The first group of young Saudi students has arrived in Malta to study under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP), said Maltese Ambassador Martin Valentino.
“They are the first group of Saudi students in our country and will study at the University of Malta. They will join some 2,000 other foreign students, mostly Europeans, currently studying in Malta,” he told Arab News on Thursday.
He added that the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education and the University of Malta, a premier educational institution, had previously been discussing the arrangements.
“These students will be staying in Malta during the duration of their courses and for this reason, they will learn much about the country, which only has a population of 425,000,” he said.
He added that they could take up different courses, like information and communication technology (IT), engineering, architecture and the arts.
“Some of them could later on pursue a postgraduate course on maritime legal issues at the International Maritime Law Institute,” he said.
He added that the students would learn about Maltese culture and tourist attractions, such as museums.
“They are expected to talk about these elements if and when they come back to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“It would be good if we have 20 more students next year and another 25 the year after.”
“The University of Malta and other educational institutions have high standards. The University of Malta is about 100 years old. He added that Saudi students would feel at home in Malta since there are Muslims among its citizens.
“There are mosques where the students can pray,” he said.
Malta is a southern European country comprising an archipelago of seven islands in the Mediterranean Sea.
Saudi scholarship students arrive in Malta
