A high level delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) paid a visit to the University of Malta on Wednesday 17 January 2024.
The delegation was led by UAE Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Ms Manal bin Salem, Team leader and Ms Maryam AlOwais, Project Manager at the Government Experience Exchange Office, UAE Federal Government.
The delegation was accompanied by Malta Council for Science & Technology (MCST) Senior Director (Strategy, Research and Technical Affairs) Mr Omar Cutajar and Deputy Director (Internationalisation) Dr Maria Azzopardi.
They were greeted on campus by UM’s Pro-Rector for Research & Knowledge Transfer, Prof. Ing. Simon G. Fabri and the Administrative Deputy Director of the UM’s International Office, Ms Victoria Gauci, after which they attended a meeting which led to a fruitful discussion on possible future collaborations between the two countries on the research and staff training fronts.
Former Director of the Institute of Digital Games, Prof. Gordon Calleja, Administrative Director of the UM’s Research Support Services, Dr Christian Bonnici and the Administrative Director of the UM’s Corporate Research and & Knowledge Transfer, Dr Ing. Anton Bartolo, were also present for this meeting.
UM Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella also welcomed the delegation to his office, where he was briefed about the future prospects discussed. H.E. Abdulla Nassar Lootah presented the Rector with a copy of ‘Flashes of Thought’, written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Prof. Vella presented H.E. Lootah with a copy of the UM commemorative book.
Prof. Vella expressed his appreciation for this visit and offered his and the UM community’s full support in the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as the establishment of new cooperation between the two parties. The Rector also thanked MCST and the Ambassador of Malta in the UAE for their work and for including the UM on this important engagement.