Practice, knowledge and collaboration

Abstract

This graduation oration, delivered by Professor Trevor Borg at the University of Malta, explores the evolving landscape of contemporary art and design practice within higher education. Emphasizing "Practice as Research" (PaR), the address articulates how artistic production, material engagement, and creative making generate unique forms of qualitative, non-propositional knowledge. Professor Borg highlights the transformative power of cross-disciplinary collaboration, hybrid research methodologies, and the systemic role of productive experimentation and failure in institutional research frameworks. The text underscores the university's vital responsibility to cultivate flexible, safe, and reflexive environments that encourage students to embrace uncertainty, challenge normative assumptions, and contribute meaningfully to the broader knowledge economy.