Italian Ambassador visits University of Malta

The Italian Ambassador to Malta, Mario Sammartino, was recently invited by the dean of the Faculty of Science of the University of Malta, Professor Charles V. Sammut, to visit the Faculty to discuss with the heads of the department, tour the research laboratories and meet researchers, including those who have an Italian connection.

Participating in the discussion were Professor Alfred J. Vella, rector of the University of Malta, Professor Saviour Zammit, prorector for Research and Knowledge Transfer and Dr Carmen Sammut, pro-rector for Student and Staff Affairs and Outreach.

The conversation focused on several ongoing collaborations with Italian institutions, most notably the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, as well as leading Italian universities. Dr André Xuereb from the Department of Physics, who helped organise the visit, noted that much important research takes place thanks to these relationships, especially in quantum technologies, seismic sensing and marine sciences.

Ambassador Sammartino visited the research laboratories of the Departments of Physics, Geosciences, Biology and Chemistry, where he met researchers and students, some of whom hail from Italy.

Professor Sammut thanked the Ambassador for his visit and for his support and stressed that intensification of inter-academic cooperation is one of the pillars on which to base and further strengthen the already excellent relations between Italy and Malta.