Malta 2024

The MQF is at operational stage, as it is a permanent and visible feature of education and training. The MQF also supports the system's reform and renewal.

The process of including qualifications in the MQF is structured around ensuring that all qualifications meet established standards of quality, relevance, and consistency with national and European expectations. This process is overseen by the MFHEA, which serves as the regulatory body responsible for accrediting education programmes and referencing them to the appropriate MQF levels.

In essence, for qualifications and awards to be accredited and included in the MQF, they must meet the following criteria (Ministry for Education & Employment, 2012):

1. be issued by nationally accredited institutions;
2. be based on learning outcomes;
3. undergo internal and external quality assurance;
4. be based on a workload with a specified credit value;
5. be awarded upon successful completion of formal assessment procedures.

More specifically, the core of the procedure involves programme accreditation. Education institutions must submit their programmes for evaluation. These programmes are then assessed against the MQF level descriptors to determine their alignment in terms of knowledge, skills, and competences. The levelling is guided by a learning outcomes-based approach, which ensures that the focus remains on what learners are expected to achieve by the end of the programme. These qualifications must demonstrate comprehensive alignment with the level descriptors, covering cognitive, practical, and interpersonal competences. Programmes must also specify the total learning workload, which is measured using the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), where one credit is equivalent to 25 hours of total learning. Full qualifications, such as degrees, diplomas, or certificates, must meet a minimum threshold of ECTS credits appropriate for their level. For example, a bachelor's degree at MQF level 6 requires at least 180 ECTS.

Quality assurance plays a central role in this process. All programmes undergo an external quality assurance review by independent experts to confirm that they meet the standards outlined in the National Quality Assurance Framework. Only after successfully passing this review does the MFHEA formally accredit the programme and assign it an MQF level.

On the other hand, shorter programmes that do not meet the minimum credit requirement to be considered full qualifications are classified as awards. While these awards are assigned to an MQF level based on their learning outcomes, they are distinguished from full qualifications by their reduced credit load. Despite their smaller scale, awards are still subject to the same rigorous quality assurance and referencing processes as full qualifications (MFHEA, 2024).

In Malta, most qualifications listed in the MQF include a clear indication of the MQF level across all relevant documentation—namely certificates or diplomas, Europass certificate supplements and diploma supplements. This full consistency applies to qualifications from MQF level 5 upwards, including doctoral, master's, bachelor's, and various undergraduate diplomas and certificates, as well as VET diplomas at levels 1 to 4. For general education qualifications at levels 1 to 3, the inclusion of MQF level information is less consistent. For example, SEC grades at level 2 and 3 show the MQF level on certificates but it is not available in the Diploma Supplement. At level 1, general education may only show the MQF level on some certificates and not in other standard documentation.

The EQF levels are not shown on qualification certificates or diplomas. However, they are consistently indicated on the Europass certificate supplement and diploma supplements. General education qualifications at EQF levels 1 to 3 do not display the EQF level in any format (European Commission & Cedefop, 2024).

Europass/Euroguidance contact points cooperate and coordinate with the MFHEA. Regular meetings take place, and the three networks collaborate during dissemination events and on developing promotion materials. Through the MQRIC, the MFHEA has established an effective network with employers to promote use of the MQF. Other methods of informing potential users about the framework include social media and the MFHEA website, which is continuously updated. Dissemination targeting the public also takes place through information posters; leaflets/booklets; a 2024 video explaining the MQF, its level descriptors, the use of credits and the difference between qualifications and awards; an interactive presentation of the MQF; a glossary of terms commonly used in the context of further and higher education; and the Malta qualifications database. The creation of an MQF logo, which was launched in August 2020, has given the framework more visibility. Guidelines on RPL target providers (European Commission & Cedefop, 2020; 2022; 2024). Furthermore, the MQF Steering Committee that was formed to oversee the development and dissemination of the fifth edition of the Referencing Report has as a main objective to foster understanding of the qualifications for broad application (MFHEA, 2024).

The Malta qualifications database has been developed by the MFHEA, aiming to provide the public, education institutions, and other stakeholders at national and international levels with transparent and up-to-date information on licensed providers and accredited programmes. The database features an advanced search option that includes filters for 'Qualification Status' and 'Licence Status'. Additionally, a 'Licensed Institution' button allows users to view specific programmes by selecting the licensed institution, directing them to a search screen. The search results are visually distinguished by coloured labels: 'Homegrown-Qualification' (red), 'Homegrown-Award' (orange), 'Foreign' (blue), and 'Other' (purple), making it easier to identify the type of qualification (European Commission & Cedefop, 2024). The database includes all MQF qualifications and awards (8 020 in total in May 2025), while it is regularly updated with the new courses accredited. It is connected to the Europass platform (via the qualifications dataset register). Detailed information, in English, on all elements mentioned in the 2017 EQF recommendation is available, including MQF/EQF level, field of study, description of each qualification, awarding body, internal and external quality assurance procedures, and relevant links. Learning outcomes descriptions included in the database should follow a specific structure: action verb, object and context (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022).

In February 2021, the MQF impact report was published. The report showed a high level of awareness of the MQF across most groups: 83% of all respondents said that they were moderately/very aware of the framework, with 54% saying that they were 'very aware'. However, awareness among learners is relatively low, as 42.3% said that they were vaguely aware or had never heard of it and only 23.5% said that they were very aware. On the contrary, educators and government agencies exhibited high levels of awareness, since 73.6% and 71.2%, respectively, replied that they were 'very aware' of the MQF.

Regarding the promotion of the MQF, again educators (49%) and those working in government agencies (40%) are those most likely to have seen information regularly or frequently; 65% of learners said that they had never or only rarely seen any information. Only a minority of respondents considered that the MQF was adequately promoted. (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b).

Around half of the 225 educators who responded to the survey reported using the MQF to support various aspects of education design and development. They indicated that the MQF helped them ensure learners were studying at the appropriate level, design more effective curricula and qualifications, assign credit and level ratings, achieve programme accreditation, and maintain quality standards. Also, public sector employers are required to state qualification requirements in terms of MQF levels when advertising jobs, with the aim of encouraging a wider and more diverse pool of applicants. Other employers are also encouraged to adopt this approach. The impact report found that 42% of employers and 41% of government agency respondents had used the MQF in their recruitment processes (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b).

The MQF level is indicated in entry requirements for each training programme (as this is expected by the quality assurance standards), in prospectuses of training providers and on qualifications. This means that international and Maltese learners have access to MQF-related information when deciding on their studies or when they wish to go to study abroad. Learners often request recognition to ensure that their academic courses are levelled to MQF. There has also been a steady increase in the number of education institutions interested in getting their programmes accredited and thus levelled to the MQF. Guidance practices and policies, including guidance related to international students, have also incorporated the MQF (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022). Jobsplus also uses the MQF as its main criterion for issuing work permits ([28]The majority of non-EU nationals working in Malta use a single permit issued by Identity Malta. Jobsplus is responsible only for conducting the labour market check.), and MQF levels are used in incentive schemes such as scholarships and tax rebates (Cedefop, 2019).

In further and higher education, for a programme to be accredited it must be levelled to the MQF. This means that the MQF and the level descriptors are the basis on which study programmes are developed. The MQF level descriptors are also used in developing occupational standards (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022). The MQF is well embedded in the national quality assurance framework for further and higher education institutions. Furthermore, VNFIL awards are levelled to the MQF.

In 2021, the MFHEA in collaboration with the SCQF Partnership published the first in-depth review of the MQF (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b). The review examined aspects such as end user visibility and awareness among key stakeholders, the impact of the MQF on teaching and learning, curriculum design, learners' international mobility to and from Malta, and progression between levels and different education pathways. It covered a wide range of stakeholders through an online survey, focus groups and interviews. Overall, the findings revealed strong support for the MQF, particularly among educators and government agency staff. While employers and learners also recognised its value, their overall satisfaction levels were somewhat lower. The MQF is generally seen as fit for purpose and flexible enough to accommodate various types of qualifications and serve different stakeholders. However, this flexibility is not always well understood by the broader Maltese community, highlighting the need for more effective communication strategies (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b).

The MQF has had a notable impact on enhancing the transparency and comparability of qualifications, both nationally and internationally. This is evident in the growing number of educational institutions, seeking to have their programmes accredited and aligned with an MQF level, and individuals seeking recognitions to ensure their programmes are aligned with an MQF level. Evidence of this trend is reflected in annual reports from the MFHEA (European Commission & Cedefop, 2024).

The MQF impact review showed that its impact on education design and development is positive. More than 70 % of the educators who participated in the survey responded that the MQF had some positive or a very positive impact on them or their organisation in ensuring their learners are studying at the appropriate level, increasing the quality of qualifications/teaching, improving qualification and curriculum design, assigning credits, and levelling qualifications to MQF and accrediting them. A challenge was the difficulty in applying the MQF in vocational training, as some respondents mentioned that the wording of level descriptors fits higher education better and cannot fully capture the range of vocational learning, making it difficult for employers to understand learning outcomes that learners have achieved (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b).

Government agency staff generally viewed the MQF as having a positive influence on recruitment, with 41.1% reporting some positive impact and 15.5% noting a very positive impact on both the quality of the recruitment process and the number of applications. In contrast, employer responses were more mixed. While 48% acknowledged some positive impact on recruitment processes, nearly 30% felt the MQF had no impact on recruitment and 5 out of 39 employers, that took part in the survey, felt the impact on applications had been negative or very negative. Improved support for building the capacity of educators and employers is needed to enable them to get a deeper understanding of the MQF and use it better (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b). An important finding of the review is that approximately 50% of educators perceived that the MQF has some or very positive impact on their cooperation with employers and those working in government agencies, and vice versa. This is an indication that the MQF offers a common language (which can be further improved) to ease cooperation between education and the labour market (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b).

Approximately 50% of learners mentioned that the MQF had some positive or a very positive impact in motivating them to continue studying or helping them to apply for a job, better plan their career, prepare their CV and apply for courses. The review also revealed the potential and complexity of applying the framework in VNFIL. Some respondents even highlighted that the increased use of the MQF in recruitment will have a negative impact on holders of qualifications that pre-date the MQF and on those who gained their skills and competences through informal learning (MFHEA & SCQF Partnership, 2021b). Nevertheless, the MQF has contributed to laying a firm foundation for the implementation of VNFIL.

There are indications that the MQF has promoted parity of esteem between different types of education, training and qualifications, as it is used for all types of qualifications and all education pathways. This has increased trust among different sectors and allows learners to move from one pathway to another more easily (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022).