- 2015Approved/Agreed
- 2016Implementation
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
- 2025Implementation
Background
The need to streamline, consolidate and promote quality continuous professional development among all educators and professionals in the education sector. There was also the need to give the opportunity to all those already employed as supply teachers to upgrade their qualifications and become eligible for the position of regular teachers as required by the Education Act. The Institute also provides an opportunity for anyone who wants to pursue a career in teaching to do so by following a part-time course blended course, thus increasing accessibility for those who want to work full time but still continue to study. The Institute for Education aims to reach all the stakeholders who have an influence on the education journey.
Objectives
- to provide a structured, coherent and comprehensive professional development system by moving away from traditional methodologies and adopting a more flexible and transformative stance, which leads educators to maximise on professional learning and take responsibility for their own development;
- to provide various modes of continuing professional development to inject 21st century skills and competences into educators at all levels of leadership and infuse equity and social justice within all the learning programmes;
- to involve all stakeholders and equip them with the required competences to function well while providing the service that will aid in the development of the holistic person.
Description
In 2015, the Institute for Education was set up to be responsible for continuing professional development (CPD) and training of educators. It was also set up to create flexible and accessible initial teacher training qualifications The Institute also acts as a platform for sharing experience and promoting education leadership. Its activities, which include developing a wide array of accredited teacher training opportunities and establishing international partnerships, are financed by the education ministry.
Implementation continued with no major developments.
In 2017, the Institute became an agency with the function to provide both continuous professional development and also initial teacher training and other accredited courses for educators at all levels on a part-time basis using a blended or completely online modality.
Implementation continued with no major developments.
During 2019, the Institute for Education developed further the virtual learning environment commissioned in 2018. Online learning has been introduced with the addition of dedicated software that permits both synchronous and asynchronous sessions to take place. These features will give a better experience to both course participants and lecturers. The institute added a number of qualifications and awards to its course offerings. These included four qualifications, among which the postgraduate certificate in education (agribusiness) and the postgraduate certificate in education (fashion and textiles) as well as 43 awards at EQF/MQF Levels 6 and 7. All of these were accredited by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE). Their development was the outcome of several meetings with education stakeholders and the Institute’s commitment to increasing its offer of more flexible learning opportunities. Further qualifications and awards are currently in development or undergoing accreditation by the NCFHE (NCFHE’s name changed in January 2021 to Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA)).
During 2020, the Institute switched to completely online courses due to the extraordinary circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Institute was well prepared to do so since the lecturers were previously trained and the software was already available. The delivery was both synchronous and asynchronous. In 2020 the Institute offered 17 qualifications at MQF (EQF) level 7 including VET streams such as engineering technology, hospitality, agribusiness, and fashion and textiles; 11 qualifications at MQF (EQF) level 6, included VET streams like agribusiness, engineering technology, fashion and textiles, hair and beauty and hospitality. There were 47 awards for educators and four awards for parents/guardians. It also offered a large number of non-accredited online sessions for parents and educators.
The Institute also created research opportunities about multiculturalism and delivered a two-day online symposium on the subject. It also published the first edition of the Malta Journal of Education: Vol 1, Internationalisation and multiculturalism in Maltese education and society, with 13 peer-reviewed papers. The journal will be published annually.
In 2021, IFEcontinued its practice in digital learning and further focused on its programme expansion at MQF Levels 6 and 7 including further initial teacher training programmes, a Master of sciences in STEM education and engagement, and a Postgraduate certificate in digital competences for education.
In 2022, IFE further provided a diverse range of programmes, providing opportunities for educators and prospective teachers to pursue qualifications in various educational fields. 2022 saw the development of a Master of education in music, a Bachelor of Education (Hons) in business education and retail, and a Master of Education in teaching students with disabilities for those interested in working within the area of special education. It has also continued to support research in education, encouraging educators to engage in scholarly activities to inform teaching practices and policy development.
The IfE launched its 2023–24 academic year prospectus, offering 40-degree courses, 47 accredited short courses, and non-accredited sessions aimed at parents/guardians and educators. New degree-level courses introduced included:
- Bachelor of Education (Hons) media literacy;
- Master of education (Top-Up);
- Master in applied educational leadership (Top-Up).
Under the Educator Training remit, IfE is committed to provide initial teacher training and continuing professional development through accredited, flexible, and research‑informed programmes for educators at all career stages, including induction, upskilling, leadership development, and lifelong professional learning. Through this, 400 individuals who pursued one qualification or the other, with 57 enrolled in short and accredited courses. Over 135 parents and 173 educators participated in non-accredited training sessions.
In April 2024, the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) and the IfE signed a collective agreement, backdated to 2020 and extending to 2025. This agreement improved financial and working conditions for 39 full-time and 8 part-time employees.
Like previous years, the institute was committed to organise its yearly symposium and encourage research participation.
Also in 2024, IFE introduced 4 new qualifications consisting of further initial teacher training qualifications (Bachelor of Education (Hons) Maltese and Master of education Media literacy as well as a Master of sciences in addressing adolescents with divergent behaviour for those professionals wishing to specialise in adolescents within the juvenile justice system or those within learning support centres..
In 2024 IFE was also awarded the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. Through this, educators and staff are able to benefit from Erasmus funding to provide them with transformative experiences such as Blended Intensive Programmes, Traineeships as well as job-shadowing opportunities.
In 2024 IfE launched a series of webinars addressing a range of current and emerging topics in education. The sessions attracted a total of 260 participants.
In 2025, IFE launched a Master of arts in professional practices in education (MQF 7, 90 ECTS) allowing educators to build their own degree based on their own professional and personal needs. In doing so, this qualification provides educators with responsibility and autonomy to take initiative structuring their holistic development. Areas covered within this qualification included: learning and assessment, educational technology, inclusion and diversity, health and well-being, educational leadership, e-ethics and sustainability and industry exposure.
IfE’s personal development (PD)for trainers continued to support schools by delivering tailored sessions for educators across a range of areas, including well-being and mindfulness, diversity in the classroom, and the use of AI. Additionally, the IfE introduced TeachMeet events which are informal, practitioner-led gatherings that provide educators with a supportive space to share effective strategies, innovative ideas, and classroom practices with peers, encouraging collaboration, professional dialogue, and a culture of shared learning.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry for Education (MFED)(until 2022)
- Ministry of Education and Employment (MEDE) (until 2020)
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
Thematic categories
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2026). The Institute for Education (IfE): Malta. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2026). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2025 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28430