Ten University students from the faculties of Engineering, Sciences and ICT will be spearheading a new initiative and donating their laboratory caution money deposits in aid of further research within their faculties.

The new scheme, which was launched during the annual student awards night, known as the KSU Kokka Night, will see final year students pledging their laboratory caution money (deposits) to their respective faculties. This scheme is facilitated by the Research, Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT) of the University of Malta.

Malcolm Zammit, Niki Brincat, Josmar Azzopardi, James Attard, Shaun Maniscalco, Jonathan Camilleri (Faculty of Engineering), Katrina Grech, Rachelle Zammit (Faculty of Science), Tamara Caligari and Shaun Cassar (Faculty of ICT) are the pioneers kick starting the laboratory caution money initiative. RIDT and KSU will, in the coming weeks, strive to encourage more final year students from the faculties of Engineering, Sciences and ICT to donate their deposits for further research within their respective faculties.

“We are seeing a new trend in research funding coming from our own University students,” said Wilfred Kenely, RIDT’s Chief Executive Officer. “The reaching out and strengthening of collaborative relations with student organisations, in particular KSU, are beginning to yield initial results. This initiative is to be commended.  Graduates now have the opportunity to give something back to University by donating caution money towards their faculties through the research fund.  We look forward to more cooperative projects in the future.”

“Through this initiative, we are aiming that the student body contributes a substantial amount of funds for research projects every year,” said incoming KSU President Gayle Lynn Callus.  “We are confident that each year the final year students from the Faculties of Engineering, Sciences and ICT, will find no objection to pledge their one-time payment towards the research fund and thus will be investing in the next generation of students and the future of their respective Faculties.”

“Being one of the first students to donate the caution money towards research is meaningful for me and I hope our initial donation motivates other students to join in this initiative,” said engineering graduate Malcolm Zammit. “A small donation from every student will help to ensure support for the highly motivated researchers engaged in research work in their respective Faculties for the benefit of Maltese society.”

The funds being donated through this initiative will be directed towards specific research projects within the respective faculties. In the coming weeks, RIDT and KSU will be issuing the official voluntary scheme through which all final years students from these faculties will be given the opportunity to donate their caution money. Students who would like further information about this initiative or wish to pledge their caution money immediately, should contact RIDT or KSU on info@ridt.org.mt / info@ksu.org.mt