The eNGOs Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Ramblers Association, Din l-Art Helwa, NatureTrust Malta, Birdlife, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement and Greenhouse welcome the Jordanian investors’ decision to invest $115 million to set up a university in Malta to be backed by DePaul University of Chicago. This will greatly benefit the communities of the South and would also broaden the educational opportunities available to Maltese students.
Voices of reason from within government have immediately stated that DePaul University should preferably not take up virgin land. The eNGOs strongly feel that locating the campus on ODZ land, occupying 1% of Malta’s total arable land is an unsustainable start for a positive project, not suited to such a prestigious university.
With a density of 33% of built up land vs open land, Malta cannot afford to lose any more of its open spaces which would impact the long-term social and physical well being of this country. Seriously reducing Malta’s scarce natural resource and depriving some farmers of their livelihood from agricultural land does create social injustice. As a university that prides itself on having “more than 45 specialized centers and institutes focused on addressing social justice issues” DePaul University must surely not want to be associated with such a serious national injustice.
While the eNGOs appreciate Government’s consultation with various stakeholders, and assurance that it would consider alternative sites, the fact that this development was announced just two days before the official signing, has left many uneasy and scrambling for information to formulate a responsible assessment. Such major projects need serious thought, studies and genuine public consultation, rather than rushed decisions based on purely short term financial factors.
The eNGOs urge DePaul University and the local authorities to consider the many historic forts in the Kalkara-Zonqor area, many dating back centuries. These present a golden opportunity for this project to benefit from many hectares of usable space within historic structures which can be restored, regenerated and put to good use. In handing heritage structures to a foreign entity, access must be ensured for the Maltese. Still, it is far better to restore and re-use them in this way, than allowing them to disintegrate for lack of a use, as is happening at the moment.
This challenging project would require great creativity, but the end result would garner respect from the Maltese public as well as the international community, while offering foreign students the unique opportunity to live and study in a historic building. Housing university students within communities and regenerating dilapidated sites will result in economic benefits for the community and serve as a catalyst for change in a part of the island which requires regeneration.
It should be highlighted that large international universities, including DePaul University itself, are made up of several campuses dispersed across an area far larger than Malta. Therefore proposing the adaptation of different historic buildings all within walking/cycling distance of each other is an excellent solution that contributes to the restoration of Malta’s heritage fabric while spreading the benefits of the investment and student tourism across different communities in the South of Malta.
05.05.2015