The University of Malta Research Clusters are multidisciplinary units which have been set up to conduct research on thematic areas of national, regional and global interest. Their overall objective is to encourage research collaborations across different entities and disciplines, generated through active networks. The following UM Research Clusters are addressing research which targets sustainability matters directly or indirectly.
Discourses of the Environment and Climate Change (DECC) The Environmental Humanities (EH) have emerged as a critical, interdisciplinary field that connects literary, cultural, and historical studies with ecological awareness to address the climate crisis, arguing that technical solutions alone are insufficient without ethical and cultural transformation.
As an interdisciplinary research cluster, Cluster ENRICH [PDF] being championed by the Faculty of Engineering, promotes interdisciplinary research and innovation which addresses ways of developing engineering solutions to meet local and global challenges outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Five of the seventeen SDGs are of particular relevance and interest to this research cluster: SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing); SDG 7 (Clean Energy); SDG 9 (Sustainable Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure); SDG 11(Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption).
Cluster FESTA [PDF] is the research cluster being promoted by the Faculty of Education. Through the proposed activities, research and engagement with a variety of stakeholders, Fostering Excellence in tomorrow’s schools focuses on providing evidence-based research, recommendations and suggestions for sustainable and equitable education at all stages of students’ educational journey. SDG 4 – Quality Education for all is the main sustainability development goal which is addressed through this research cluster.
The HERITAGE Research Cluster addresses SDG 11 in particular Target 11.4 which encompasses natural, cultural, and indigenous heritage, including monuments, landscapes, museums, and library archives. This research cluster focuses on developing heritage databases to facilitate access to relevant heritage data from archives, publications and unpublished theses and dissertations, making them more easily searchable, enhancing accessibility to researchers as well as public engagement with cultural heritage.
The Maltese Population Genomics Research Cluster [PDF] addresses SDG 3 The focus of this cluster is to create a comprehensive, high-quality collection of whole-genome sequences using a blend of short and long read technologies that will serve as a foundational resource for the systematic analysis of genetic variation in the Maltese population. This dataset will empower bioinformaticians, geneticists, clinicians, and data scientists at the University of Malta and beyond to address critical questions in human health, disease, and population history.
Poverty Research Observatory for Malta: Investigate, Synthesise, Engage (PROMISE) seeks to research the various aspects of poverty in our local society, over one’s life span including children and families; young people; working life; old people. It directly addresses SDG 1 - No Poverty.