A team from the Association of Medical Schools of Europe (AMSE) has just concluded a site visit of UM's Faculty of Medicine & Surgery as part of the first external peer accreditation procedure of that faculty's flagship medical degree programme. ASIIN - an international quality assurance agency specialised in accrediting degree programmes in the medical, natural, IT and engineering sciences - was contracted by AMSE to undertake a thorough review of the operations of the faculty as they apply to the MD degree, with a view to consider bestowing it with its prestigious quality label.
The AMSE team, led by Prof. Dr Harm Peters from Charite' Hospital Berlin, reviewed various reports and documentation, toured the facilities at UM and Mater Dei Hospital, and met with departmental heads, Academics, Partners from Industry, students, and graduates during their stay. The team also met University Rector Prof. Alfred J. Vella to lay out the objectives of their visit. They presented their findings at the end of their visit to the Faculty Dean, Prof. Godfrey La Ferla and the respective Heads of Department, in the presence of Pro Rector Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino (responsible for international development and quality assurance). They identified a set of nine deliverables which the faculty will consider, with the ultimate objective of improving medical education for better patient care. The AMSE team also indicated their appreciation for the "highly dedicated" members of faculty staff, their commitment to change and professional development, and the high level of medical student pride and satisfaction with their programme of studies.
Photo shows Pro-Rector Prof. Baldacchino and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Surgery, Prof. La Ferla and Ms Doris Mangion, Senior Executive at the Faculty, at the head of the table, flanked by various Heads of Department: (left to right) Prof. Kevin Cassar, Prof. Stephen Montefort (Deputy Dean), Dr. Mario Zerafa, Prof. Richard Muscat, Prof. Julian Mamo, Dr David Cassar, and Dr Philip Sciortino. The AMSE team consisted of Prof. Harm Peters, Dr Sandy Kujumdshiev (Leipzig University), Prof. Markus Schnare (Marburg University), student representative Mr Samin Sedghi Zadeh (University of Torino) along with Mr Rainer Arnold (ASIIN administrator).