IEEE Malta Awards Night Celebrates Excellence and Industry Impact of UM Faculties and Students

The University of Malta’s Faculties of Engineering and Information & Communication Technology (ICT) were celebrated for their outstanding achievements and sustained contribution to industry during the IEEE Malta Awards Recognition & Appreciation Night, held on Wednesday 17 December 2025 at Xjenza Malta’s Chaplaincy Hall in Kalkara.

The event, compered by Kim Dalli, brought together students, academics, industry partners and professionals for an evening dedicated to recognising excellence, collaboration and capacity building. The awards highlighted the University of Malta’s pivotal role in nurturing talent, strengthening industry links and advancing skills development aligned with real-world needs.

Addressing attendees, Dr Conrad Attard, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of ICT and Chairman of the IEEE Malta Section, emphasised the importance of community and ethics in professional growth.

“We want to celebrate the commitment of all students and awardees for reaching such important milestones in their careers. Over the past year, we have organised more than 15 initiatives in close collaboration with organisations, increasingly recognising the importance of networking. Stay curious, stay ethical, stay connected,” he remarked.

He presented the awards together with Dean of the Faculty of ICT, Prof. Ing. Carl James Debono.

A Year of Impactful Initiatives

Throughout the 2024/2025 academic year, the University of Malta demonstrated strong leadership in bridging academia and industry. Initiatives ranged from Robot Championships 2024, the Best National STEAM Project Award, and Science in the City, to targeted skills-development programmes such as the Bootcamp: Empowering Women in Mobile App Development (MDIA-funded).

Students also benefited from high-impact academic and professional platforms, including the Faculty of ICT Expo: Shaping Tomorrow, Best Final Year Project presentations, Freshers’ Week activities, participation in the IEEE Region 8 Committee Meeting in Croatia, and multiple opportunities for real-world learning through industry collaborations. Collectively, these initiatives reinforced UM’s role as a key contributor to Malta’s innovation and technology ecosystem.

Celebrating Student Excellence

A highlight of the evening was the recognition of exceptional student achievements across Engineering, Computing and ICT disciplines:

• Award for Best Final Year Project 2024 – Electrical Engineering: Isaac Micallef
• Award for Best Final Year Project 2024 – Mechanical Engineering: Sarah Galea
• Award for Best in ICT 2024: Luke Zerafa
• Award for Best Final Year Project 2025 – Electrical Engineering: Kyle Muscat
• Award for Best Final Year Project 2025 – Mechanical Engineering: Matthew James Barbara
• Award for Best in Computing 2025: James John Gatt
• Award for Best in ICT 2025: Bradley Camilleri

Certificates of participation were also presented to students who completed the Bootcamp for Empowering Women in Mobile App Development, recognising their commitment to upskilling and inclusivity within the tech sector.

Recognising Collaboration and Leadership

The success of the IEEE Region 8 Robot Championship was marked by awards to volunteers, mentors and supporting organisations, acknowledging their vital role in mentoring students and delivering impactful learning experiences. An Industry Recognition for Real-World Student Learning further underlined the value of strong partnerships between the University and industry.

In recognition of sustained leadership and contribution to the growth of IEEE Malta, IEEE Malta Section Committee Recognition Awards were presented to Prof. Edward Gatt, Dr Paul Zammit and Prof. Alex Micallef.

Driving the Future of Industry and Innovation

The IEEE Malta Awards Night reaffirmed the University of Malta’s commitment to academic excellence, industry engagement and student empowerment. By fostering innovation, ethical practice and meaningful collaboration, UM continues to shape future-ready graduates while making a lasting contribution to Malta’s technological and industrial landscape.