On Friday 6 October 2017 MCAST in collaboration with The Brew, a key industry stakeholder and Valletta 2018 launched a limited edition craft beer called ‘Gallery’. This beer will be marketed as the official craft beer for the Valletta 2018 (European Capital of Culture).

Through this ambitious project MCAST students following the Advanced Diploma in Food Technology programme offered at the MCAST Institute for Applied Sciences connected with local key players within the beverage local industry to create the production and promotion of this craft beer. The formulation and production of the craft beer was done in close collaboration with key industry stakeholder The Brew.

The Brew brought on board their vast brewing expertise and knowledge in addition to the resources required to be able to produce the beer. Together four MCAST students who just finished their degree in graphic design and The Brew identified and produced the high-quality branding and launched the product on both the local and international markets. This project was undoubtedly a positive learning experience for MCAST students.

The MCAST Technical College and ROC Nijmegen, a Dutch regional Vocational Education & Training Centre held a joint one-day conference at MCAST's Main Campus in Paola and MCAST's Institute for the Creative Arts in Mosta to explore the possibility of future cooperation between the two organizations in the fields of Fashion and Retail businesses.

Both teaching institutions offer VET education in Fashion and Retail wherein students learn about the industry through direct hands-on experience. This collaboration will seek to channel Erasmus+ Funds to allow students as well as lecturer exchanges from both organizations.

Ms Wilma Koppelaar and Mr Sabastiaan Roovers who led the ROC Nijmegen delegation both thanked MCAST for organizing this event and looked forward to closer collaboration between the two VET institutions

Between the 18 -20 October 2017 MCAST hosted the 10th International Summit on Stability of Organic and Perovskites Solar Cells (ISOS-10 ‘17) at the Cavalieri Art Hotel, St Julian’s.

This international summit saw the contributions of over sixty contributions, most of whom are of world class status and emerging ones, including Prof. Sang Il Seok from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Korea who together with his group recorded the certified power conversion efficiency of 22.1% of perovskite solar cell technology on the NREL chart. World record breaker of 3rd generation solar cell efficiency and predicted Nobel Prize winner in Malta. Prof Sang II Seok recent recorded the world record on perovskites solar cells efficiency to 22.3% from his laboratory at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in Korea.

ISOS has been running since 2008 and has rapidly become one of the most attended workshops in the field of third generation of solar cell technology, bringing together an expert community both from industry and academia. The program includes six invited keynote speakers, three invited talks, short talks, poster sessions and round table discussions, creating a unique atmosphere for informal scientific exchange.

Photovoltaics is a fast-growing market where it is predominately dominated by silicon based solar cells. This first generation of solar cells is a mature technology with stable efficiency, stability and lifetime but maybe difficult to recycle and still requires subsidies. Organic and Perovskite solar cells, third generation of solar cells technology, addresses the challenge of cost, materials and productivity while still pose difficulties with stability.

The summit was organised by MCAST Energy Research Group in collaboration with StableNextSol COST Action Project MP1307, supported by COST, European Commission, ICN2, Conventions Malta, Ministry for Education and Employment, Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), Malta Group of Professional Engineering Institutions (MGPEI), The University of Malta and sponsored by Semilab, National Renewable Energy Laaboratory (NREL), CS Instruments, FLUXIM, CEA Liten, Institut National De L-Energie Solarie, SOLLIANCE, FOM Technologies, CandleLight and D&R Instruments.

MCAST Energy Research Group specialises in global and regional solutions by innovative devices in emerging technologies, systems level integration to policy engagement for better community. The breath of energy research at MCAST includes device fabrication and on-site testing, energy economics and policy, efficient buildings, power systems, renewables and transportation

As part of the SME Week 2017, the Malta Employers’ Association together with the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses, MCAST Entrepreneurship Centre and MCAST are organising a Half - day Conference: "Bridging the Gap: Student to Business Entrepreneur".

This event brought together employers and students to discuss issues connected with starting a business and to encourage young people to become entrepreneurs.

The event was held at MCAST Student House, Main Campus, Paola

Following the event, MCAST and the Malta Employers Association signed an agreement, which will lead both parties to collaborate and work closely together.

Through this agreement both parties will collaborate to provide training and work placement opportunities for students following business related courses at MCAST and to identify and address gaps between the curricula of courses offered at MCAST and the requirements of industry.

MCAST is forging another relationship to help bridge the critical gap between the requirements of industry and the world of education. This collaboration will strengthen the already existing relationship with the Malta Employers Association for the benefit of our students who will be better equipped for employment as well as industry that will have their requirements satisfied.” Dr Silvio De Bono President BOG