Statement by the University of Malta:

Allegation by the media concerning plagiarism

On 24th January 2025, the University of Malta was asked by the German newspaper BILD to comment on the allegations made publicly by Mr Stefan Weber that Dr Roberta Metsola had plagiarised her doctoral dissertation written in 2003, ostensibly for a Ph.D. degree, when she was a student at the University. Following this, a fact-finding exercise was undertaken by the University to investigate such allegations. The University Senate discussed this matter at its meeting of the 11th April 2025.

At its meeting, the University Senate noted that:

• Roberta Metsola (then Tedesco Triccas) did not read for a Ph.D. with the University of Malta; rather she studied for a law degree and was awarded the professional title of Doctor of Laws, LL.D., which was a legacy degree title classified at Level 7 of the Malta/European Qualifications Framework (since replaced by the Master in Advocacy, also classified at MQF/EQF Level 7);
• The relevant LL.D. dissertation was submitted prior to the introduction of plagiarism detection software at the University; and
• The dissertation was one component within a wider professionally-oriented three-year degree of which research skills were not the dominant learning outcome.

Furthermore, the University Senate agreed on the following:

a) The LL.D. dissertation contains elements of plagiarism/uncredited or improperly-cited material which constitute serious imperfections of the work;

b) The foregoing is of the following nature - failure to cite original/ primary sources; citing incorrect sources; 'patchwork' (information copied from other writers and rearranged without proper citation); and 'cut and paste' passages;

c) The above appear to result from mistaken procedure; and

d) While the said imperfections clearly reduce the worth of the dissertation as a scholarly piece of work, they do not invalidate it entirely.

In light of the above considerations, Senate decided that the LL.D. degree awarded to Roberta Metsola remains valid.

11 April 2025