Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1019057
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 AUGUST 2018 KURT SANSONE THE American University of Malta will not divulge the num- ber of new students joining its courses in the coming academ- ic year because enrolment ends in October. Lee Westphal, director of re- cruitment at AUM, told Mal- taToday the university has received applications from students from 26 countries but refrained from quantifying the response. "AUM's course enrolment period ends on 5 October and new international students are slated to begin arriving in Malta on 27 August," Westphal said. The academic calendar on the university's website lists 27 Au- gust as the "first day of class and fee payment", with mid-term exams starting on 15 October. But Westphal said that being an American-style university in a European country, the in- stitution felt it was "prudent to accommodate both the Ameri- can and European traditional academic calendar start dates". He did not elaborate. AUM's first academic year (2017/2018) was dogged by poor enrolment. The start-up institution only managed to re- cruit 23 students last year, hav- ing had to scale down its initial target to attract some 300 stu- dents in its first intake. Westphal insisted the univer- sity was "on track" with plans to develop a campus atmosphere conducive to academic learn- ing and attract a student body that is as much as possible rep- resentative of the world. Responding to concerns on social media about the appear- ance of a sign on the Bormla campus façade with the words 'Sadeen Building', Westphal said this was the name of the academic building. "Our academic building, the Sadeen Building, is near- ing completion. It houses our lecture rooms, library, labs, and administration facilities," Westphal said. Sadeen is the Jordanian- owned company behind AUM and the sign raised suspicion that part of the building was going to be used for operations not linked to the university, in breach of contractual obliga- tions. Sadeen was given a public building and land in Bormla's Dock 1 area and a large stretch of land at Żonqor Point in Mar- saskala to develop university campuses that should eventu- ally house 4,000 students. Works on the Bormla campus have moved ahead, while an ap- plication for the construction of the Żonqor campus is pend- ing in front of the Planning Au- thority. Westphal said AUM currently had seven undergraduate and one graduate programmes in place and another three un- dergraduate and one graduate programmes under review by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE). "As part of our preparations for these new programmes, we've added to our academic staff, hiring instructors from eight countries," he added. AUM had axed all its academ- ic staff late last year, just before their six-month probation peri- od was up. The drastic decision was a direct result of the poor student intake. The institution later recruited fewer academ- ics. NEWS MINISTRY FOR ENERGY AND WATER MANAGEMENT INVITATION TO BID (ITB) FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ELECTRICITY FROM SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS WITH CAPACITY OF 1000KWP OR MORE The Ministry for Energy and Water Management notifies that:- Sealed offers will be received up to 12.00 p.m. on the 26th October 2018, for: MEW/ITB/25/2018 INVITATION TO BID (ITB) FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ELECTRICITY FROM SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS WITH CAPACITY OF 1000KWP OR MORE The total capacity offered is 35MW. The bid documents and all related files may be obtained from: Corporate Services Directorate, Ministry for Energy and Water Management, 52, Old Theatre Street, Valletta. These documents may also be downloaded from the Ministry for Energy and Water Management website www.energy .gov.mt or request a copy by sending an email to procurement.mew@gov.mt clearly indicating the reference number MEW/ITB/25/2018 Kindly note that a clarification meeting is planned to be held on Wednesday 29th August 2018 at 10.00am, in connection with the invitation in caption, this meeting shall take place at the below mentioned venue: Chadwick Hall, Institute of Water Technology, Water Services Corporation, Triq Ħal Qormi, Ħal Luqa The Ministry for Energy and Water Management reserves the right to refuse even the most advantageous offer. 'Sadeen Building' is the name of AUM's academic building that houses lecture rooms, the library, labs and administration facilities PHOTO JAMES BIANCHI AUM will not divulge number of new students yet MATTHEW AGIUS A man who allegedly held up a 72-year-old shopkeeper has been remanded in custody. Kevin Cacciattolo, 42, who has no fixed address, was ac- cused before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja of theft aggravated by violence and value, grievously injuring the elderly shopkeep- er, causing suffering to an el- derly person, holding the shop- keeper against his will, carrying a weapon during the commis- sion of a crime, carrying a knife in public without a permit and relapsing. The robbery took place on August 2, as the shop's owner was opening for business. The accused allegedly ap- proached and pulled a knife on the man, who resisted him but was hit on the head with a heavy object. The thief fled with an amount of cash. Inspectors Lara Butters and Clayton Camilleri told the court that around €500 were stolen. Cacciattolo was arrested the next day and admitted to the police, the court was told. Law- yer Alfred Abela did not con- test the validity of the arrest. The court ruled it was a valid arrest. The accused, unshaven and wearing a black vest, answered the court's questions in a quiet voice, pleading not guilty to the charges. Abela did not request bail at the moment. The accused is drug-depend- ent and needed to be given medical attention, he said. A treatment order was requested. The court said that at this stage of proceedings, once the ac- cused is not requesting bail, he would be remanded under the authority of the prisons direc- tor, who is to make the neces- sary checks to ensure the truth of the accused's claims and act as required. Denied bail over hold-up