As Malta’s engineering education reaches a historic turning point, a decade of curriculum reform, external scrutiny and cultural shift culminates in a first-of-its-kind achievement and signals a broader rethinking of what professional engineering looks like in a modern, applied economy.

In February 2026, two graduates of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) crossed a threshold that had, until recently, remained closed. At the official warrant ceremony organised by the Bord tal-Inġiniera at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, they became the first MCAST engineering graduates to be awarded the professional engineering warrant.

Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Stephen Vella, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of MCAST, said, “This milestone reflects years of structured development, quality assurance and sustained collaboration with national and international stakeholders. It confirms the standing of MCAST’s engineering programmes and the ability of our graduates to meet professional standards. Industry has long recognised the value of our graduates, who today play leading roles across manufacturing, research, technology and beyond.”

 

Dr. Ing. Stephen Sammut, Director of the Institute of Engineering and Transport at MCAST, said the development marked an important step for engineering education in Malta. “The recognition of our graduates for warranting is the result of rigorous course design, external evaluation and continuous engagement with the profession. It reinforces the role of applied engineering education in responding to national skills needs,” he said.

For Adrian Zahra, one of the first two MCAST graduates to be awarded the engineering warrant, the moment carried both personal and professional weight. “Being awarded the engineering warrant was a very proud moment for me personally, as it represents the culmination of years of study, practical experience and professional development,” he says. “Being part of this milestone also brings a sense of responsibility to uphold the standards of the profession and to encourage future students who choose the same career path.”

He notes that achieving it as an MCAST graduate affirms that the education he received meets national professional standards.

His sense of preparedness, Mr Zahra explains, was shaped by MCAST’s strong emphasis on applied learning, adding that the balance between academic grounding and hands-on experience helped to build not only technical competence, but also confidence, problem-solving ability and a professional mindset. Delivered by experienced tutors with industry insight, the blend of theory and practice ensured that learning was both rigorous and directly relevant, he adds.

All MCAST courses are fully accredited within Malta’s national education framework, with structured entry routes designed to ensure strong academic and technical foundations before degree-level study. Engineering students may progress through ‘A’  Levels, an Advanced Diploma at MQF Level 4, or MCAST’s Undergraduate Diploma in Foundations of Engineering at MQF Level 5. Internships and work-based learning are integral to the programmes, equipping graduates with pract ical competence and professional confidence. In this way, parity of esteem in education is anchored in clear standards, defined pathways and proven outcomes. What were once largely vocational, practice-led routes have evolved into fully integrated degree programmes, combining applied training with research, theory and critical thinking.

Dr. Misha Filip, Principal Lecturer at the Faculty of Technology at the University of Portsmouth, who has served as External Examiner for the Electrical and Electronics Engineering degrees, describes this transition as pivotal. “I have directly witnessed the transition in MCAST from providing a top-up delivery model for students to graduate with a bachelor’s degree to a fully integrated degree programme-based delivery,” he explains.

Crucially, the shift did not erase MCAST’s applied identity. The option to upskill later in life, Filip notes, remains “a very valuable societal and industrial contribution.”  “With the integrated degree delivery, it is more evident that MCAST’s quality is perfectly comparable to the sector as a whole,” he says. “It just became very obvious to potential employers as to what MCAST engineering graduates have achieved and in what manner.”

For engineering students, the ability to apply for a professional warrant is not merely procedural. It is aspirational. As Filip puts it plainly, “To be recognised and registered as a professional engineer… is the ultimate ambition of every young engineer.” Warrant eligibility opens doors to senior roles, international mobility and higher earning potential, and reshapes how graduates are perceived in the labour market. “Employers look upon MCAST graduates as an asset worth investing in, as their future registration further enhances their own standing and reputation. This, in turn, encourages students to apply for an engineering course in MCAST.” Dr. Filip says, “In the end, literally, everyone wins.”

That sense of professional legitimacy is echoed by Prof. Dr. Dražan Kozak, who has served as an external evaluator of MCAST engineering degree programmes and dissertations across production, plant and marine engineering disciplines.

From his vantage point, the warrant pathway reflects a natural progression. “MCAST engineering programmes are largely delivered by lecturers with extensive industrial experience, enabling them to transfer practical, first-hand knowledge to students. Dissertations frequently address real-world industrial challenges, which aligns with the core purpose of educating future engineers. There are also dissertations that deal with the state-of-the art in engineering and answer research questions,” he says.

He also notes that the introduction of the PWQC course represented a logical continuation of MCAST’s efforts to prepare successful graduates for applying for an engineering warrant. Importantly, Prof. Dr. Kozak stresses that professional recognition also carries responsibility. “It is important to remember that rights come with responsibilities, and a warrant does not mark the end of the journey, but rather the beginning of a process of lifelong learning.”

Although all study programmes are accredited by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), MCAST’s decision to pursue an independent external evaluation of its engineering programmes by the German Accreditation Agency ASIIN, one of the leading international accreditation bodies, significantly adds value and credibility.

For Prof. Dr. Kozak, who was personally involved in the process through an interview with ASIIN representatives, this step was transformative. He confirmed that during the process, he confirmed that the output competencies of MCAST graduates, most clearly demonstrated through their dissertations, meet the required standards.  Prof. Dr. Kozak says that he also observed improvements in infrastructure, laboratory equipment, and curriculum development, as well as the continuous professional development of the teaching staff, all in line with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG).

“I therefore consider the ASIIN external audit to be a significant step forward for MCAST in ensuring quality engineering education and validating the value of its degrees,” he says.

Public debate around engineering warrants has, at times, exposed deeper tensions, particularly around perceptions of vocational versus university academic education. Both Dr. Filip and Prof. Dr. Kozak respond to these concerns with evidence drawn from practice rather than ideology.

Dr. Filip, who is an accreditor for The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in the UK, and who regularly goes on (and chairs) accreditation visits to UK universities’ engineering departments, says that he has every confidence that the level, standards and quality of the MCAST engineering courses comparable to other international engineering degrees. “MCAST engineering courses equal most and exceed the quality of some of the accredited UK institutions,” he says.

Having served on international accreditation panels for numerous European universities and colleges, Prof. Dr. Kozak also confidently stated that MCAST’s study programmes and the competencies of its graduates are of a high standard and internationally recognised.

“The labour market is ultimately the most authoritative measure of graduates’ competencies,” he says. “Based on my knowledge and experience, MCAST graduates are professional and responsible engineers who demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous learning. Many have successfully established themselves in companies abroad, further confirming the quality of their education.”

The debate, Prof. Dr. Kozak suggests, often reflects outdated hierarchies. “University and vocational education are equally important for society and should not be viewed hierarchically. Each serves a distinct and essential role. While innovation, research, and science drive development, professional and applied knowledge remain fundamental and form the backbone of a country’s global competitiveness,” he states.  Invoking the German concept of Wissenschaft für die Praxis, he underscores a simple truth: knowledge must work in the real world.

With warrant eligibility now established, attention turns to what comes next. Both Dr. Filip and Prof. Dr. Kozak emphasise that engineering education must remain dynamic. “The engineering curriculum is a “living thing” – it should never become stagnant, and regular benchmarking to the employers’ needs, students’ aspirations and international standards of general and engineering education, are the way of life for all.” They both point out that a logical next step would be pursuing EUR-ACE accreditation for MCAST’s engineering programmes. “While only a limited number of European institutions hold this accreditation, achieving it would position MCAST as a forward-looking and reputable institution,” Prof. Dr. Kozak says.

Taken together, these perspectives frame the 2026 warrant milestone not as an endpoint, but as confirmation that applied engineering education, when held to international standards, can produce professionals fully equipped for both local responsibility and global opportunity.