Centre for Labour Studies : Biennial Report : 2019-2020

Abstract

It is once again my great pleasure to introduce the Biennial Report for the Centre of Labour Studies at the University of Malta. This report covers the period 2019/2020. I write this report just as the CLS celebrates its 40th anniversary. What started off as the first centre at the University of Malta, serving as a training hub in the dynamics of worker participation with the support of Malta’s largest unions, has now expanded its scope to train a variety of adult women and men in various aspects of the world of work: gender and society, human resource issues, career guidance and occupational health and safety. It is correct to state that pioneering pedagogies in adult education – including residential weekend seminars – were introduced at the University of Malta by the Centre, then called the Workers’ Participation Development Centre (WPDC). The support of the GWU, UHM/CMTU and FORUM – all represented and active on the CLS Board – has been critical in helping to chart and monitor the mission of the Centre over four decades, and counting. In spite of the constraints imposed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic regarding public gatherings, an event was held at the Valletta Campus of the University of Malta on February 24, 2021, to celebrate both the CLS’ 40th year milestone; as well as the 80th birthday of Prof. Edward L. Zammit, founding Director of the CLS. His inspiration has galvanised the CLS staff to produce a scholarly book also in his honour. But: that will be featured in a future Biennial Report. Meanwhile, the research output of the CLS continues to impress: it is enough to mention the regular submissions on local industrial and labour relations to the European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions. These inform policy makers at the European Commission of the state of play of work related matters in the Maltese Islands. The year 2020 saw the CLS participate voluntarily in an internal mock audit review, run by the University’s Quality Assurance Committee. This was the Centre’s first comprehensive audit of its programmes of study. The exercise highlighted the CLS’ strengths in its operations and management, while suggesting a number of feasible improvements to take on board. During this exercise, both past and present students of the CLS spoke highly of the care and support received by CLS staff throughout their university student days. The Centre takes pride in this level of attention which reduces student attrition and helps build its high student retention and completion rates. Finally, also in 2020, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Mr Carmelo Abela, has launched a full-scale review of the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (2002), the flagship labour legislation in the country. The CLS has been asked to contribute to this review by tabling its own recommendations. I will stop here, and invite you to peruse these pages for evidence of how the CLS continues to make a positive impact on labour studies in Malta generally, and on dozens of university students particularly. Indeed, some observers often wonder how this is at all possible and sustainable, given that the CLS’ core personnel involves three full-time academics and three administrative staff members. [Introduction by Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino]