department if the incumbent staff is deemed not to be enough. Vacancies are advertised through an open call for applications. Applicants are required to sit for an interview.

Entry to the profession

Higher Education Institutions issue a call for applications for recruiting lecturing staff. A selection board is appointed by the respective institution. 

Entry into the profession at UM occurs through three streams:

• Resident Academic Stream composed of four grades being Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer and Lecturer.

• Research Stream composed of three posts being Senior Research Fellow, Research Fellow and Research Associate. 

• Visiting Teaching Stream composed of five posts being Visiting Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, Visiting Senior Lecturer, Visiting Lecturer and Visiting Assistant Lecturer.

The entry grade to the Profession at MCAST and ITS is Assistant Lecturer progressing to Lecturer, Senior Lecturer I and then as Senior Lecturer II.

Professional status

Academic staff are employees of the respective institutions. None are considered to be Civil Servants. Lecturers are not requested to be in possession of a teacher’s warrant to practise their profession in Higher Education. Hence, the Teacher’s Code of Ethics and Practice does not bind them legally in terms of Article 31 (2) (b) of the Education Act. Each institution has its own code of professional conduct. 

Salaries

The maximum gross annual salary for full-time resident academic staff at UM, including cost of living adjustment, for the year 2026 start at around €30,109 for an Assistant Lecturer up to around €49,338 for a Professor.

In addition to the basic salary, full-time resident academics for 2026 also receive an annual academic supplement ranging from €5,037 for an Assistant Lecturer to €33,119 for a Professor.

The posts of Associate Professor and Professor carry a special Annual Professorial Allowance. In 2026 this amounts to €1,423 for Associate Professor and €2,330 for Professor.

In addition, the annual rate of payment (worked pro-rata) for Visiting Teaching Staff having a Council appointment for 2026 ranges from €1,653 for a visiting Assistant Lecturer to €2,597 for a visiting Professor.

The maximum gross annual salary scales for lecturers at MCAST, inclusive of cost-of-living allowance, for the year 2024 ranged from the €32,106 of an Assistant Lecturer to the €42,723 of a Senior Lecturer II. For 2024 they are also entitled for work resource allowances of €2,267 for Assistant Lecturer and Eur2,667 for Senior Lecturer II.

In addition, lecturers in possession of qualifications beyond the required entry requirements for entry into a grade are entitled to following additional remuneration: First Degree €500 Masters: €800 and Doctorate: €1,100.

The maximum gross annual salary scales for teaching staff at ITS ranges between €37,937  to €53,900 in 2026, depending on the lecturing grade. An additional work resources fund contributes to all academics at 2026 at a rate of  €5,000 for Principal Lecturers, €4,750 for Senior Lecturer II, €4,500 for Senior Lecturer I, €4250 for a lecturer and €4,000 for an assistant lecturer. 

Following the latest collective agreement, at IfE, the maximum gross annual salary scales for lecturers for the year 2025 range from a minimum of €33,313 for a Lecturer to a maximum of €44,859 for a Senior Lecturer II.  An additional annual academic supplement of €2,667,   a flexibility allowance of €2,500 and a board membership allowance of €1,800 form part of the remuneration package for all lecturing grades.

Working time and holidays

The official lecturing times are from Monday to Friday between 0800 and 2000 hours.  The formal working time of resident is 40 hours per week with flexible times. Resident academics are obliged to divide their time roughly equally between lecturing, research and other administrative academic work/professional activity.

The teaching workload is determined and distributed annually by the respective Head of Department to ensure the best utilisation of the available human resources. Apart from the actual delivery of lectures, the teaching workload incorporates duties such as lecture preparation, the setting up and marking of assignments and examination scripts as well as pre-notified times set aside for assisting students. Lecturing duties carried outside the official lecturing times or beyond the established timetable are remunerated accordingly. Resident academics are entitled to (i) the Academic Work Resources  and (ii) the Academic Research Funds both of which are intended to support academics in their work and research at university as well as their professional development. 

Visiting staff and staff may be recruited on a casual definite basis as the need arises.

After the summer recess, lecturers start their academic year on the first working day of September and ends on Friday of the first full week in July. Any lectures outside these dates are held on a voluntary basis and against payment. Teaching staff have a contact teaching load of a maximum teaching load of 18/17/16/15 hours depending on their grade. 

Evening classes are not to exceed two hours’ duration per evening. A disturbance allowance of €26 is given per evening and time off in lieu is also given for the extra lecturing hours. All lecturing staff are entitled to an annual leave of 50 days (inclusive of Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays) in each calendar year. All staff is appointed on an indefinite period with the first year serving as the probationary phase.

Academic staff may be requested to work up to 18 contact hours per week. Lecturing classes may be scheduled between 08:30 and 23:00. Academics shall be remunerated at the rate of 40 euro per hour for additional working hours. 

Lecturers work 8 hours a day and entitled to 50 days of annual leave including 37.5 hours as special leave.  The leave includes one month summer break and two weeks for Easter and Christmas breaks. Lectures are normally held between 15:30 and 18:30 spread from Monday to Friday, however lectures and seminars can also be held in the morning and on weekends for specific course. 

Promotion, advancements

Members of the academic staff at the UM are promoted by the Council of the University after receiving recommendations from the Promotions Board as laid down in the University procedures. There are four resident academic grades at UM: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor.  Resident Academic Staff will be eligible for a promotion based on their teaching and research track record and years of experience, as stipulated in the Collective Agreement.

There are four lecturing categories at MCAST: Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer I and Senior Lecturer II. Staff will progress from one scale to another after obtaining the relevant qualifications and number of years in relevant experience.  A recommendation from the Institute Director and an approval from the Progressions Board is a prerequisite for progression from any one grade to another.

Progression through academic posts shall be made by the Board of Governors on recommendation of the management. Qualifications, candidate’s ability and efficiency will be taken into consideration. Progression Matrices based on a point system outline what can an academic do to accelerate progression. Academics who consider themselves eligible for progression need to undergo an application process for consideration.

There are three lecturing categories at the IfE: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer I and Senior Lecturer II. Staff will progress from one scale to another as per criteria specified.   Lecturers shall progress to Senior Lecturer I upon attainment of MQF Level 8 qualification and two years satisfactory service within IfE in the grade of Lecturer or MQF Level 7 qualification and five years satisfactory service within IfE in the grade of Lecturer.  Officers in the grade of Senior Lecturer I shall progress to Senior Lecturer II upon attainment of eighteen years' experience, three of which need to be with IfE. Academics engaged with IfE who are not in possession of pedagogy training as identified by IfE from time to time are obliged to undergo related training within two years of their employment.  These employees shall not be eligible for progression until they obtain the said qualification in pedagogy.

Retirement and pensions