The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) announced a two-day national sports symposium that will take place on the 23 and 24 of February 2023 at the Paola Campus. The symposium organised by the College’s Institute of Community Services (ICS) is entitled “Challenging the Status Quo: Inspiring a Legacy Beyond the 2023 Major Sports Events”.

Around forty speakers representing nine educational institutions and fourteen local sports organisations will participate in panel discussions and presentations during the symposium.

Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima explained, “This year, Malta will host two major local sports events: the GSSE Games in May and the UEFA U19 Finals in July. This is not a coincidence, various stakeholders have worked hard to make this happen, and international organisations have shown their trust in us. MCAST plays a crucial role in sports education, and this symposium is timely as it sets out to explore the potential opportunities for the sector.”

MCAST Principal and CEO Professor Joachim James Calleja stated, “The symposium’s title is indeed appropriate. As a college, we want our students to challenge the status quo and strive for renewed mindsets to ensure that the sports sector is dynamic and inclusive. As a Community College, we will always champion inclusion where everyone is afforded a range of opportunities to participate.”

ICS Director Anne Marie Cassar said, “At our institute, we are proud to have over 500 students who have chosen sport-related courses. We encourage our growing number of students at all levels to take on work placements and participate in sports events. This symposium is relevant to all who have chosen a sports career and want positive change.”

“This symposium will provide an opportunity to showcase both local and foreign sports best practices whilst offering the possibility to discuss common sports challenges”, explained Josef Mifsud, Project Coordinator of the MCAST 2023 Sports Symposium. He announced the line-up of keynote speakers and the main themes to be tackled.

Key speakers at the symposium include Alexandra Doncila, the UEFA Academy Programme Coordinator, Raymond Conzemius, Sports Director Luxembourg Olympic and Sport Committee, and Tom Clift, Head University of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Venue and Village Logistics.

Three themes aimed at inspiring a tangible legacy for Maltese sports: ‘Debating Sports Higher Education’, ‘Sports for All Leading to Sports Performance’ and ‘Challenging the Status Quo: Inspiring a Renewed Mindset’ will be spread over two days.

Interested individuals, including those involved in local sports, coaches, athletes, sports academics, physical education teachers, sports journalists, and parents of athletes, are encouraged to register for free for this symposium through the registration forms on the symposium’s official Facebook Event page.

mcast.edu.mt