Everything changed … Everything’s the same
Students’ education must be complete, whatever the circumstances!
Maltese families are obsessed with the educational attainment of their children, and make every effort for their kids to graduate and qualify for a decent job with prospects to advance and build a sustainable career. This obsession that their child MUST attain the necessary points in the Matriculation Certificate to enter the University of Malta, makes many parents pay a king’s ransom on private lessons to ensure their kids make it to freshmen year.
But this year is different — in a bad way!
With this year’s Matriculation Examinations happening this very month — right on the eve of the start of an academic year, and results scheduled to be published well into the Autumn semester, many students are stressed out! Coping is not easy. Sitting for the advanced and intermediate levels in September, and immediately start intensive studies with the first semester at a higher education institution is tough — then add the possibility of not attaining the necessary 36 points and having to either repeat hoping to get the points to remain in the course, or be booted out, missing a year in their education!
All this with a probability that classes will be on-line!
A stable well organised undergraduate programme with a tried and tested pedagogy is paramount to the development of students.
The same opportunities need to be given to the current generation of young adults to enable them to assimilate knowledge. This process is not simply reading a text book. Knowledge will become ingrained only with full understanding that will involve open discussion with an academic and other students, and workshops where students are enabled to gain the skills they are learning in the classroom.
‘One of the most influential concepts for educational policies in the developed world is the Delors Commission Report of 1996 (UNESCO) that suggested that formal education, tends to over-emphasize certain types of knowledge to the detriment of others that are essential to sustaining human development.’
An integrated approach to education even in Covid-19 Pandemic
The idea of the integrated approach to education reflected in the four pillars of learning above has had significant influence on policy debates, teacher training and curriculum development, but owing to the Covid-19 pandemic some institutions are throwing the baby with the bath water, by insisting on-line learning without properly assessing the impact of such a move.
The four pillars are;
- Learning to know — knowledge; a broad general knowledge with the opportunity to work in depth on a small number of subjects. The provision of knowledge on-line is by no means new, with institutions developing a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to offer knowledge intensive artefacts made available to the student, such as ebooks, videos, podcasts and tests.
- Learning to do — skill; to acquire not only occupational skills but also the competence to deal with many situations and to work in teams. This is a more challenging process to transfer to online means, because to acquire a skill, an individual needs to practice whilst being mentored. Some platforms do exist that will allow teams of students and their academics to partake projects in workshop format, and students will start learning how virtual organisations (multiple individuals in geographically sparse location work on particular projects) operate.
- Learning to be — self worth; to develop one’s personality and to be able to act with growing autonomy, judgment and personal responsibility. Many tend to believe that gaining self-esteem is tantamount on gaining the esteem of others, and thus go on about accumulating qualifications with top grades, thinking such would satiate their own belief in themselves. This pillar actually is the opposite — self esteem is gained through being in the service of others, building relationships with fellow students and academics.
- Learning to live together —sense of community; by developing an understanding of other people and an appreciation of interdependence. Learning to be part of a team in the belief that mutual trust and working as a team will achieve much more than each single individual. Yet the team is made up of each individual’s participation.
The four pillars of learning were envisaged against the backdrop of the notion of ‘lifelong learning’, itself an adaptation of the concept of ‘lifelong education’ as initially conceptualized in the 1972 by Faure’s Learning to Be.
Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education has the Delors four pillars at its very core of its values. In this Pandemic Emergency, the Institute has ascertained that students’ prospects to develop their potential are not diminished in any way.
What role must a good University play in one’s life?
Reading for a degree with the University of London is the transition from basic schooling attained during compulsory education, to the first step towards truly building competences towards a rewarding career. The three year undergraduate programmes offer concentrated knowledge — an assimilation of know-how that used to take previous generations a life-time to learn. As a serious institution that knows what students’ needs are, Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education provides every opportunity for students to use the knowledge they are assimilating, through simulations, as an integral part of the study programme, as well as real life internship experiences through on the job internships. Students working together on real life projects give the opportunity for students to integrate with strangers to achieve a set task in a set deadline, and through the experience gain an understanding of self-worth.
‘The culmination of Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education efforts in including participitative learning for its students left no more doubt when INTACT won the Junior Achievement European Competition in Entrepreneurship in Helsinki, Finland. The first and only for Malta!’
As a student, or as a parent, you are in need of an educational institution that will nurture your development, assist you in graduating with a world renowned University of London degree — and stability in your studies! Because you are #NotJustANumber
You have the Choice to use YOUR OWN income tax contributions as a parent, or future employment as a student, as a benefit for the Tuition fees.
Parents have the option to use their own income tax to Government, to choose their own child’s higher education institution. Through the GetQualified scheme, a parent are able to present the statement of expenses for a son or daughter to read for the degree at the Institution of their choice, and the income tax contribution is received as a rebate acknowledging the expenses the parent would have incurred to help educate their own child, instead of relying on Government to provide the service. The parent will receive up to 70% of your expenses as an income tax rebate, with a maximum total of €16,000 (€3,500 for Diploma and €12,500 for the Degree).
Tuition fees will not send you begging. Click Here
Let’s take a look at how this works.
Parents may ask for a Tax Rebate if they are paying their child’s higher education tuition fees, in effect enjoying circa 5 years income tax ‘free’ as a ‘thank you’ for the funding of tuition fees paid on behalf of their child, through the GetQualified Scheme.
The University of London, a world renowned University in Malta since 2000
This fact may have been Malta’s best kept secret, except for the hundreds of students who since have graduated from the University of London, by attending Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education. Is there any need to highlight the merits of one of the top global Universities? Neither is Saint Martin’s Institute a ‘fly by night’ organisation. This year is the Institute’s 35th anniversary since it opened its doors to students, way back in 1985.
Eliminate the unnecessary stress and register now
Few places are still available to join the 2020–2021 academic year.
Interested to join the class of 2020? Click here
This is the end result — the many students, graduating at the Barbican, London!
Interested to join the class of 2020? Click here
Act Now
You may choose from a wide variety of fields of study. Check our prospectus for Commerce or Computing to join some of the most highly demanded career fields in Malta and overseas!
Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education, a Recognised Teaching Centre for the University of London, will provide you with tuition that will lead you to an accredited degree, conferred by the world renowned University of London, by attended classes in Hamrun, Malta.
The Institute is renowned for its student centred pedagogy that has resulted in very high classifications as examined by the examining boards of the University of London member institutions who have academic leadership of the degrees taught at Saint Martin’s Institute. At Saint Martin’s Institute students are #NotJustANumber
Take advantage from the fair entry requirements, that do not stress out children and families with the unfortunate measures taken due to the Covid-19 pandemic. University of London students at Saint Martin’s Institute did not experience any interruptions or drastic change in the teaching offered due to the global emergency.
Browse our 2020 Prospectus to get to know of the wide spectrum of specialisations you may choose to study.
If you wish to have a one to one chat with regard to your choice of qualification, you may complete this online contact form call us on +356 2123 5451 for an appointment, or communicate with us through our website or Facebook or email us on infodesk@stmartins.edu
If you are already convinced that you want to join us for the upcoming academic year, then just complete this Application Form and email it to us on infodesk@stmartins.edu
