Overarching Vision
To continue to strengthen the position of the Institute as a world-renowned centre of excellence in islands and small state studies, to contribute to the development of our region, country and society by promoting research and education on economic, social, cultural, ecological and geographical aspects of islands and small states.
1.1 Vision
Teaching will continue to be an integral part of the academic offer provided by the ISSI. The Master of Arts (Research in Islands and Small States) has been running for two consecutive years, successfully enrolling nine students while the Master of Arts (Islands and Small States Studies), has recently been revamped. The Doctor of Philosophy in Islands and Small States Studies will continue to enroll dedicated students, strengthening the position of the ISSI as a world-renowned research centre in island and small states studies.
The ISSI will also continue to offer its Diploma in Gozo Studies and the Diploma in Lace Studies, with the goal of providing an important educational platform for a portion of the population that aspires to access, or return, to tertiary education, strengthening the links with existing local and regional culture. In the light of growing demand, the ISSI shall extend its offer of stand-alone units to the general public, as well as public and private sector organisations.
The ISSI will support continuous professional development opportunities for those teaching with the ISSI, and seeking to recruit/involve teaching staff with exceptional records, as well as encourage new emerging teachers/lecturers.
In the next four-year period, an over-arching aim is to a) steadily increase the quantity of students enrolling in the courses offered by the ISSI, and, b) to improve the quality of teaching.
Performance will be judged using these indicators:
T1. To increase the absolute number of students enrolled to 25;
T2. To score an average between 1 and 2 based on the scale used by the ‘study unit feedback’ carried out by the UM.
1.2 Actions
Masters Programmes
To ensure a steady intake over the 2020-2024 for both Masters programmes, the actions required are to:
• Attract Maltese students through marketing of the course in Malta and Gozo among the public sector (Permanent Secretaries; Institute for Public Services, teachers, etc) the private sector (Malta’s chambers of professionals; unions, teachers, etc); associations and non-governmental organisations (Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector; NGO platforms, etc);
• Attract EU students through more active marketing using the extended network of contacts and active partnerships (Malta’s embassies; international academic networks; etc);
• Extend the online component of the programme, to gradually offer a fully online course by 2023 (ensuring certified training by lecturers and following UM guidelines and procedures);
• Seek scholarship funds to increase the number of students attending the courses offered by the ISSI.
Doctoral Programme
To ensure a steady flow of PhD students, the plan is to:
• Establish partnership agreements with government institutions and universities in small states and territories to offer the ISSI's doctoral programme;
• Seek public and private contributions to establish a scholarship fund to be hosted by the ISSI and offered to Maltese, EU nationals and aspiring researchers coming from small states and territories outside the EU. Priority will be given to those countries with which there is already an ongoing discussion, such as Seychelles, and members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Diplomas
To ensure continued viability of both Diplomas, the plan is to:
• Establish partnership agreements with the Ministry for Gozo and with the Department of Local Government and Communities;
• Attract Maltese and Gozitan students through marketing of the course in Malta and Gozo among the public sector (Permanent Secretaries; Institute for Public Services, teachers, etc) the private sector (Malta’s chambers of professionals; unions, teachers, etc); associations and non-governmental organisations (Band clubs, Malta Council for Voluntary Sector; NGO platforms, etc).
Stand Alone Units
To extend the offer of these units, the plan is to:
• Establish partnership agreements with the Institute for Public Services and Government’s offices in charge of continuous professional development and training of public service personnel;
• Establish partnership agreements with Maltese professional chambers;
• Attract Maltese and Gozitan students through more active marketing using the extended network of contacts and active partnerships in Malta.
2.1 Vision
Research is a further crucial component of the identity of the ISSI, which will continue to aim for excellence, pushing the boundaries in terms of quantity and quality of its research, with the added goal of informing more effectively national, regional and international policy. The ISSI hosts three research platforms (Climate Change Platform, Health Systems, and Tourism), which have greatly contributed to expanding research and collaborative activities in key specialised areas: those of climate change, tourism and public health. The ISSI has also been recognised as an official World Health Organisation (WHO) collaborating centre for small states. The ISSI proudly hosts the Small States and Territories (SST) Journal which will receive further support also with the aim of obtaining an Impact Factor by 2024. The ISSI hosts the series ‘Occasional Papers on Islands and Small States’, active since 1994. The ISSI has experienced an increase, in the past five years, of research actions, including EU and non-EU projects being approved, however further actions are needed to secure a steady flow of research funding capable to further strengthen ISSI’s research capacity and its budget. The ISSI also seeks interdisciplinary cooperation, in Malta and internationally, with institutional partners and other Faculties/Departments/Institutes/Centres to promote the concept of mainstreaming islands and small state studies within other disciplines.
In the next four-year period the aim is to a) increase the quantity of research publications affiliated with the ISSI; b) to strengthen the quality of the research output produced by the ISSI and c. to increase the interdisciplinary collaborations under the auspices of the ISSI.
Performance will be judged using these indicators:
R1. Citations, reads affiliated with the ISSI to increase by 25% from 2020 (baseline);
R2. Small States and Territories Journal to receive Impact Factor by 2024;
R3. Collaborations actively undertaken by the ISSI to increase by 20% from 2020 (baseline).
2.2 Actions
The following points pertain to the specific actions envisaged for the research to be undertaken at the ISSI:
Research Platforms
The actions for the period 2020-2024 are to:
• Strengthen the research and the administrative support given to each platform by providing further administrative and research personnel hours, as well as by offering facilities at the ISSI for meetings and events;
• Support the work of the World Health Organisation (WHO) collaborating centre for small states;
• Support the organisation of one national event for each platform per year, which can showcase the work being done and promote further collaborations;
• Set up an additional platform in the area of Behavioural Science in Islands States.
Small States and Territories (SST) Journal
The actions for the period 2020-2024 are to:
• Submit a request for the SST to be listed under the Emerging Sources Citations Index (ESCI);
• Support the editorial team of the SST to obtain an impact factor by 2024;
• Increase the visibility of the articles published in the SST, including organising webinars and events.
Occasional Papers in Islands and Small States
The actions for the period 2020-2024 are to:
• Support the students who submit their dissertation to prepare a paper for the series;
• Increase the visibility of past, current and future papers, both on the ISSI’s website and on its social media profiles;
• Organise specialised seminars with the authors of the papers (both physically and online in the form of webinars).
Research Funds
The actions for the period 2020-2024 are to:
• Apply for Horizon Europe research grants as project partner in one, or more, of the core research areas covered by the ISSI;
• Apply as lead partner for one Horizon Europe research grant in one, or more, of the core research areas covered by the ISSI by 2024;
• Host an application for the University Research Fund (three-year projects), promoting one, or more, of the core research areas covered by the ISSI;
• Host applications for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Individual Fellowships);
• Explore bilateral collaborations with UK-based institutions for projects in the area of social science and the environment (UK-NERC; etc);
• Explore bilateral collaborations with Canada-based institutions for projects in the area of social science and the environment (NFRF; etc).
Interdisciplinary collaborations
The actions for the period 2020-2024 are to:
• Provide services and consultancies to national and international institutional partners in the area of islands and small states;
• Promote interdisciplinary workshops/seminars with other Faculties/Departments/Institutes/Centres on selected topics;
• Support collaborative research papers in common areas of interest.
3.1 Vision
This area will include consolidating contacts with existing teaching, research and institutional networks, but also expanding onto new international partnerships. An effective communication of the work being undertaken by the ISSI, and a more effective outreach profile, are essential to create a strong link with selected stakeholders, and society at large. All the students who formally received training at the ISSI and who graduated in the course of the past 30 years are a testimony of the important contribution of the ISSI to the personal development of the individuals who attended the courses, and to society at large.
In the next four-year period the aim is to a) increase the quantity and quality of partnerships signed with national and international partners; b) to increase the communication, and visibility, of the ISSI both nationally and Internationally; and c) to increase communication with past ISSI graduates in order to inform them about, and eventually involve them in, ISSI’s activities.
Performance will be judged using these indicators:
O1. To sign at least one partnership agreement, or Memorandum of Understanding, with a national institutional partner;
O2. To sign at least one partnership agreement, or Memorandum of Understanding, with an international partner;
O3. To issue monthly PRs/articles, features, and/or posts regarding ISSI related activities
O4. To create an Alumni database by also sending updates at least twice a year.
3.2 Actions
In the period 2020-2024 the following actions shall be undertaken:
Cooperation
• Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with national and regional universities, research centres and government institutions located in other islands and small states in order to offer services and consultancies in the area of islands and small states studies;
• Promoting teaching and administrative exchanges with key partners, possibly tapping into EU Erasmus+ funds, starting with the University of Prince Edward Island, the University of Mauritius, the University of West Indies (Cave Hill Campus), the University of South Pacific and Queensland University of Technology.
• Increase participation to the European Association of Development Research and training Institutes (EADI), of which the ISSI is a member, and part of the Executive Committee, by ‘championing’ the islands and small states studies as a specific area of interest;
• Promoting further cooperation with European universities and research centres that specialise on islands and small states studies, such as Queen Mary University, The University of Iceland, The University of Leiden, and the University of Southampton, among others.
• Increase the collaboration with international organisations, including the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank.
Outreach and communication
In the period 2020-2024 the following actions shall be undertaken:
• Provision of training to increase communication skills for the Director and the staff employed by the ISSI;
• Improving the presence, and the effectiveness (in terms of outreach) of the ISSI on social media platforms, including increasing active participation in existing profiles (Facebook and Twitter) and creation of new profiles on other major social media platforms (Instagram);
• Participation to national and European events to promote the role and work of the ISSI (‘Notte Biaca’; ‘Science in the City’, ‘European Research Days’, etc);
• Regular presence on UM’s Newspoint and national newspapers following events and initiatives;
• Setting up an Alumni database with the goal of updating former students about initiatives and opportunities, including asking for contributions to ideas and events.
4.1 Vision
Ensuring a functioning and efficient level of administration and, in general, of management of the office is of paramount importance to be able to reach the overall objectives included in this plan of action. In the next four years the aim is to increase the quality of the services offered by the ISSI and for the Institute to become a dynamic and energetic working environment.
Performance will be judged using these indicators:
A1. The number of training programmes successfully followed by academic and nonacademic personnel;
A2. Qualitative assessment received by the ISSI Board on the work undertaken.
4.2 Actions
To this end, during the period 2020-2024 the following actions shall be undertaken:
• Ensuring continuous training for all the academic and non-academic personnel employed by, or providing services to, the ISSI (full-and part-time);
• Guaranteeing a quick response rate to students’ queries, processing of academic results and handling of generic requests;
• Ensuring continuous communication with the Chair of the ISSI Board, and with all board members. To this end, it is envisaged that a constant exchange of communication be provided through punctual bimonthly updates on the activities and progress on actions plans;
• Facilitating the attendance of meetings by providing documents and documentation prior to the meetings and assisting with any query by the Chair of the ISSI Board and its members;
• Effective representation of the ISSI during official functions of the University;
• Ensuring that all the annual reports and the budgetary estimates are sent on time to the competent UM offices, and according to the requirements of the UM, while adhering to the highest quality standards;
• Effective communication with the Office of the Registrar regarding the prospectus, including the content descriptions of ISSI’s programmes;
• Ensuring a constant and effective communication with the office of human resources regarding academic and non-academic personnel;
• Bimonthly review of the objectives of the approved strategic plan.