The Department of Family Studies was originally set up as the Centre for Family Studies in the academic year of 2008/09 at the University of Malta as an inter-faculty institution. The Centre was transferred to a Department within the new Faculty for Social Wellbeing in August 2012. The aims of the Department are: - to organise, encourage and promote research on all aspects of family life with particular reference to the Maltese cultural context - to offer certificate, degree and postgraduate courses including professional courses in the field of family studies; and supervision of Ph.D. theses - to organise and promote multidisciplinary workshops, seminars and conferences on family issues - to network and liaise with centres and organisations related to Family Studies, both local and overseas and to serve as a resource centre - to offer consultative services in the field of family related matters to institutions assisting families, governmental and non-governmental agencies. The Department aspires to develop a body of knowledge that would inform family policy as well as practice related to work with families in the helping professions field. Another major goal of the Department is to strengthen its international links and participate in international research projects with other colleagues in academia.