American Institute of Malta

Logo of the American University of Malta

The American Institute of Malta (AIM), formerly called the American University of Malta (AUM), is a proposed private educational institution in the Southern Region of Malta. It is planned that the campus be split between Cospicua and Marsaskala, and the project is meant to regenerate the South of Malta and give that area an economic and social boost.^[1] Since the proposal was announced in May 2015, it has generated considerable controversy, especially since part of it is to be built on Outside Development Zone (ODZ) land.^[2]

Planning

On 5 May 2015, the Jordanian contracting company Sadeen Group and the Government of Malta signed an agreement at Auberge de Castille for the former to set up a private educational institution called the American University of Malta (AUM). The university was planned to be set up in Spain, but Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat persuaded the chairman of Sadeen, Hani Salah, to set it up in Malta. The university is to accommodate 4000 students, primarily from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. It is to have colleges for engineering, arts, sciences, education and health.^[3] The project has an investment of over €115 million, and it is to create around 400 jobs.^[1]

The curricula of the AUM are to be provided by the DePaul University. The latter did not commit any financial resources for the construction of the AUM, and it was not involved in any discussions with the Government of Malta.^[4][5]

The proposed university is meant to create a social and economic boost to localities in the Southern Region of Malta, which is regarded as being less developed than the rest of the island.^[1][6] It plans to take in its first students in October 2016, and they are to be housed within SmartCity Malta until the campuses are completed.^[7]

In January 2016, John Ryder was named as the head of the American Institute of Malta, and it was announced that the National Commission for Further and Higher Education had also approved six lecturers to work with him.^[8]

Controversy

Use of ODZ land

When the university project was announced in May 2015, the government offered the Sadeen Group 90,000 m² (970,000 sq ft) of Outside Development Zone (ODZ) land near Żonqor Point in Marsaskala on which to build the university. A natural park, partially funded by the university, would be set up nearby. The proposal to use ODZ land raised concerns among environmentalists, including the NGOs Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Ramblers Association, Din l-Art Ħelwa, NatureTrust Malta, Birdlife Malta, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement and Greenhouse. The Malta Developers Association also stated that a better site should be found,^[9] while the Church criticized the process used to select the land for the university.^[10] Meanwhile, most of the Marsaskala residents supported the university project, and made a petition in its favour.^[11]

The government initially planned to include the 19th-century Fort Leonardo within the university campus. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat also stated that constructing the university in Marsaskala would pressure the owners of the former Jerma Palace Hotel to redevelop the site, which has fallen into disrepair since being closed in 2007.^[12]

Muscat responded to the environmentalists' criticism by stating that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority would consider other sites as long as they are located in the southern part of the island.^[13] A public consultation process was subsequently made in order to select an alternative site for the university campus.^[14]

On 23 May, the Front Ħarsien ODZ (Maltese for Front for the Protection of ODZ) was set up in response to the proposed development at Żonqor Point. The group aims to protect all ODZ land in Malta, and it includes Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, government whip Godfrey Farrugia and Alternattiva Demokratika politician Michael Briguglio.^[15] On 20 June, the front held a protest in Valletta against the development, and it was attended by 3000 people.^[16]

Part of the campus is to be housed at Dock No. 1 in Cospicua

On 20 August, Muscat announced that the government had reached an agreement with the Sadeen Group that the campus be split between the former Dock No. 1 in Cospicua and a reduced site at Żonqor Point. The campus at Żonqor is much smaller than the one originally planned, and it will occupy the site of the water polo pitch and 18,000 m² (190,000 sq ft) of adjoining ODZ fields. This campus is to consist of three faculties and student dormitories, with a maximum height of five stories. A new water polo pitch is also to be built to replace the one that will be demolished to make way for the university. The campus at Cospicua will occupy warehouses and adjacent buildings at Dock No. 1 which were built during Hospitaller and British rule. Additional buildings are to be constructed, but they are to keep with the architectural style of the area.^[7] The government will rent out both campuses to Sadeen Group for around €200,000 a year, which is a very low price considering the historical value of the Dock No. 1 site and the sea views at Żonqor.^[17]

Front Ħarsien ODZ said that the proposal of splitting the campus was better than the original one, but said that it was still unacceptable to build on ODZ land.^[7] The University Students' Council also expressed its disappointment at the government building part of the campus at Żonqor Point.^[18] On the other hand, the move was welcomed by the Cospicua Heritage Society, who said that the Three Cities and Kalkara would greatly benefit from the project.^[19]

The government approved the granting of land for the AUM after a 15-hour long debate in parliament on 15 December.^[20] Front Ħarsien ODZ called this parliamentary sitting "surreal" and said that it shows terrible governance.^[21]

Other controversies

Apart from the controversy regarding the location of the campus, the AUM also generated disagreement as to whether it is actually American. Although its curricula are to be provided by the DePaul University, the AUM is not a branch of that university, and it is being set up by a Jordanian company. Articles in the Maltese media have questioned whether the new university is actually American, and the research professor Philip Altbach stated that he fears the amount of "business interests starting universities to make money using the American brand," including the American University of Malta.^[22]

Muscat was accused of a lack of transparency with regards to how agreements on the AUM were made, but he responded by saying that the public was informed on the first occasion.^[23] NGOs have called for the publication of the agreement between the government and Sadeen Group.^[24]

The AUM has also generated controversy with regards to the practicality of having another university in the small country of Malta.^[25] The government stated that the AUM would end the monopoly that the University of Malta has on higher education,^[26] but university lecturers disagreed with the use of the term "monopoly", stating that the university already competes with other institutions such as MCAST.^[27]

Leader of the Opposition Simon Busuttil has stated that since the AUM applied for the licence of a "Higher Education Institution", its marketing of itself as a "University" is illegal.^[20] In January 2016, the National Commission for Further and Higher Education announced that Sadeen Education Investment Ltd had been given a licence to operate an institution under the name American Institute of Malta. The process to acquire a university licence is ongoing, and the licence for a Higher Education Institution is the first step in this process.^[28] The commission has stated that a degree issued by the American Institute would have the same value as one issued by the University of Malta.^[29]

References

External links

• Official website