Malta

About Country

Malta is a southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Sicily, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. Malta's climate is typical of the Mediterranean and is strongly influenced by the sea. The Maltese Islands have a pleasantly sunny climate with a daily average of around 12 hours sunshine in summer going down to 5 to 6 hours in mid-winter. Summers are hot, dry and very sunny. Day-time temperatures in summer are often mitigated by cooling sea breezes.

In 60 A.D. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island while on his way to Rome and brought Christianity to Malta. The Arabs conquered the islands in 870 A.D. and left an important mark on the language of the Maltese. Until 1530 Malta was an extension of Sicily: The Normans, the Aragonese and other conquerors who ruled over Sicily also governed the Maltese Islands. It was Charles V who bequeathed Malta to the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem who ruled over Malta from 1530 to 1798. The Knights took Malta through a new golden age, making it a key player in the cultural scene of 17th and 18th century Europe. The artistic and cultural lives of the Maltese Islands were injected with the presence of artists such as Caravaggio, Mattia Preti and Favray who were commissioned by the Knights to embellish churches, palaces and auberges.

In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte took over Malta from the Knights on his way to Egypt. The French presence on the islands was short lived, as the English, who were requested by the Maltese to help them against the French, blockaded the islands in 1800.

Why Study in Malta

The universites of Malta and Gozo offer a wide selection of courses and leisure programmes. Whether you're a student looking to improve your skills in the academic world, a business person with assignments in foreign countries, or just for fun, as a learning holiday, you will definitively find a course to suit your needs.

If you're a parent sending an unaccompanied youngster, destination Malta makes sense. It's a safe, pleasant environment and activities are organised and supervised.

The islands give you time to escape day-to-day pressures so you can relax and enjoy language learning whether your motives are business or recreational, and schools realise that you have a variety of reasons for learning English. They will spend time making sure you are placed alongside others with similar language needs and of a similar ability. If meeting people and just chatting in English is what you want, then Malta, a meeting place of cultures for thousands of years, is one of the best places to come to.

The relaxed atmosphere is also ideal if you need to learn specifically for work, or to spend several months preparing for an exam. Most schools ensure you improve your command of the specific vocabulary and structures you need within the general language context.

With English the language of education and business on the Islands, many schools organise trips to firms not just for language practice but to promote business know-how and cultural exchange.

To make the most of your limited time here, especially if you're learning one-to-one, schools can arrange for lessons in your hotel or residence.

Universities and college

• http://www.um.edu.mt/
• Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology
• Institute of Tourism Malta
• European Institute of Education