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The Islands and Small States Institute (ISSI) successfully organised its first Postgraduate Conference on Islands and Small States Studies on Monday 20 June, at the University of Malta’s Valletta Campus.

The ISSI is a world-renowned centre of excellence that has been working for the past 30 years in the field of islands and small state studies. ISSI has pioneered work in the field of economic development of small island states, in islands sociology and in recent years in climate change vulnerability and resilience of small island developing states. “We are extremely satisfied that the conference attracted a large number of young scholars, and received about 100 abstracts and requests for attending the conference, from all corners of the world”, reported by Stefano Moncada, Director of the ISSI who welcomed all participants. The conference was opened by a message from Hon. Minister Ian Borg, who stressed the successful cooperation with the ISSI and the UM in offering scholarships, and by supporting knowledge and research that can sustain the work of the Ministry, and Malta in general, within the EU and international organisations. 

Pro-Rector Prof. Frank Bezzina highlighted the role of the ISSI in supporting the internationalisation of the University of Malta (UM), registering a good majority of its students coming from outside Malta, especially from other island states. Finally, Prof. Nicholas Vella, Director of the University’s Doctoral School, stressed the importance of such conferences, also in the light of the growing community of postgraduate researchers at the UM, and where the ISSI is providing an important contribution.

A round table entitled ‘Islands and Small States Power: Punching above their weight?’ was also held, with Prof. Lino Briguglio, Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino, and Prof. Simone Borg, who have all stressed the progress made by research stemming from small islands states, and their growing role within the international arena.

The conference was supported by the Institute of Tourism, Travel and Culture, the Doctoral School of the University of Malta and the Conference and Events Unit. In order to reduce the carbon footprint of the conference, only plant-based food was offered, and other mitigating actions adopted to minimise climate change impacts.