Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1511791
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 NOVEMBER 2023 10 COMMERCIAL MCAST inaugurates new centre on Campus THE Malta College of Arts, Sci- ence, and Technology (MCAST) and MG2I – MCAST's Gateway to Industry inaugurated the opening of the new Zheng He Tradition- al Chinese Medicine Education Centre on campus in Paola. The new Centre will operate un- der MCAST's Institute of Com- munity Services (ICS). MCAST and Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine (JSMC) signed a collab- orative agreement in June 2021. An agreement for the Zheng He Education Centre was signed dur- ing the Dubai Expo in December 2021 to strengthen the colleges' collaboration further. Delegates from the Jiangsu Vo- cational College of Medicine par- ticipated in the inauguration event and attended a series of meetings hosted on campus. The Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Re- search and Innovation inaugurat- ed the Centre. Minister Grima said, " Our countries have long-standing diplomatic relations, and we are pleased to take on new opportu- nities to promote bilateral educa- tional cooperation. MCAST is an international hub and a Centre of excellence in vocational training and education. We need to ensure that the teaching and learning are relevant globally. I am confi- dent this collaboration will lead to mutual growth and inspiring exchange, benefitting our learners and educators." During the inauguration event, MCAST Principal and CEO Pro- fessor Joachim James Calleja said, "This Centre is not just a conver- gence of two distinguished ed- ucational methodologies, but a chance to connect and encourage cultural exchange. With the Cen- tre for Traditional Chinese Med- icine, we are not only integrating diverse but also weaving together the rich tapestries of our cultures, expanding our international com- munity, and building bridges of understanding." The Ambassador of China, HE Yu Dunhai, congratulated both institutions on their collaboration. He congratulated both Colleges, emphasising the importance of working together and encourag- ing growth through cultural ex- change. Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine greatly emphasises training students' practical abili- ties, a mutual ground and priori- ty for both colleges. The Chinese College has secured 142 individu- al and group student awards in the national vocational students' skills competitions. These modules were vetted and passed through all the process- es required by MCAST and have been approved by the Curricu- lum Department. MCAST will welcome JSMC teaching staff on campus to deliver the introduc- tory programmes linked to tradi- tional Chinese medicine practice. JSMC also provided course-relat- ed equipment for the Centre. Deputy Principal Mario Cardo- na said, "We think that interna- tional alliances like the one un- folding here greatly benefit our students. Any opportunity to link up with foreign countries, foreign cultures and philosophies and ways of looking at and interacting with the world around us is bound to help us grow further, widening our scope and vision." The courses will start in 2024, and the modules will be available part-time. Competitive packages will be offered to promote these study units in the local market. MCAST will continue working closely with JSMC to explore oth- er collaboration venues, promot- ing research, student mobility and staff exchange. Bank-wide team building spurs synergies for BNF employees IT was all fun and games for BNF Bank employees as they all came together for the day dedicated to build connections across units, departments and branch- es. Held in November at the Xara Lodge in Rabat, the 250-plus strong team took part in a variety of activities and exer- cises designed to strengthen bonds and challenge the boundaries of creativity outside of the office. These activities required collaboration, strategic think- ing, and effective communication, rein- forcing the importance of teamwork in the workplace. BNF Bank has always been commit- ted to promoting a positive workplace culture, and this team building event forms part of management's ongoing efforts to maintaining a healthy ambi- ence by strengthening the team's bonds and create spaces where relationships can grow. "Our team is a prized stakeholder, and we are committed to creating a positive and collaborative work environment," said Karl Dingli, Head of Human Re- sources, Property and Administration Department at BNF Bank. "We ac- knowledge the fact that our team is the foundation of our success, and the ef- forts targeting people development and employee well-being are an investment. We believe in the personal and profes- sional growth of our people. Such an initiative draws on the strengths of indi- vidual team members, helping to break down barriers, encouraging possible under-utilised skills and facilitating open communication". An end-of-day networking session of- fered an additional valuable opportuni- ty for cross department interaction, de- veloping stronger connections amongst colleagues. MeDirect Mastercard users to be rewarded when shopping online MEDIRECT customers who use their Mastercard debit cards during Novem- ber and December can benefit from €20 cashback each month. To benefit from the Mastercard Pay & Get Rewards Pro- gramme, customers need to make a total of at least 5 online transactions within a calendar month worth a total of €100 or more, or the equivalent if transactions are made in other currencies. Cashbacks will be given for each month in which all eli- gible physical and virtual cards meet the conditions of the promotion. This exclusive opportunity provides Me- Direct customers with a fantastic way to make their holiday season even more en- joyable. Whether shopping online, book- ing flights, or making every day online purchases, using the MeDirect Mastercard card can now bring an extra €20 cashback each month during the promotional peri- od. The MeDirect Mastercard debit card, of- fers the ability for customers to seamlessly use current accounts in different curren- cies such as Euro, US Dollars or British Sterling. This means customers can pur- chase items in those currencies without having to pay foreign exchange charges at the point of purchase. MeDirect custom- ers also enjoy additional benefits such as free bank account transfers executed on the same day within the SEPA area and no commitment or management fees on their accounts. The MeDirect Mastercard debit card, which is available for free, can be ordered and managed online through MeDirect's online banking platform and mobile app. Customers can apply for both physical and virtual cards which can be used for in store and online purchases and to make cash withdrawals. The card can be used global- ly, wherever Mastercard is accepted. More information on this promotion, in- cluding the full terms and conditions are available at https://promo.medirect.com. mt/mastercard-cashback/.