MCAST will no longer use word ‘university’, NCFHE says

The Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology will no longer be using the term ‘university college’, the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) told this newsroom when asked about the use of such a term when regulations prohibit non-universities from using the word ‘university’. 

MCAST had divided its courses between three colleges, the Foundation College, the Technical College and the University College. These three were also used in the prospectus for the 2018/2019 year.

This, however, raised a number of questions, and some individuals spoken to by this newsroom were concerned that the usage of the term ‘university college’ by an institution that is not classified as a university could be misleading. It is pertinent to note that MCAST officials do not believe it was such.

The prospectus in question described the University College as catering for higher education programmes and vocational degrees, while also working in close collaboration with industry in order to provide professionals that are both academically prepared and practically trained to satisfy local needs. It catered for those studying at MQF level 5 and above.

The Further and Higher Education (Licensing, Accreditation and Quality Assurance) Regulations specifically state that: “Licensees in the category ‘higher education institution’… shall not use the word ‘university’ in any media, advertising, published material, promotional material or in any information otherwise supplied to intending students, students, parents or the public in relation to any part of their name or in any title of, or with reference to, any programme provided or award conferred by them.” The regulations continue to explain that such institutions would not be prohibited from using this word “in any title of, or with reference to, any programme, or part thereof, accredited in accordance with these regulations and provided by them in agreement with a licensed university or an overseas university, whether by means of a joint programme or otherwise. This proviso shall apply only where such programme has fulfilled the requirements related to the recognition of foreign qualifications under the Act, these regulations or any other law, and where the programme serves to obtain a national qualification classified at Malta Qualifications Framework level 5 or higher and is awarded by a licensed university as defined in the Second Schedule or a foreign qualification at a comparable level which is awarded by an overseas university.”

MCAST is not listed as a licensed university on the NCFHE’s list of institutions, and instead falls under the category of ‘Further and Higher Education Institutions’. Such institutions, according to the regulations, are also not allowed to use the word university.

This newsroom sent a number of questions to the NCFHE, asking among other things whether MCAST had breached regulations by using the term ‘university college’ and, if so, what action had been taken.

The NCFHE responded: “NCFHE can confirm that it sought clarifications regarding this issue from MCAST. Following this, it has been agreed by the two parties that the word ‘university’ shall no longer be utilised. NCFHE considers this point resolved.”

This newsroom also met up with various MCAST representatives, who explained that the use of the word was not misleading. MCAST, they said, had decided to stop using the term ‘university college’ last year.

MCAST’s three-tiered structure is the result of reforms relating to the institution’s internal structures, MCAST principal James Calleja told this newsroom.

The decision was made to cluster the qualifications offered by MCAST into three tiers. The lowest was the Foundation College, offering MQF Levels 1-3 education. The second tier was the Technical College, catering for MQF Level 4. The third was the University College, catering for MQF levels 5-7, he explained.

He said that it was an internal arrangement, and stressed that only MCAST was mentioned on certificates, including diplomas, not the individual colleges.

This came about following some confusion among parents and students, who would ask, for example, where these separate colleges were situated, when they were all based at the Paola campus. The term ‘university college’ does not feature on the 2019/2020 prospectus, he said.

MCAST registrar Ronald Curmi explained that MCAST has an extremely wide remit in terms of courses for the amount of qualifications offered, and that it is a unique formula which also includes Level A (which is below MQF Level 1) courses. He said that this makes it hard to control logistics and operations, especially given that the needs of students at different levels.

This, Curmi said, was one of the reasons why the three colleges were created, allowing for the creation of separate internal regulations for each range, such as specific assessment methods for degree students.

The term ‘university college’ was used, among other things, to identify a cohort of students undertaking courses in that MQF level range, the two explained.

When told that using such a term could be misleading, principal Calleja disagreed, explaining that MCAST wanted to give an identity to those students. It was a service to students rather than misleading, and it was for an organisational aspect as well as to give them a sense of belonging, he said.

They said that MCAST, to their knowledge, was never fined over this, stressing that it was an internal structure, and the principal believes the NCFHE would have been wrong to fine them.

They said that MCAST is a higher education institution, and that they are happy with it as is, adding that for the foreseeable future, there is no intention to include the word ‘university’. MCAST as a brand is strong enough to attract students, they said.

The term ‘university college’ is, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, defined as either a college attached to or affiliated with a university, or a college lacking the right to confer its own degrees and for this purpose attached to but physically separate from a university. In some countries, there are university colleges that are completely separate entities which are considered below universities; however, the Maltese regulations are quite strict when it comes to the usage of the word ‘university’, as outlined above.

While the three colleges have been dissolved, the MCAST representatives said that the decision was taken in the third quarter of 2018, and they are not mentioned in this scholastic year’s prospectus, which was issued in February. They said that the decision to remove these terms was due to the strong MCAST brand and not to confuse students and parents, and not due to the word ‘university’.

This is not the only time an academic institution using the word ‘university’ has had issues. The NCFHE granted the American University of Malta a licence to operate as a university in September 2016; however, prior to that, it was already using the term ‘university’ in promotional material while not actually being accredited.