Inġ. Michelle Cortis has been appointed as the new Administrative Director of Corporate Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Malta. With a background in technology transfer and industry partnerships, Michelle has previously worked with both Imperial College London and the University of Malta. Before transitioning to knowledge transfer, Michelle worked as an Engineer at the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA), contributing to policy development on technical matters and representing Malta at EU Commission and Council meetings.
Michelle serves as the International Secretary for the Chamber of Engineers Malta and is an elected member of the Southern Region on the Executive Board of Engineers Europe, where she secured Malta’s first seat. She also participated on several local boards and guest lectures on intellectual property at the University of Malta.
Her academic credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Science in Engineering, and a Master’s degree in Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship, all from the University of Malta. She holds the EUR ING designation, is a warranted engineer under Maltese law, and is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional.
Her predecessor, Dr Inġ. Anton Bartolo, who established the Office and served in the role for fifteen years, will retain the position of Acting Managing Director at Malta University Innovation Portfolio Ltd. In this role, he will collaborate closely with Michelle and her team to launch new spinout companies from the University of Malta.
Michelle is dedicated to supporting the University in transferring research into society for the benefit of all stakeholders. She emphasized that knowledge transfer is not primarily about generating profits, as it is a resource-intensive activity, but rather about expanding the University's future impact by advancing technology via commercialisation, managing intellectual property, and enhancing industry-academia collaborations.
She welcomes collaboration and can be reached by email or at Dar Guzeppi Zahra, Floor 3, Room 402.
