A once significantly smaller arts and culture sector is stepping out of the shadows. At a recent Vision 2050 consultation, policymakers, artists, and academics explored how creativity can shape the nation’s future, balancing heritage, innovation, and economic growth. From theatre to publishing, gymnastics to urban design, the long-overlooked Cinderella sector is finally being recognised as central to Malta’s social and economic story.
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The annual HUMS Yuletide gathering has become a familiar fixture in the University of Malta’s calendar, but it remains distinctive in bringing together scholars who otherwise rarely share academic spaces, inviting them to think and reflect together. Last year’s event hosted a range of speakers who exemplified the interdisciplinary and playful ethos of the annual event, now linked to the catchphrase ‘erudite but light’.
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In 2020, the University of Malta obtained its first-ever UNESCO Chair. Tackling the theme of Global Adult Education, Prof. Peter Mayo reflects on 5 years as chairholder as his first term comes to a close. With THINK, he discusses what the chairmanship entails, the difference between adult education and lifelong learning, as well as the Cold War context behind the distinction.
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Once engraved on the Maltese lira’s five-cent coin, il-Qabru, Malta’s freshwater crab, now threatens to vanish not just from our coinage but from our islands altogether. Classified as critically endangered some years ago, it is more pertinent than ever to understand the ongoing research into these crabs, what makes them special and what it will take to save them from extinction.
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Advances in technology and study offer improvements to the practice of interpreting, as evidenced by the recent installation of new interpreting equipment at UM’s Interpreters’ Lab, overseen by Dr Amy Colman. Her mission, however, is much broader as she seeks to share the story of interpreting itself as a practice with a long history.
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As Malta celebrates its 20th anniversary within the EU, the 2024 EU National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) Film Festival showcased the power of film to reflect Europe’s cultural mosaic. THINK explores what it means to be European.
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Translation is both a science and an art with practical applications. Let’s explore how translation can address cultural and linguistic misunderstandings in the tourism industry.
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The idea behind the AMPS project is to investigate the use of natural language processing and machine learning to predict the outcome of Maltese court cases, specifically those within the Small Claims Tribunal, which deals with claims of up to €5000. The objective is to provide a tool to help adjudicators decide cases more efficiently while respecting and integrating the ethical and safety concerns which inevitably arise. By aligning with best practices and guidelines, the project team intends not only to develop a tool for the courts but also to advance the use of the Maltese language in relation to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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I do not always talk about the history of memes, but when I do, I start right from the very beginning. Luckily, you’re getting this crash course in memeology straight from one of the very first moderators of Pastizziposting! It means you get to hear the inside scoop on the Maltese meme industry. Sit down, and let me tell you a story.
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Seifert Systems is a German family business with over 50 years of experience in designing and manufacturing thermal management products. With its operation set up in Malta decades ago by Engineer Rolf Seifert, it has grown into the renowned business it is today, operating as a globally recognised company. Recently, Seifert made the news for Malta’s first Zero Carbon Footprint factory. In exploring Seifert’s journey to carbon neutrality (and in light of Europe and Malta’s ambitious net zero targets for 2050), the opportunity arises to set an example for other manufacturing companies to follow.
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