Temporary ITS Luqa Campus inaugurated

The Institute of Tourism Studies’ new campus in Luqa was officially inaugurated by the Minister for Tourism, Konrad Mizzi, in the presence of UNTWO Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili. The move to this new campus was announced late last year with the aim of increasing the capacity and location site until the campus in Smart City is completed.

This larger campus has an increase in site footprint, excluding landscaping, of 78% compared to that of the two previous campus sites in Pembroke and St Julians combined, which includes 5 blocks and two parking spaces for staff members and students. With this move the institute’s needs are not only accommodated in one location, but all areas inside the campus are now fully accessible, contrary to the previous campus where certain departments including the library could not be accessed easily by an individual who uses a mobility aid.

The new premises can accommodate up to a 70% increase in students compared to the previous campus, with institute facilities modernised and increased. This includes more kitchens, most of which new, and specialised labs, together with an improved infrastructure which has resulted in a contemporary offering in the Institutes production outlets, which will ensure that students maximise their knowledge and skill takeup. Most of these laboratories where not available in the previous campus due to size constraints.

Apart from the academic side, the institute may now also accommodate to the different department’s needs, due to the fact that the campus infrastructure is larger in scale. The Institute has also invested in strengthening its IT infrastructure, moving to a wireless environment and the new campus benefits from installation of a new networking framework that ITS couldn’t cater for previously due to the constraints of a campus spread across locations and older buildings and technologies. ITS students, academics and administration staff now benefit from high-speed connectivity, and classrooms which are accommodated with audio-visual technology, as well as heightened security and safety through investment in safety technology, fire systems and access control.

This move compliments the vision in turning the institute into a world class international educational institute, and a first step closer to a new purposely built campus in Smart City, Kalkara.

ITS CEO thanked all those involved in this mammoth task, of not only relocating the Institute, but at the same time upgrading many things which were long waited for. He stated that now the institute had the opportunity to materialise them for the benefit of the students. He thanked all contractors, management, lecturers and staff who contributed to the successful move.

ITS Chairman joined CEO in thanking all those involved, and also commended ITS CEO Pierre Fenech for leading the project. Carlo Micallef continued by saying that under the guidance of Minister Konrad Mizzi, we are committed to take ITS to new heights, building on past success, setting up co operations and affiliations with international renowned institutions with the objective of making the Malta Institute of Tourism Studies a recognised global player in the sector.

Minister Mizzi described this move as an important step toward achieving the Government’s vision for the Institute of Tourism Studies, that of creating a world class teaching institution in tourism, catering for both international and national students. The Minister remarked that the Institute currently caters for around 1000 students, out of which 260 are international students.