MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts welcomes students at Mosta Campus
Students adapting to safety requirements on Campus

Over 860 students will join courses at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts (ICA) in Mosta this month. The institute has registered an increase in the number of applications received for its growing portfolio of 24 courses. The courses at ICA range from art and design to graphic design, creative media production, photography and journalism, fashion design and performing arts as well as cultural heritage skills.

Efforts were ongoing this summer so that the MCAST learning spaces were re-organised with a range of enhanced safety measures and in line with its safety protocol. ICA opened its doors to almost 300 students for face-to-face classes since 31 August to offer practical sessions that were postponed in the previous scholastic when educational institutions were closed. All cohorts will start their courses by 19 October and sessions will include both face-to-face and online classes.

During a visit at the Mosta campus, Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici said:
“Vocational education and training institutions were uniquely impacted during this pandemic as they rely on practical training and work-based learning. Ensuring that effective learning continues is crucial. In these difficult times, MCAST has shown resilience and maintained the momentum in its learning provision and in supporting staff and students. Higher-education institutions need to anticipate and adapt to prepare our students to join the workforce in a changing environment.”

MCAST Principal and CEO Prof Joachim James Calleja said: “All our institutes work closely with industry to provide students with realistic assignment briefs and experiences. We need to continue with hands-on learning while mitigating risks for our College community. Over the past week, since we opened the College, we are seeing staff and students adapting to the new safety requirements, realising that we have shared responsibility and working together to make teaching and learning work while looking after each other.”

Formerly known as the Institute of Art and Design, the Institute for the Creative Arts was established in 2001, merging the expertise of the Art and Design Centre and Salvatore Dimech School for Craftsmen. As one of the six MCAST institutes, in 2014, its name was changed to Institute for the Creative Arts to reflect the wider remit of this institute, which over the years has consistently widened the range of study programmes it offers.

 Maltese