Two graduates of Maltese, Ilona Sciberras and Sumeia El Raes, received awards for the BA dissertations which they submitted in 2023 during the seminar held at main campus of the University of Malta on 12 February 2024. Ms El Raes received the Premju Ġużè Aquilina for her dissertation in the field of Maltese linguistics about “In-Nomi Inaljenabbli fil-Malti, which was supervised by Prof. Michael Spagnol. Ms Sciberras was awarded the Premju Oliver Friggieri in the field of Maltese literary studies for her dissertation entitled “Ir-Rumanzi dwar is-Snin Tmenin minn Lenti Kontemporanja,” which was supervised by Dr Immanuel Mifsud.
Ms Sciberras was also given book vouchers in recognition of her achievement as the student who placed first among all graduates of the Faculty of Arts.
The trophies were designed by the well-known artist Austin Camilleri. This year the recipients of the two awards were also given scrolls which were handmade by Andrea Portelli and include quotes from Aquilina and Friggieri, both long-time members and former heads of the Department of Maltese: "F’art fejn il-kliem hu mħawwad, fejn il-kelma qajla hi stmata jew imfissra tajjeb, tistgħu tkunu intom li tgħidu kelma ġdida." (Oliver Friggieri), and "L-imħabba mingħajr ir-rażan tal-istudju tfixkel is-setgħat tal-moħħ." (Ġużè Aquilina).
The awards were presented during a two-hour seminar for all BA students of Maltese in which the graduates Wayne Camilleri, Louisiana Micallef, and the award winners presented their dissertations and answered questions about the methodology they adopted and the content of their research.
Papers based on the the best dissertations of BA students of Maltese are published in print in the periodical 龱ċ첹ٳܰ, edited by Prof. Michael Spagnol, and on the research portal of the Dipartiment tal-Malti.
