American University of Malta

This is a set of stories about the creation of a new university. A number of questions are raised including, "Is there anything about this prospective university that is especially 'American?'"

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/05/11/questions-raised-about-whether-american-u-malta-really-american

Accreditation process for new university has only just begun - Martin Scicluna - The Malta Independent

 

It is wholly owned by Hani Hasan N Salah, a real-estate developer from Jordan. This has more to do with getting hotels built than with a university.

 

I assume you have some sort of evidence to back up that charge.

I see a lot of people in comment sections on news articles making the same claim. But they seem to be largely based upon the notion of "Real Estate Developer Involved = Evil Conspiracy."

The man is a wealthy hotel and residential real estate developer. Wouldn't creating a university to achieve those goals be a sort of roundabout way for a guy to break into an industry he's already thriving in?

 

Hmmm...you're right.

How about I throw in a Satanic cult? Perhaps a masonic cabal? Maybe a Satanic masonic cabal?

Oh, and he's a secret member of the Rockefeller family.

 

The second sentence is a hypothesis. The first is a fact.

Check the domain registration. Check all associated domains. Follow the owner of the domains. He is the owner and chairman of the Sadeen Group.
Visit the Malta Financial Services Authority, and look up the University and the associated organizations.

You may wish to also review the Maltese papers and zoning laws. There are concerns that the deal was made to be a University because the suggested public land is in "Outside Development Zone". Such zone, from what I read in the code cannot house private businesses - but it can have an educational institution on it - which requires housing.

Inti tista 'tagħmel l-bqija tar-riċerka.

 

If it helps anyone, I believe that's Maltese for "you can do the rest of the research."
Jkollhom jum sabiħ ! (Have a nice day!) :smile:

J.

 

I just assumed that the university was a part of a larger plan to make Malta a "destination." There's nothing wrong with that as long as it's a decent school. I know that there is a "University of Malta" already in existence. I don't know anything about it related to such characteristics as quality, capacity, etc. It seems the new school will attempt to draw it's students from other nearby countries so maybe this would pull people into the hotels?

 

From what I gather, there is no school so far. Locals are up in arms about the land "give away", pointing out that Malta has enough colleges and universities considering the population.

Never know - maybe this will be the best American University in Malta, that has no relationship to any American university, and is not owned by the Maltese...

 

and in a related story . . .

Opposition seeks answers about legal notice on university accreditation requirements - timesofmalta.com

 

Update on accreditation process

University accreditation - timesofmalta.com

 

updates on the American University of Malta story . . .

University licences 'not for sale' Education Minister says - timesofmalta.com

Party pundits in shouting match over political standards, green credentials - MaltaToday.com.mt

 

I know that no one really cares about the future of the American University of Malta but I'm posting this for the benefit of Gregoire Nieme so that he might better understand the complicated process of starting a new university (even if you've got a boatload of money).

Busuttil demands repeal of university accreditation rules, Bartolo: rules reflect

 

I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that last post because I just know that all of you have been dying for an update on the American University of Malta.

Transfer of land for 'American University of Malta' - contract given to committee less than a day before debate - timesofmalta.com

 

Whoever wrote this editorial is really pretty pissed off.

The Malta Independent editorial: An obscene deal in obscene times - The Malta Independent

 

I find it interesting how many of the comments basically write off the whole thing as a visa scam to allow Gulf Arabs into the EU.

It certainly wouldn't be the first "visa mill" to pop up somewhere. And I feel like that may be a relevant criticism to levy against this, or any school, that seems to focus on bringing in foreign students.

But the basis of this accusation seems to be that the developer in charge of this project is Jordanian. If an equally rich French national were doing this, would their opinion change?

I suppose I'm just unsure whether there is a bit of racism at play here.

 

Do you have some sort of evidence to back up your charge?

Spit in your own bowl of aljotta.

 

S/he did not. S/he just implied it.


And, French? At least pick Italian or something closer.

 

First of all, really? Am I that gender neutral on this forum?

Second, I didn't imply anything. I thought out loud about how I cannot be certain if some of this criticism is attributable more to the ethnicity of the developer than objections to the project itself. That isn't a charge and that isn't an implication.

It's exactly what I said it was, me saying that it makes me wonder and that I have no way of knowing. As for your objection to my using a hypothetical French national, I'm not sure why I would pick "Italian" and I'm not sure what you mean by "something closer." The point was to say if the developer were 1) white 2) Christian 3) European would the objections be exactly the same? Perhaps they would.

Or, it remains possible that some people in Malta object to the idea of an influx of Middle Eastern people so greatly that they (incorrectly or otherwise) associate such an influx with this project for no other reason than the fact that its developer is Jordanian.