Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

An Agreement entered into today 19th July 2005.

BETWEEN Hon Edwin Vassallo, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Self Employed, appearing on behalf of the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communication, hereinafter referred to as the Secretariat.

AND Mr Victor Scicluna appearing on behalf of the Malta College for Arts, Science & Technology hereinafter referred to as MCAST.

Whereas the Secretariat is desirous of promoting Entrepreneurship Education and Learning within schools and colleges (at primary, secondary and post-secondary school levels) as according to the letter circular DCM 17/2005 issued on the 11th February 2005 by the Department of Curriculum Management.

Whereas MCAST is desirous of ensuring that the students acquire all the necessary skills for the new knowledge based economy as according to the Lisbon European Council 2000 Strategy.

Whereas each party recognises that entrepreneurship is one of the key competences that all individuals need for their personal fulfillment and development, inclusion and employment.

Now, therefore, the parties agree as follows:

INTRODUCING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT MCAST

1. Entrepreneurship is to be an integrated cross-curricular subject introduced throughout all courses offered by MCAST. The MCAST Award in Enterprise, Leadership and Social Awareness may be the most appropriate mechanism for the delivery of broader concepts of entrepreneurship. Recognising that:

- Entrepreneurship can be applied in a wide variety of situations and contexts;

- Entrepreneurship is essential in order for the individual to be successful in life; and

- Understanding Entrepreneurship in the wider sense and not just in the limited aspect of the running of a business.

2. Keeping in mind the broad definition and the components of entrepreneurship, MCAST will be dealing with Entrepreneurship at all stages of the students’ programme.

Focusing in particular to the tuition of:

i)  the more general skills and competences; and

ii)  the more specific concept of training on how a business is developed (e.g. SCOOPS, Young Enterprise and Start-Up Malta)

3. The Secretariat is hereby committing itself to provide all the logistical support for the implementation of Entrepreneurship Education and Learning within all the courses offered by MCAST. Whereby for reasons of this MOU, logistical support shall mean the provision, without costs for MCAST, of:

(i) training workshops to all the MCAST Lecturers, in order to appropriately introduce Entrepreneurship concepts in all courses offered by MCAST;

(ii) expert advice from Public Service officials in top positions (including, but not restricted to, those Officials coming from Government Departments and other Officially Appointed Bodies listed in the Annex to this MOU), for the proper re-shaping and re-structuring of all the courses offered by MCAST;

(iii) expert tutors, on demand, from both within and outside the Public Service, to make and deliver presentations to various students on their wide array of Entrepreneurial experiences.

VISITS AND PRESENTATIONS BY LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

4. The Secretariat will assist MCAST, to organise guided visits for students to local business organisations, where the students would have first hand opportunity to meet local leading entrepreneurs at work.

5. The Secretariat will assist MCAST, in setting up regular meetings for students with local leading entrepreneurs to help foster an entrepreneurship mentality amongst the students.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP COUNSELLING

6. The Secretariat together with MCAST, agree to provide free business advice services for all the students. Students will learn that Entrepreneurship is not only about running a business but also about developing certain personal qualities essential for living and working in a modern society. Through these counseling services counselors will also help foster an environment of motivation, desire and talent for students who would one day wish to start and manage their own business.

START-UP MENTORING

7. MCAST agrees to administer, manage and provide free start-up mentoring services to all students wishing to set up their own business. The mentoring services should help assist and provide proper guidance to students in going about commercialising their business idea, in particular:

- Assistance on what is required and the means of how to go about starting up a business;

- Ensuring students get all the pieces together in the right order and at the right time to ensure a quick and smooth start-up for the business;

- Proper guidance on the best available options for the new initiative;

- Taking the correct actions in the right manner;

- Going through a thinking process to look at all aspects of a business organisation;

- Assist and encourage students to draw up their own Business Plan.

8. The Secretariat will be responsible of appointing a number of competent start-up mentors to assist MCAST in this respect. The Secretariat together with MCAST will ensure that appropriate and reliable people capable of giving the right advice and assistance are chosen, in particular they must:–

(i) be knowledgeable about new start-ups,

(ii) have experience with the types of businesses students’ would be considering,

(iii) be informed on local laws and regulations, and

(iv) be available not only during the initial planning but also during the first crucial months of the new venture.

(v) record and document all advice given.

9. Start-up Mentors, together with the students’, will fill in a Pre-Business Plan Checklist being – a clear and comprehensive checklist of the activities that students will need to undertake as prospective entrepreneurs.

ENTREPRENEURIAL PROJECTS

10. The Secretariat together with MCAST, agree to administer, manage and coordinate Entrepreneurial projects with the collaboration of MCAST Staff.

11. Lecturers will discuss with the students Entrepreneurial projects, which may include SCOOPS, Young Enterprise and Start-Up Malta. In Particular students’ will be required to involve themselves in teams so as to come up with ideas of how their knowledge and skills developed at MCAST could be put to business use.

12. Projects should address important aspects of entrepreneurship that are relevant in an individual’s private, professional and social life. These projects should amongst others help the students:

- to identify their own personal strengths and weaknesses,

- display proactive behavior,

- being curious and creative,

- understanding risk,

- responding positively to changes, and

- disposition to show initiative.

COMMITTMENT

13. Both the Secretariat and MCAST, bind themselves to review and update this Memorandum of Understanding and the commitments deriving thereof on an annual

basis, whilst monitoring the whole implementation process and comparing results to pre-set targets of progress.

14. This Memorandum of Understanding is a learning process for both the Secretariat and MCAST, through which the consultation process between both parties to this MOU agree to strengthen their working relationship in the future.

______

Hon. Edwin Vassallo Victor Scicluna

Parliamentary Secretary for President - Board of Governors

Small Business and Self-Employed Malta College of Arts, Science &

Technology

Annex

Departments and Officially Appointed Bodies to which particular reference is made to in this Memorandum of Understanding.

Consumer and Competition Division

Consumer Affairs Council

Consumer Claims Tribunal

Commission for Fair Trading

Commerce Division

Industrial Property Registration

Small Business and Crafts Unit

Malta Craft Council

Market Surveillance Directorate

Local Manufactures (Promotion) Board

Copyright Board

All such Departments fall under the portfolio of the Secretariat for Small Business and the Self Employed.