To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its foundation, the Department of Public Policy within the University’s Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy organised a conference entitled ‘Challenges for Democratic Governance in a Digital Age’ at the House of Representatives, in the Parliament building in Valletta on the 23 November 2018.
The keynote speaker was Prof. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Professor of Democracy Studies from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. The Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat, who was abroad on government business, addressed the conference via a pre-recorded message recalling his days as a former student of the Department.
Other interventions were made by Dr Adrian Delia, Leader of the Opposition, Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, experts on the Digital Age, and members of the Department’s full-time academic staff. The Hon Claudette Buttigieg, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives’ concluding remarks underscored the conference theme’s importance and encouraged politicians and other leaders to analyse governance in the digital age and the values that are being transmitted within the broader society.
The keynote speaker was Prof. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Professor of Democracy Studies from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. The Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat, who was abroad on government business, addressed the conference via a pre-recorded message recalling his days as a former student of the Department.
Other interventions were made by Dr Adrian Delia, Leader of the Opposition, Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, experts on the Digital Age, and members of the Department’s full-time academic staff. The Hon Claudette Buttigieg, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives’ concluding remarks underscored the conference theme’s importance and encouraged politicians and other leaders to analyse governance in the digital age and the values that are being transmitted within the broader society.
The Department was officially established in 1978 and initially formed a sub-division specialising in Public Administration within the then Faculty of Management Studies. The first two Heads of Department were Prof. Reno Sammut and Prof. Edward Scicluna, respectively. Eventually, a fully-fledged Department of Public Policy emerged in 1988, under the headship of Prof. Edward Zammit, as part of the newly-founded Faculty of Management, Economics and Accountancy. In 2002, Prof. Godfrey Pirotta assumed the Department’s leadership until Prof. Edward Warrington succeeded him in 2009. Following Prof. Warrington’s tenure, Dr George Vital Zammit took the reins in 2013 and, since 2017, Dr Anne Marie Thake is the Head of Department.
This trajectory means that the study of public policy and public administration at the University of Malta dates back for more than four decades. Over the years, the Department of Public Policy developed and manages several undergraduate and post-graduate degree programmes ranging from Diploma to Doctoral levels. Equipped with a versatile array of scholars and practitioners, the Department provides students with the analytical, practical, and theoretical skills necessary for formulating policy design and managing public enterprise, as well as other forms of organisation in the country’s public life. Its alumni hold some of the highest political and executive offices in Malta, senior positions in the public sector, local government, management and policy consultancies, academia, European and international agencies, as well as the diplomatic service.
Rooting its vision in the motto ‘making leaders out of ordinary people’, the Department of Public Policy strives to empower students, public officers and policy practitioners to take leadership positions by acquiring cutting-edge competencies in the fields of political, economic and social development through quality education, knowledge creation and research design. In parallel with its teaching obligations, the Department of Public Policy is also committed to pursuing academic and professional research.
One of its publishing initiatives is entitled Public Life in Malta, of which the first two volumes are already available in the market. It features scholarly works written by academics and research students encompassing a range of themes related to Maltese politics, governance, policy and public affairs. Furthermore, the Department has regularly organised a number of conferences, seminars and workshops featuring prominent Maltese academics and policy practitioners, as well as foreign expertise.
One of its publishing initiatives is entitled Public Life in Malta, of which the first two volumes are already available in the market. It features scholarly works written by academics and research students encompassing a range of themes related to Maltese politics, governance, policy and public affairs. Furthermore, the Department has regularly organised a number of conferences, seminars and workshops featuring prominent Maltese academics and policy practitioners, as well as foreign expertise.
To span the worlds of academia and the public, market and civil society sectors which it services, the Department of Public Policy collaborates with several partner organisations on campus and beyond. The challenges confronting leaders in public life call for a shared mission to promote ethical, effective leadership formation.
