UNIVERSITY OF MALTA

Video-Conferencing Session between a
Canadian University and the University of Malta

On Wednesday 24 March, students following the Master of Arts in Islands and Small States Studies and a other students from the Department of Public Policy at the University of Malta, had a videoconference session with students following a Master’s degree in Island Studies at Prince Edward Island University, Canada. Also present were lecturers from both Universities.Students from both Universities discussed issues concerning micro states with special reference to Malta and Prince Edward Island. The Canadians were mostly interested in Malta’s accession to the European Union. They also sought information as to how the Maltese people felt on the eve of joining such a huge economic space. Another query related to the perceptions in Europe with regard to countries in the Mediterranean. Gozo also featured in the discussion, and questions were asked regarding the particular handicaps of Gozo and the desirability or otherwise of building a bridge between Malta and Gozo. These questions were answered by the Maltese students and lecturers present. Prince Edward Island is itself joined by a bridge to Nova Scotia, and there are mixed feelings on the island as to whether it was advantageous to build the bridge.

The Maltese students asked questions about life on Prince Edward Island, about the attitudes of mainland Canadians towards Prince Edward Island and about the contents of the MA Course on Island Studies.Lecturers of the Maltese students namely Professor Lino Briguglio, Dr. Roderick Pace and Dr Edward Warrington at the Malta side and Professor Barry Bartmann and Professor Godfrey Baldacchino on the Canada side also participated in the video-conference. Professor David Milne, who hails from Prince Edward Island University and is currently teaching at the University of Malta, coordinated the event.

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Photo shows some of the students and lecturers in Malta engaging in discussion with their Canadian Counterparts during the video conferencing session.