ECTS Is ITS rising to the Challenge

1
ECTS Is ITS rising to the Challenge?

• Henry Mifsud MBA (Brunel), DMS (Henley), MCIM,
  MIM
• Chartered Marketer,
• Coordinator Management Department,
• Institute of Tourism Studies

2
Why ECTS in Vocational Education?

• Vocational Education is normally associated with
  a hands-on approach whereby students are exposed
  to training which goes beyond the normal
  classroom environment.
• The role of skills and skills development through
  training in the contemporary economy is a matter
  of considerable academic and political debate.

3
The Bologna Process

• The overarching aim of the Bologna Process is to
  create a European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
  based on international cooperation and academic
  exchange that is attractive to European students
  and staff as well as to students and staff from
  other parts of the world.

4
Why is it called Bologna Process and who
participates?

• Although the Bologna Declaration was signed in
  the Italian city of Bologna on 19 June 1999 by
  ministers in charge of higher education from 29
  European countries (Malta being one of them),
  today the Process unites 46 countries - all party
  to the European Cultural Convention and committed
  to the goals of the European Higher Education
  Area.

5
ITS firmly within the Bologna Process

• Its mission
• The Institute of Tourism Studies provides
  vocational education of a high standard. It seeks
  to identify customer needs and monitor customer
  satisfaction and it is responsible for providing
  the tourist industry with personnel trained to
  international standards.

6
How does it achieve these goals?

• Provides opportunities for work experience in the
  industry, locally and abroad
• Recreates actual working environments on campus
• Provides training in a comprehensive range of
  practical skills
• Develops and enhances the intellectual ability of
  its students through a wide range of academic
  subjects
• Teaches generic skills essential for a smooth
  transition into the world of work.

7
ITS and ECTS

• ITS is being run as a holistic college for
  Hospitality Tourism Studies.
• It is offering a wide variety of certificate /
  diploma courses (FPP,FBS,AO,HO,HM) by a modular
  credits system spread over 2 - 4 years 2
  semesters per year.
• Part-time courses are also being offered to
  people of all ages already working in industry to
  enhance their life-long learning.

8
ITS a success story!

• ITS is bridging the gap between Vocational
  Education and Higher Education.
• The majority of the Hospitality Management
  Students who finish their Higher Diploma normally
  move on to the University of Malta to further
  their studies by joining the third year students
  following the BA (Hons.) Tourism course
  (a unique academic situation
  locally).
• They integrate, fairly well and many were the
  instances when they even excelled!

9
A new phenomena ?

• The number of foreign students at ITS is also
  steadily increasing year after year.
• Besides, year in year out, we are having
  University graduates from different faculties,
  applying to join management courses at ITS
• Most common reason given is that these students
  feel the need to be more focused and better
  prepared for the real world.
• Why? Employability?

10
Quo vadis ITS?

• Despite its name, mission, goals and
  track-record, only the ITS catering school
  aspect is widely noticed locally. Such a
  limited perception needs to be ameliorated.
• Its autonomy is still being challenged.
• Perhaps the time has come to give ITS the true
  dimension it deserves not cosmetically but
  strategically.

11
How is ITS managing change?

• Recruited better qualified teaching staff and is
  investing in their cpd.
• Involvement of parents.
• Proactive approach using modern teaching
  techniques.
• Heavy investment in ICT both for students
  (e-learning centre) and the teaching staff
  (intranet/extranet).

12
ITS and Recognition

• In order to be in line with the international
  scenario and be part of the overall
  knowledge-based economy in the EU and thus assist
  its students to maintain a high level of social
  cohesion, ITS embarked on various initiatives.
• These led to its qualifications being duly
  recognised not just in Malta but also abroad, by
  employers and also by academic institutions such
  as universities.

13
Malta Qualifications Council

• In November of 2007, ITS became the first Maltese
  institution to sign the protocol with MQC making
  it the first local institution to have its system
  within the European Qualifications Framework
  (Quality Recognition).
• This gave prospective students a good indication
  of how their hard-earned qualifications will
  actually compare with those of other countries
  (Transferability).

14
The ITS Programmes of Study

• Foundation MQF Level 2
• Certificate MQF Level 3
• Diploma MQF Level 4
• Higher Diploma MQF Level 5

15
The Challenge ahead

• Employabilty
• Recognition
• Quality Assurance
• Tranferability

16
Is ITS rising to the Challenge?

• Definitely! If it continues to develop its
  curriculum paying particular attention to quality
  and innovation.
• But as the saying goes the proof of the pudding
  is in the eating. The standard of our students
  is constantly being commended by many managers of
  international hotels spread all over Europe where
  we send them for a whole years internship to
  savour the international flavour.

17

• Thank you