Page 46 - IJPS-8-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Gerontology education in Malta

was to offer training programs to respond to the urgent Practice placements. Participants were required to have
demand for trained personnel in the field of ageing welfare. an internship of 240 h divided into four practicums of
While the government had launched a range of community 60 h each. Practical placements of both observational
care services (such as senior centers, home help services, and hands on type were aimed at enabling the
the Telecare service, and domiciliary health services), participants to apply theoretical knowledge to practical
institutional long-term care services, and rehabilitation solutions (eight ECTS).
and geriatric hospitals, the social and health-care Dissertation. Dissertation on an approved area of
professionals responsible for such services and institutions study chosen in consultation with a supervisor. The
had sparse knowledge on the principles and practicalities dissertation (15,000 words) required a sustained effort in
of gerontological and geriatric care, despite many holding defining the chosen area of investigation, in researching
a graduate professional background (Formosa, 2017). To the issue at hand, in integrating the empirical data
mitigate against a shortcoming, the October 1990–June collected into a wider context of the subject, and in
2010 period saw the Institute of Gerontology offering a drawing conclusions and recommendations (30 ECTS).
Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics, and Final examinations. Three final comprehensive
Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics, for professionals examinations (30 ECTS)
working in the field of ageing. Admission requirements Source: modified from van Rijsselt, Parkatti, and Troisi,
included either a degree or professional qualification in 2007, p. 89 – 90
social and behavioral sciences/medicine, social work,
and allied health professions obtained from a university The key goal of the field placement, deemed as a learning
or from any other authority recognized by the University experience, was to assist the students make an operative
of Malta; or any other professional qualification deemed transition from the classroom to a practical situation. The
acceptable by the University of Malta, if it is accompanied rationale was that the theoretical knowledge obtained in the
by adequate work experience (at least 5 years) in the care classroom will be synthesized during the field placement
of older persons. However, regulations also included the experience in an actual and unpredictable “real world” site.
proviso that a candidate without the above qualifications The filed placement would thus provide the students with
may be admitted to the program as a mature student if he/ an opportunity to develop and rehearse skills related to
she has an exceptional degree of experience in the field of professional goals and objectives of gerontology and foster
ageing or the care of older persons and has the necessary the required proficiencies in the social and health care of
background to profit from the program. The program of older persons. Admission requirements for the Master of
the postgraduate diploma, together with information on Gerontology and Geriatrics required an average mark of
its number of European Credit Transfer and Accumulation 70% or higher in the Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology
System (ECTS), which is a tool of the European Higher and Geriatrics (van Rijsselt, Parkatti, and Troisi, 2007).
Education Area for making studies and courses more The master degree program was entirely research based.
transparent, was as follows: Following a successful proposal, students were required to
Compulsory study-Units. Eight study units (four ECTS) author a 50,000-word dissertation that researched a topic
requiring 18 and 50 h of lecturing and study hours, of either a gerontological or geriatric concern.
respectively. The eight core modules, evenly balanced In 2005, following Malta’s accession in the EU 1 year
in both areas of gerontology and geriatrics, covered beforehand the Institute of Gerontology changed its name
the following areas: population aging; sociology of to the European Centre for Gerontology, and in October
aging; health promotion; biology and physiology of 2010 streamlined its graduate programs in gerontology
aging; psychology of aging; research and evaluation; education in line with the Bologna Agreement (Formosa,
clinical aspects of old age; and medical and social 2015). As a result, the Postgraduate Diploma and Master
rehabilitation. of Gerontology and Geriatrics were merged into one
Elective study-units. Choosing five study units (four program of study – namely, the Master of Gerontology and
ECTS) requiring 18 and 50 h of lecturing and study Geriatrics. The newly formed model, which is still retained
hours, respectively, from the following elective study at the time of writing, comprised of the following study
units: social policies and strategies; medical problems; program:
program and services: international comparison; Study-Units. Eleven study units (five ECTS) requiring
psychogeriatrics; geriatric supportive services; social 28 and 70 h of lecturing and study hours, respectively:
welfare with older persons; epidemiology; statistics Sociology of ageing; quality of life; biological issues in
and computing; income security for older persons; old age; health promotion; research and evaluation;
and nutrition. social policies, programs and services in the field of

Volume 8 Issue 1 (2022) 40 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.v8i1.1311