KSU and the University have conflicting views on Campus Hub
There are conflicting views about the Campus Hub at the University of Malta, with the University Student Council (KSU) said it represented the suffocating nature of overdeveloped Malta, while the University of Malta (UM) said it provided additional facilities.
Campus Hub forms part of the Vassallo Group’s portfolio and is the Group’s largest single investment to date. The building is located in front of the main entrance of UM. The building offers student accommodation, underground parking, well-known eateries and other facilities such as a gym.
Talk to The Malta Independent on Sunday, the president of KSU, Alex Gaglione described the Campus Hub as “suffocating” and “that does not reflect the well-being of the students”.
Gaglione expressed that the whole point of the Campus Hub was to “take advantage of what seems to be missing from campus life”.
She said that the Campus Hub reflects Malta’s number one priority which is the constant desire to build bigger and higher, suffocating the population in the process.
When the UM was asked if this development is thinking about the well-being of the students or if it is suffocating for the students, she replied that Campus Hub “does not only include accommodation but a number of services that cater to students including a swimming pool and commercial. shops”.
the UM expressed its appreciation for the facilities offered by Campus Hub and did not offer any direct criticism.
The rector of UM Alfred. J. Vella said that Campus Hub “is serve the people who work and study here and in the hospital”.
The Malta Independent on Sunday spoke to Gaglione about Campus Hub and what this development represents at the University of Malta. After this interview, questions influenced by KSU’s response were sent by email to UM and Campus Hub. Campus Hub has yet to respond to questions.
The position of the KSU
Initially, Gaglione was asked to elaborate why last month, when he also referred to the hotel that should be built instead of the old Mireva bookstore, the KSU criticized Campus Hub for not being “affordable and not sustainable”.
Gaglione admitted that it would be quite justifiable for every student to be drawn to Campus Hub. By introducing a hub where students have access to coffee shops and underground parking, Gaglione could understand the appeal of the Campus Hub.
However, the question she was really asking was whether these projects really improve university life.
She criticized the environment for not reflecting what university is all about: students sharing and questioning their thoughts and knowledge. “Our surroundings hardly inspire us to do this,” she said.
“Student and student well-being should be at the heart of any university-based project,” she said.
Gaglione made it very clear that KSU has no bad intentions towards Campus Hub. “However, as a student council, it does not align with what really represents the welfare of students,” she said.
She brought up how ironic it was that “a student on campus can buy overpriced coffee and have endless food options, but that same student can’t buy a book on campus”.
In addition, she spoke about the ridiculous price points and questionable nutritional value that these places are offering. The prices do not take into account the financial situation of the students, let alone promote any form of financial sustainability. She noted that cheaper options are available, but they come in the form of fast food.
She also mentioned the underground car park, which although offers parking for €2 a day, constantly leaks and floods whenever it rains.
When asked about noise pollution and the constant construction on campus, she replied that construction is a big priority in Malta.
She added that both the development of the Campus Hub and the construction of the high-rise hotel, stifle the students.
“We live in an unsustainable democracy with a government that is very good at all this and an Opposition that doesn’t address it too much,” she said.
She said that KSU’s goal has always been to do the best for the students, while empowering the students to do the best for themselves.
“Now it’s time for KSU to take responsibility for empowering all those students it represents because at the end of the day, that’s our purpose,” she said.
“It’s time to talk. If not us then who?” she asked.
The response of the University of Malta
When responding to questions sent by email, the UM clarified that although Campus Hub is located within the precincts of the UM, “the project is managed by a private commercial enterprise, independent of the university”.
The UM was asked if it agrees with the statement made by the KSU in the past where it called the development of the Campus Hub as “unaffordable and unsustainable”.
“KSU is an independent student body that has every right to express itself on various matters and the University actively supports such activism,” replied the UM.
UM was asked if this large-scale development was really the way to create a hub for students, or if it would prefer something different.
“The Campus Hub is a public/private partnership that is the first of its kind and provides accommodation to students studying at UM,” said UM.
“With more than 1,200 international students enrolled at UM, student accommodation on, or very close to campus, is imperative and this project addressed this gap as previously students were housed in a complex that is located in Lija. Now students will no longer need to rely on a shuttle service to come to their lectures as they will be living on campus,” she said.
In addition, UM spoke about how the new block is providing additional lecture halls for students.
When asked about construction noise complaints from students and residents, she said she was not aware of any such complaints, and said there are no residential houses adjacent to the Hub..
“Like a question should be addressed to the Campus Hub management,” she said.
In addition, UM was asked about whether underground parking was a good alternative to the parking problem at the University.
He said that the underground car park is operated by Campus Hub and has nothing to do with the University.
She recognized that there were currently insufficient parking spaces at the University for the increasing number of students using their own cars to travel to the university.
“Together with KSU, UM supported the concept of carpooling and a number of parking bays on campus are specifically reserved for such vehicles. In addition, one hopes that more students will choose public transport as practically all the buses stop at the University,” she said.
Finally, in response to a question challenging the standard of the new lecture halls, the UM replied: “Contrary to this request, the new lecture halls are fully equipped with -latest technology and provide additional space for lectures for large groups.”
In a separate interview with The Malta Independent on a Sunday, also published today, the rector of UM, Vella said: “We are grateful for the structures even if they are a bit big for my liking.”
“This is a third party activity; you can no longer censor what they do because they are a business. The land is ours – but we have to let it function,” said Vella.
Apart from the subject, the UM was also asked if it has an opinion on the hotel that is scheduled to be built instead of the old Mireva bookstore. The University did not respond to this question.