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The Ambassador of Ireland at the UM Archaeology Centre

The Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta recently welcomed Her Excellency Caroline Whelan, Ambassador of Ireland to Malta, for an official visit to the University’s Msida Campus. The Ambassador was received by Dr Carmel Serracino, Head of Department, together with members of the academic staff and a number of international students currently enrolled in the Department’s programmes. Accompanying Ambassador Whelan was Ms Stefania Agius Fabri, Director of the International Office at UM.

During the visit, Ambassador Whelan expressed her keen interest in the research projects and international initiatives currently undertaken by the Department, ranging from the ancient Mediterranean and landscape archaeology to prehistory, as well as the study of ancient languages. Dr Serracino outlined the Department’s ongoing fieldwork, emphasising its strong interdisciplinary initiatives and its contribution to a better understanding the Mediterranean and its past.

Ambassador Whelan also met Irish students studying at the University of Malta, both as part of the ERASMUS+ exchange programme and as full-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Their discussions touched upon academic experiences in Malta, as well as opportunities for future collaboration between Maltese and Irish institutions in archaeology, heritage conservation, and the broader humanities. As part of her visit, Ambassador Whelan was shown a selection of archaeological finds from the Department’s projects, which provided an overview of the range of research currently being carried out.

The Department expressed its gratitude for Ambassador Whelan’s visit and for the Embassy of Ireland’s continued commitment to fostering cultural, educational, and scientific links with Maltese institutions. The visit confirmed the University of Malta’s dedication to international cooperation and cultural diplomacy, as well as to promoting dialogue that bridges academia with the general public.