This chapter provides information on national policies that promote mobility and internationalization in education. Political, economic, environmental and social developments taking place within the globalized world undoubtedly impact educational developments and policies. Malta’s strategic position within the European and Mediterranean regions necessitates that it is continuously alert to global changes taking place, including in the educational field.
The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) encourages mobility through school exchanges with students from other colleges, sectors, and countries. It acknowledges that such activities prepare children for the social, cultural, and economic changes that they will experience during their lifetime. The NCF promotes multilingualism and awareness of different cultures and lifestyles since they broaden children’s understanding and appreciation of diversity. Language learning encourages children to develop awareness of foreign languages and cultures with a positive disposition towards mobility and new experiences. At the secondary level, foreign language teaching and learning enhances communication skills and cultural diversity knowledge, facilitating interaction in European and international contexts.
The NCF develops intercultural competence and appreciation of national heritage, within the broader Mediterranean, European and global contexts. The focus on historical and geographical knowledge, developing attitudes and skills, promotes intercultural understanding. This is complemented by physical mobilities through cross-curricular projects in the EU such as eTwinning.
Malta's National Strategic Action Plan for Further and Higher Education, 2022-2030
The strategic action plan regarding Mobility and Internationalisation includes the following recommendations:
1. The establishment of a dedicated Working Group on Internationalisation and Mobility by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) in collaboration with key stakeholders. This group will collaboratively design a strategic approach to internationalisation and mobility, ensuring coherent policy implementation, monitoring, and updates. Comprised of representatives from relevant ministries, and other entities, such as the Ministry of Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR), the European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA) and Xjenza Malta, the Working Group seeks to set national priorities, leverage EU opportunities, address short-term priorities resulting from global crises, enhance the quality and effectiveness of actions, improve data collection and analysis, and develop recommendations for monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure targeted outcomes are achieved.
2. The development of a Targeted Action Plan on Mobility as a key outcome of the Working Group. This plan, to be updated annually, should enhance policy coordination and unlock additional resources and support mechanisms. It will focus on actions such as developing flexible mobility formats, facilitating inter-sectorial mobility, ensuring portability of domestic student support measures, and promoting the use of existing tools supporting the mobility of learners. The plan's outcomes will include achieving equitable mobility opportunities, addressing barriers to mobility, increasing participation in outward and digital mobility, and securing a budget line for necessary resources.
3. The development of a Targeted Action Plan on Internationalisation as the Working Group's second key outcome. This plan, also to be updated annually, aims to unlock additional resources and support mechanisms for internationalisation efforts. It will focus on actions such as defining the national approach to inward investment in further and higher education (FHE), developing a strategic overview of EU collaboration opportunities, and exploring job shadowing and internship opportunities between European education institutions. The plan's outcomes include developing a strategic approach to internationalisation, enhancing Malta's international profile, ensuring optimal use of EU opportunities, fully exploiting EU initiatives, increasing efforts in bilateral cooperation, and securing a budget line for strategic partnerships addressing FHE priorities up to 2030.
The MFHEA plays a key role in implementing European surveys, such as EUROSTUDENT and EUROGRADUATE, which explore the social and economic conditions of students and the outcomes of higher education graduates. MFHEA coordinates the national administration of these surveys, ensuring that the data accurately represents the experiences of Maltese students and graduates. The insights gathered contribute to wider European research, facilitating both national and international comparisons that help shape education policies and enhance the higher education system in Malta.
The National Vocational Education and Training (VET) Policy, highlights Malta's commitment to strategically advancing the internationalisation of both Initial and Continuing VET while fostering international mobility. VET providers are encouraged to continue establishing partnerships with foreign counterparts, which include mobility. Malta has also actively participated in projects related to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the European Credit System for VET (ECVET), the European Quality Assurance in VET (EQAVET), and Europass, aiming to enhance mobility and integrate European tools into the national education system. The policy further encourages the development of relationships with international colleges and institutes.
The MFHEA participates actively in various working groups and platforms aimed at enhancing education policies and practices both nationally and internationally. The following are some of the key groups and initiatives the Authority is involved in which relate to mobility and internationalisation:
1. Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) Social Dimension Working Group: Focuses on strengthening the social dimension of higher education to improve access and completion by under-represented and vulnerable groups.
2. BFUG Global Policy Dialogue: Seeks to engage in dialogue with other regions and international organisations on higher education matters to promote cooperation and sharing of ideas.
3. BFUG Working Group Fundamental Values: Promotes fundamental values in education, such as academic freedom, student and staff participation, and institutional autonomy.
4. Thematic Peer Group A on Qualifications Frameworks (TPG A on QF): Focuses on topics related to qualifications frameworks, including self-certification, implementation of the ECTS User’s Guide, and quality assurance.
5. Group of Coordinators (GOC) PQD: Concerned with the implementation of the Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD), the GOC is a statutory meeting where national coordinators regularly meet to receive instructions from the European Commission and facilitate coordination among member states, reporting back on various aspects of the Directive as necessary.
6. Joint Meeting of the GOC and the Services Expert Group: This formation brings together the national coordinators of the Services and Professional Qualifications Directives with the European Commission to discuss both directives, and identify common provisions, instruments, and procedures between them.
7. Representation in Various International Platforms: Includes participation in the Asian European Education Meeting (ASEM), European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET), Europass, European Qualifications Framework, European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) Advisory Group, and others.
The European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA) is an independent agency that operates as a unit under the Office of the Prime Minister. The agency's primary objective is to support Maltese individuals and organisations in accessing EU funding. The agency is currently responsible for managing ERASMUS+ 2021-2027 and the European Solidarity Corps.
The Agency acts as a link between the European Commission and project promoters both at national as well as at local level, promotes and manages EU projects of an educational nature, content or objective. The EUPA engages itself in initiatives that are consonant with the educational policies and strategies being implemented in Malta.