| CODE | PPL1942 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Encounters with Professionals in Public Life | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Policy, Politics and Governance | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | 鈥楨ncounters with Professionals in Public Life鈥� provides an innovative learning experience for students reading for a Degree in Politics and Governance. Various professionals and high-profile individuals from a broad range of sectors are regularly invited to share their respective experiences and contributions to improving public life both in Malta and overseas. These could be public sector officials, politicians, diplomats, representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), constituted bodies and even successful professionals in the private sector whose contribution impacts politics and governance. PPL 1942 fosters on dialogue, continuous student participation and insights on the policy issues raised during every Seminar. Thought-provoking questions, analysis on political, policy and governance issues are spearheaded by the lecturer to steer and align the discussion to the Course objectives. By the end of this study-unit, participative students would gather an understanding on desirable skills and challenges encountered following the completion of their academic studies and ultimately increase their preparedness for the working world. Course attendance is compulsory to enable the students to undertake the 鈥楻eflective Diary鈥�. The Reflective Diary is an assignment-type method of assessment wherein students are expected to provide a critical and comparative overview of the key take-aways following every Seminar, from both the various guest speakers and the lecturer alike. Students are encouraged to make their own reflections, possibly weaving the academic knowledge acquired from other study units within the B.A in Politics and Governance. Study-Unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit are: - To expose students to the different work settings, behavioural aspects, organisational cultures and professions engaged in a variety of entities, including state and European institutions, public sector organisations, private industry, communities and not-for-profit organisations. This exposure would enhance students鈥� comprehension of grounded realities within the different working scenarios and, at the same time, engage them in networking and debating with senior executives who coordinate policy, ascertain good governance practices and manage organisations; - To provide students with a deeper, wider and empirical understanding of policy-making, political literacy and public/private/not-for-profit management. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Recognise and appraise grounded realities within a range of organisations and institutions that are associated with public life or the economy; - Understand how cross-sector collaboration among different stakeholders is practised and set in motion; - Relate theoretical frameworks that have been exposed to in other study-units to actual performance and real-world scenarios; - Explore the versatile array of job opportunities that are available to policy, politics and governance graduates; - Identify operational, strategic and ethical challenges in exercising the profession of policy-maker, organisational leader or executive. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Engage actively in public debate; - Improve listening, observational and questioning skills; - Network and interact with practitioners and academics; - Undertake public presentations; - Think critically and creatively. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Vassallo, MT and Tabone, C. (2012), (2016), (2020), (2024), Public Life in Malta: Papers on Governance, Politics and Public Affairs in the EU鈥檚 Smallest Member State. Vol 1, 2, 3, 4 Malta: Department of Public Policy. Supplementary Readings: - Thake, A.M. (2018), Graduate Employability Skills in Malta. Malta: Kite Group. - Vassallo, MT (2021), Kollox Politika? Governanza, Religjon, Ekonomija, Amministrazzjoni Pubblika. Malta: Malta University Publishing. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Seminar and Tutorial | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Daniel Grima Duca |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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