First student nurses start their training with a UK university in Malta

With a global reputation for high quality Nursing degrees, Northumbria University, Newcastle has started training more nurses in Malta to help the country’s national nursing shortage.

Supported by the Maltese Government, Malta Enterprise and the Maltese Union of Midwives and Nurses, Northumbria is delivering a new full time three year BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies degree programme in Malta, in collaboration with Malta College of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST).

The new programme has 30 students on the course and have now started their first placements in a range of Maltese healthcare settings.

The first year of the programme is being taught at MCAST main campus, until work to build a state-of-the art clinical skills teaching facility at the St Luke's Medical site are completed.

Lisa Bray, from Malta, is one of the students who is studying the new BSc Nursing course. She said: “Although we are still in our early days in this course I feel that I have learnt a lot thanks to the wide range of high quality resources and the professional lecturing team.

“I am certain that this Nursing course will help me improve my professional, as well as interpersonal skills, as with the help of our strong support system we are given individualised attention, as well as professional practical and academic training, preparing us for the world of work, with state-of-the-art equipment.”

Northumbria University was chosen to deliver the degree programme due to its global reputation as a leading nursing education and training provider. The University already delivers nursing programmes internationally in Shanghai and has previously in Malaysia. Its UK based Pre-registration nursing programmes are approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and were the first in the UK to be accredited by the Royal College of Nursing.

Professor Alison Machin, Acting Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Health at Northumbria University, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to be partners in this important Maltese nursing development and would like to welcome our new students. Academics at Northumbria and MCAST are very excited to be working together to develop a future generation of nurses, who will receive the highest standard of education and learning in nursing. Our selection in delivering this programme is testament to our global reputation for academic excellence in nursing and builds on our existing high quality international portfolio of teaching and research.”

Dr Silvio De Bono, President of the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology University, said: “Helping to address the shortage of nurses is a key priority for the Maltese Government. There is no doubt that Northumbria University is amongst the best in the world in developing nurses and nursing standards. Through this partnership with Northumbria we are confident we will be able to help address the nursing shortage and deliver a world class degree programme.”

The new degree programme has met all of the requirements of the EU Directive for General Nursing; the Malta Council for Nurses and Midwives’ Scope of Professional Practice; and Malta Council for Nurses and Midwives’ Code of Ethics. Student numbers are expected to increase steadily over the coming years.

Northumbria University has an award winning reputation for providing innovative, flexible and wide ranging professional learning and development opportunities for those working in health. In 2016 the University, in partnership with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, developed the UK’s first 18-month route to a BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies with Nursing and Midwifery Council registration as an adult nurse, for people able to evidence with substantial experience and previous significant academic study in nursing and health care.

Northumbria offers degree, masters and doctorate level programmes in nursing. Undergraduate programmes are available in adult, child, mental health and learning disabilities nursing and in midwifery. The University also offers a Higher Education diploma in operating department practice.

Established in 2001, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) is the country’s leading vocational education and training institution. Through its six institutes in Malta and the Gozo Campus, they offer 185 full-time and over 300 part-time vocational courses ranging from certificates to degrees (MQF Level 1 to Level 6).

The College is currently building a new campus. Co-financed by the Maltese Government and the European Union, through a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project once complete it will accommodate over 10,000 full-time students every year. 

For more information about UK and international nursing programmes at Northumbria University visit www.northumbria.ac.uk 

Caption Main Image:

L-r Mr Tonio Pace, Director Institute of Applied Sciences, Phyllis Farrugia Abanifi Nursing Programme Co-ordinator and Doreen Micallef, Deputy Director Programme Management, from MCAST, Professor Jon Reast, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Northumbria University, Dr Ing Alex Rizzo, Head of Technical College, MCAST and Professor Alison Machin, Acting Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Health at Northumbria University.

Second Image:

Hon. Chris Fearne, Minister for Health, Malta meets the nursing students.