Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1120492
23.05.19 6 DIGITAL ECONOMY LIAM CARTER 19 professionals are expected to ben- efit from a €300,000 recently founded Distributed Ledger Technology aca- demic fund. These candidates will benefit from a fully funded scholarship for Masters and PhD research dissertations per- taining to Blockchain and DLT tech- nologies. The first awardees emerge from var- ious professional backgrounds such as continuing students and working professionals in the financial industry, information technology, and legal ser- vices. The 19 awardees are expected to start their studies later this year. The fund is based on an agreement between The University of Malta and the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) and since distributed ledger technologies are expected to effectively revolutionise various sec- tors, the learning curricula adopted in such courses will knit together stand- alone professions with such technol- ogies. Speaking to Business Today, Josh- ua Ellul, lecturer and Director of the Centre for Distributed Ledger Tech- nologies at the University of Malta, said applicants sought three different streams of specialisation in the Master in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies: Law, ICT and Business. Ellul said calls to participate in the DLT fund will be extended till aca- demic year 2020/21. "300,000 euro have already been committed to the scheme. It is planned that future calls will be issued Government €300,000 DLT fund 19 working professionals will benefit from a €300,000 academic fund on studies relating to Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies Joshua Ellul, lecturer and Director of the Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies at the University of Malta Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Schembri witnessing the signing oif the Memorandum of Understanding The DLT fund was first announced by the Government last year in a bid to bolster the local talent pool and further ensure the necessary human resources are available to companies relocating to the 'Blockchain Island'