The University of Malta traces its origins to the founding of the Collegium Melitense by the Jesuits in 1592. The College was raised to University status by Grandmaster Pinto in 1769. Situated at Tal-Qroqq, the University is the main institution of Higher Education of the State by which it is mainly financed. Access is open to all those who have the requisite qualifications.
There are over 11,500 students including some 1,000 international students from 92 different countries, following full-time or part-time degree and diploma courses, most of them run on the modular or credit system. Some 3,500 students graduate in various disciplines annually. The degree courses at the University are designed to produce highly qualified professionals with experience of research, who will play key roles in industry, commerce and public affairs in general. There are a further 2,000 pre-tertiary students at the Junior College which is also managed by the University.
Today UM is composed of fourteen faculties, a number of interdisciplinary institutes and centres, three schools and a junior college. Besides the main campus, situated at Msida, there are three other campuses: Valletta, Marsaxlokk, Gozo.
The main Campus at Msida is where most of the academic entities are located. It is also home to the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) and the International Ocean Institute Malta Operational Centre. The Foundation Stone of the Msida Campus was laid on 22 September 1964 by the Rt. Hon. Duncan Sandys, the then Commonwealth Secretary.
The Valletta Campus, which is housed in the Old University Building in Valletta, dates back to the founding of the Collegium Melitense in 1592. This Campus serves as a prestigious setting for the hosting of international conferences, seminars, short courses and summer schools. It is also the seat of the University’s International Collaborative Programmes, the Research, Innovation & Development Trust (RIDT) and the Conferences & Events Unit.
The University of Malta Gozo Campus facilitates the organisation of part-time degree, diploma and short-term courses in Gozo and also caters for the needs of the increasing number of students from Gozo who study on the main Campus. The Campus also provides a venue for public lectures and seminars and also houses the Güsten Atmospheric Research Centre, which is part of the Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science.
The Solar Research Laboratory of the Institute for Sustainable Energy is located at the Marsaxlokk Campus.
The University of Malta has embarked on a Strategic Planning Process to update its vision and mission for the next decade. The objective of the university is to sustain and develop its position as a world-class education provider that also has a strong national role. Nowadays, the University of Malta is a member of numerous Consortiums and associations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the European Universities Association (EUA), the Utrecht Network, the Santander Network, the Compostela Group, the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), UK Naric, European University Continuing Education Network (EUCEN), Network of Excellence of Island Universities (RETI) and the European Association of Erasmus Coordinators (EAEC). Through its International Office, its students participate in exchange programmes such as Erasmus+. Over the years, the University has participated in various EU Programmes and has won several projects under the Framework Programmes in collaboration with a number of partner universities.
Furthermore, the University is geared towards the infrastructural and industrial needs of the country so as to provide expertise in crucial fields. There is ongoing collaboration projects both with the public and private sectors whilst various services are offered in different industries.
