23/05/2023
It was successfully concluded in Malta the PIConf 2023 that this year was combined with the Makelearn&TIIM Conference and under the auspices of the Malta Ministry of Education, Sport, Research & Innovation with the topic “Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Technology and Political Dialogue”.
The event was opened by the Pegaso International Rector, Prof. Luigia Melillo and P.I. General Manager, Dr. David Vannozzi, together with Hon. Clifton Grima, Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Malta.
They warmly greeted the numerous participants and researchers coming from almost 40 countries in the World.
Among the authorities, the Vice President of the European Commission, H.E. Commissioner Dubravka Suica, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President Emeritus of Malta, Rose Anne Cuschieri, CEO MFHEA, Serena Alessi, Director of the Italian Culture Institute in Malta, conveyed their inaugural messages.
Two the keynote speeches:
The first of Prof. Pierpaolo Limone, Università Telematica Pegaso Rector, on “The University in 20 Years: Evolutionary Scenarios”; the second of Prof. Dr. Jay Liebowitz, Columbia University's Data Science Institute, USA on “Digital Transformation for the University of the Future”.
Among the topics covered during the Conference:
the need of new tech and digital skills, highlighted in the panel on Education, Research and Business chaired by Dr. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Malta National Skills Council President, who is appointed as Coordinator for the European Year of Skills Celebrations in September; the need of transformative university leaders in order to encourage staff to carry out innovations. This topic was highlighted by the Academic Leadership Forum panel chaired by Dr. David Vannozzi, Multiversity General Director, together with Dr Zivile Stankeviciute, School of Economics and Business, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania.
Many parallel sessions were held on the topic of HRM challenges in SMEs; Business; Education & Training; Project Opportunities, Dissemination & International Networking; Management; Economics; Sustainable Development; Technology & Innovation; Agriculture & Consumer Literacy; Social Responsibility & Inclusion thanks to the many researchers who presented their works.
At the closure of the Conference, the Rector Melillo thanked the three co-organizing institutions, the International School for Social and Business Studies, Celje – Slovenia, the Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin - UMCS, Lublin – Poland and Kasetsart University, Bangkok – Thailand and informed all colleagues about an important news: Fabio Vaccarono, CEO of Multiversity Group in Italy, last week launched "From NEET to NEXT GEN", a project that provides over one million euros in scholarships, with the aim to counter the phenomenon of the so-called NEETs, young people aged between 15 and 28 who do not study, do not work and do not receive any training.
The Rector wishes that the same amount could be made available also for African students, as universities should be drivers of local sustainability and as Pegaso International aims to be a bridge between Africa and Europe.