The government must invest seriously in Malta’s national university
The reported €11 million deficit at the University of Malta highlights the Government’s lack of long-term planning and investment. Instead, the government has conveniently chosen to blame the increase in staff numbers and wages.
This narrative is unfair. The truth is that Malta already ranks at the bottom of the European Union in Research and Development expenditure as a percentage of GDP. While the EU average stands at around 2.2%, Malta remains far below at 0.6%, consistently the lowest in the EU. This is not a staffing problem but a political choice reflecting a chronic lack of commitment towards R&D and higher education.
If the Government is struggling to find €11 million for the University of Malta, we suggest it reviews its own spending priorities. Here is a short list of badly spent overexpenditure in recent years:
- €4.5 million allocated for a pavilion linked to Malta Vision 2050
- €5 million spent annually on the Mediterrane Film Festival
- €420,000 on the Metro promotion
- €311,000 spent on gravel at Ta’ Qali
- €80,000 spent on two launch events for the Marsa Junction
- Hundreds of thousands of euros spent on useless billboard propaganda.
Moreover, reports show that over 700 people are working in positions of trust or as consultants. Even at a conservative estimate of €20,000 per year each, this amounts to €14 million annually.
Carmel Asciak, Treasurer of Momentum, said, “The Government cannot claim there is no money for education while continuing to fund lavish events, politically convenient appointments and unnecessary promotional exercises. The University of Malta is not a private company that must be bullied into being ‘self-sufficient’. It is Malta’s only national university. It is a public institution that invests in the country’s most valuable and limited resource: the education of its people.”
Momentum urges the Government to control wasteful spending, reduce reliance on politically appointed positions of trust, and redirect funds where they truly matter. Investing in our university is investing in our youth, our talent and Malta’s future.
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