The Faculty for Social Wellbeing continues to add on to the many agreements it is working in with an array of organisations.
A few weeks after the new Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Ms Samantha Pace Gasan has been appointed, the University of Malta through this faculty has successfully renewed its research collaboration with the Commission for the Rights of Persons With Disability through a Framework Collaboration Agreement.
Members from the Rector’s Office, from the Faculty for Social Wellbeing and from the Commission formally convened on Tuesday 3 March to extend a Memorandum of Understanding that was originally signed on 20 November 2017.
University Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella welcomed the renewal of this collaboration, commending the ongoing work being done by FSW towards improving our collective and individual understandings of a most fundamental aspect of our human condition – the diversity of our minds and bodies.
The extension of the agreement establishes a grant of €10,000 that will be used towards the funding of two new research pieces; one that will be the basis of a service provision review in the disability sector, and another that will analyse the intersectionality of disability studies with other areas.
Prof. Andrew Azzopardi, Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, told those present that this is yet another step towards eliminating some of the barriers faced by people with disabilities, through the optimization of the services offered to them. He went on to say that this can only be done if their perspective is integrated into every thought process.
Dr Claire Azzopardi Lane, Head of the Department of Disability Studies, said although it is their intention, disability awareness programmes do not always manage to mainstream disability rights – but by enhancing the quality of interaction between the Faculty, who is equipped with the necessary knowledge, and the Commission, which is close to this segment of the population, the quality of disability awareness will certainly improve.
Other than this research study, the two parties have committed themselves to retaining an open dialogue, undertaking research projects as required from time to time, and organising an annual conference on disability issues.
The Commission will also be sponsoring an Award to be presented to a postgraduate Disability Studies student who obtains the highest mark for their Dissertation during the Faculty’s annual Dean’s Award Ceremony.
Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Ms Samantha Pace Gasan, who previously worked as a Research Support Officer within the Faculty, said that ‘inclusion is something that is within everyone’s ability’, and that she looks forward to rendering the Maltese society a more inclusive one by furthering the mainstreaming of rights for persons with disabilities and strengthening their participation in society.