https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2759 2026-10-23T17:56:11Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150394 Title: Don’t worry, be happy Abstract: According to Gallup’s 2025 State of the World’s Emotional Health, 58% of adults in Malta experience “a lot of worry”. That puts us third globally, 20 percentage points above the global average of 38%. Less than a handful of countries match or exceed us: the Republic of the Congo recorded 60%, while Liberia matched Malta at 58%. Even Lebanon, at 57%,recorded a slightly lower figure.; And it’s not just worry. It’s stress too. Half of adults in Malta (48%) reported experiencing stress during a lot of the previous day, compared with 36% globally. And despite being an island in the sun, only 62% reported enjoyment, against a global average of 70%. So much for Don’t worry, be happy. 2026-10-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150335 Title: Għandna rata baxxa tat-twelid f’Malta – allura? Authors: Briguglio, Marie Abstract: L-ewwel nett, veru li għandna rata baxxa ta’ fertilità? Hawn qed nitkellmu dwar in-numru medju ta’ tfal li jkollha mara f’ħajjitha; fil-verità kalkolu ftit aktar tekniku imma fi ftit kliem hekk hu. Jekk tqabbel mar-rata li kellna, iva, għax mis-snin sittin ’il hawn, ir-rata medja naqset minn 2.55 għal 1.13. Jekk tqabbel mar-rata meħtiega biex il-popolazzjoni tibqa’ stabbli, ċioè 2.1, iva wkoll, għax li kieku mhuwiex għall-immigrazzjoni, kieku l-popolazzjoni ta’ Malta bdiet tiċkien. Jekk tqabbel ma’ bosta pajjiżi oħrajn issib li dawn ukoll qegħdin baxxi. Però fl-Afrika hemm pajjiżi li għandhom rati madwar erba’ darbiet daqs tagħna. [silta] 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149973 Title: Access to administrative data in Malta Authors: Azzopardi, Rose Marie Abstract: The situation in Malta regarding access to data is currently in flux; there is no standardised system through which a researcher might gain access at present, but legislative processes and new institutions, such as the Public Administration Data Strategy and the Data Governance Council, are expected to facilitate access within the public sector in the future. Perspectives gleaned from the producers of administrative data suggest that there was no standardised way through which to request data, except for some entities whose websites provided a formal request form. Survey replies from the public administration indicated that several departments (where possible) did provide information for research purposes; however, there was a feeling of unease due to issues of privacy, traceability and unknown motives for such requests for data. Thus, the situation proceeds on a case-by-case request and approval at present. Concerning academic uses, most academics have neither made use of administrative data nor encouraged their students to do so. Many of those who did use such data found it generally difficult to gain access thereto. The Data Strategy, and accompanying Malta data portal, could change such access, but information regarding what type of microdata can be made available may still limit such access due to anonymity issues associated with a small population. Only time will tell if access to administrative data has improved in reality. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149882 Title: Ecocentric fisheries management in European Seas volume II : e-tools, management scenarios, and capacity building to support decision making in fisheries and ecosystems Authors: Gal, Gideon; Briguglio, Marie; Scarcella, Giuseppe; Heymans, Johanna J.; Steenbeek, Jeroen; Tsikliras, Athanassios C. Abstract: Fisheries management has traditionally focused on maintaining the productivity of individual commercially exploited stocks, and ecosystem processes are rarely incorporated into operational decision-making (Skern-Mauritzen et al., 2016). However, fishing affects not only target species but also their predators, prey and competitors, as well as non-target species, habitats, and the structure and functioning of entire food webs (Pauly et al., 1998; Pikitch et al., 2004). There is increasing awareness that these effects interact with climate change, pollution, biological invasions, habitat alteration, and the expanding use of marine space, exposing marine ecosystems to multiple and potentially cumulative pressures (Bastardie et al., 2021; Korpinen et al., 2021). [excerpt] 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z