Latest academic staff engagement ‘strengthens the AUM’, university insists

The American University of Malta yesterday insisted the project “is on track and delivering according to all contractual obligations and the standards set by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) and other authorities”.

With reference to reports on the movement of personnel within the University, AUM remarked that “this week, new full-time academic staff has been engaged and the university has a full complement for this stage of the project”.

In a statement sent by the university’s Provost John Ryder yesterday evening the university insisted that, “Through this latest recruitment, AUM benefits from high calibre academic staff, including PhD graduates from renowned universities in Europe, the UK, US and Australia. This is in line with AUM’s vision and ethos of offering a quality international level of education.

“The numbers being quoted as ‘targets which have been missed’ do not reflect in any way the contractual agreement, which is public and accessible to all.

“The reality is that AUM subjected itself to all accreditation processes and acquired its licence to operate, and will gradually commence its first year of promotion abroad, achieving recognition in foreign leading markets.”

At this early stage of the project, AUM said it had “consciously decided to intake the first number of students during a low-key soft launch that the University had in September.

“These students have already been assessed and the results for the first semester have been submitted by the faculty. Also, lectures for the second semester will resume on 15 January with the input of the new academic staff.”

The university stated that following rigorous scrutiny by all relevant independent authorities, “AUM immediately set out to achieve high standards in quality education and, even before the formal launch of the new university, this largest ever education investment in Malta is achieving good progress and adjusting to the realities which modern global universities face.

“AUM has already invested heavily in the restoration work and construction of facilities at Dock 1 with a resolute commitment to solely provide study opportunities with excellent levels of learning and research.”

The AUM said that in the coming weeks it will be rolling out a number of initiatives which will undoubtedly confirm that the work being done at this stage is resulting in a successful university of the highest reputation”.