The Institute for Education (IfE)

Policy development
Regulation/Legislation
Malta
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Timeline
  • 2015Approved/Agreed
  • 2016Implementation
  • 2017Implementation
  • 2018Implementation
  • 2019Implementation
  • 2020Implementation
ID number
28430

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

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

Goals and objectives of the policy development.
  1. 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;
  2. 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;
  3. 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

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

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.

2015
Approved/Agreed
2016
Implementation

Implementation continued with no major developments.

2017
Implementation

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.

2018
Implementation

Implementation continued with no major developments.

2019
Implementation

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)).

2020
Implementation

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.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Ministry for Education (MFED)(until 2022)
  • Ministry of Education and Employment (MEDE) (until 2020)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several 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.

Systematic approaches to and opportunities for initial and continuous professional development of school leaders, teachers and trainers

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.

Supporting teachers and trainers for and through digital

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

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
CVET

Further reading

Sources for further reading where readers can find more information on policy developments: links to official documents, dedicated websites, project pages. Some sources may only be available in national languages.
Institute for Education) (IfE) (2019). Annual report 2019

Country

Malta

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Regulation/Legislation
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). The Institute for Education (IfE): Malta. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28430