With a
global reputation for high quality Nursing degrees, Northumbria University,
Newcastle has started training more nurses in Malta to help the country’s national
nursing shortage.
Supported
by the Maltese Government, Malta Enterprise and the Maltese Union of Midwives
and Nurses, Northumbria is delivering a new full time three year BSc (Hons)
Nursing Studies degree programme in Malta, in collaboration with Malta College
of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST).
The new programme has 30 students on the course and have now started their first placements in a
range of Maltese healthcare settings.
The first year of the
programme is being taught at MCAST main campus, until work to build a
state-of-the art clinical skills teaching facility at the St Luke's Medical
site are completed.
Lisa Bray, from Malta, is one of the students who is studying the new BSc
Nursing course. She said: “Although we are still in our early days in this
course I feel that I have learnt a lot thanks to the wide range of high quality
resources and the professional lecturing team.
“I am certain that this Nursing course will help me improve my
professional, as well as interpersonal skills, as with the help of our strong
support system we are given individualised attention, as well as professional
practical and academic training, preparing us for the world of work, with
state-of-the-art equipment.”
Northumbria University was chosen
to deliver the degree programme due to its global reputation as a leading
nursing education and training provider. The University already delivers nursing programmes
internationally in Shanghai and has previously in Malaysia. Its UK based Pre-registration nursing
programmes are approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and were the first
in the UK to be accredited by the Royal College of Nursing.
Professor Alison Machin, Acting Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Health at
Northumbria University, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to be
partners in this important Maltese nursing development and would like to
welcome our new students. Academics at Northumbria and MCAST are very excited
to be working together to develop a future generation of nurses, who will
receive the highest
standard of education and learning in nursing. Our selection in
delivering this programme is testament to our global reputation for academic
excellence in nursing and builds on our existing high quality international
portfolio of teaching and research.”
Dr
Silvio De Bono, President of the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology University,
said: “Helping to address the shortage of nurses is a key priority for the
Maltese Government. There is no doubt that Northumbria University is amongst
the best in the world in developing nurses and nursing standards. Through this
partnership with Northumbria we are confident we will be able to help address
the nursing shortage and deliver a world class degree programme.”
The new
degree programme has met all of the requirements of the EU Directive for
General Nursing; the Malta Council for Nurses and Midwives’ Scope of
Professional Practice; and Malta Council for Nurses and Midwives’ Code of
Ethics. Student numbers are expected to increase steadily over the coming
years.
Northumbria
University has an award winning reputation for providing innovative,
flexible and wide ranging professional learning and development opportunities
for those working in health. In 2016 the University, in partnership with
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, developed the UK’s first 18-month
route to a BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies with Nursing and Midwifery Council
registration as an adult nurse, for people able to evidence with substantial
experience and previous significant academic study in nursing and health care.
Northumbria
offers degree, masters and doctorate level programmes in nursing. Undergraduate
programmes are available in adult, child, mental health and learning disabilities
nursing and in midwifery. The University also offers a Higher Education diploma
in operating department practice.
Established in 2001, the
Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) is the country’s leading
vocational education and training institution. Through its six institutes in
Malta and the Gozo Campus, they offer 185 full-time and over 300 part-time
vocational courses ranging from certificates to degrees (MQF Level 1 to Level
6).
The
College is currently building a new campus. Co-financed by the Maltese
Government and the European Union, through a European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF) project once complete it will accommodate over 10,000 full-time students
every year.
For more
information about UK and international nursing programmes at Northumbria
University visit www.northumbria.ac.uk
