Researcher
When I had the opportunity of publishing my paper in the Malta Review of Educational Research in 2020, the journal felt like a natural home for critical research grounded in ethnographic depth, driven by a deep sense of social justice, and seeking to bring forward the lived realities of those whose voices are too often marginalised in academic and policy discourse. Through my paper “I don’t want to learn: Absenteeism and socially situated cultural capital”, I drew directly from 13 months of immersive ethnographic fieldwork in Malta to shed light on the subtle, and at times painful, negotiations children undertake as they attempt to navigate conflicting forms of cultural capital within and beyond the school setting. Publishing in MRER gave me a platform to amplify these children’s experiences and contribute to a wider body of scholarship that recognises how inequality often not only comes to be inadvertently socially reproduced in schools, but in many ways exacerbated through powerful social forces emanating from broader structural inequalities. The journal offered a valuable space in which local realities could be explored with the complexity they deserve, and where Malta’s educational landscape could be examined critically. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to make my own unique contribution in conversations that matter—not only to academics, but to educators, policymakers, and community members grappling with persistent disparities in educational engagement and attainment. It was a chance to highlight how children’s disengagement from school is neither a personal failure nor a cultural deficiency, but rather a reflection of deeper structural tensions that call for collective attention and reform. I remain grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to a journal that values scholarly rigour alongside social relevance. MRER has carved out an important role in local and regional academic discourse on education, and I feel proud to have my work included among such a diverse and thoughtful array of contributions. As MRER marks its 20th anniversary, I celebrate its continued commitment to critical, inclusive, and context-sensitive educational research, and I look forward to seeing how it continues to evolve as a platform for dialogue, reflection, and change.
Senior Lecturer, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology
I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to celebrate two decades of the Malta Review of Educational Research (MRER). I have found this journal indispensable not only in my own intellectual journey, but also in context of the broader Maltese educational landscape. In an academic publishing world increasingly shaped by the priorities of a shrinking number of distant major gatekeepers, MRER stands defiant as a space where Maltese realities are not marginalised, but centred. It offers those of us who live, work, think, and write within the Maltese educational field a platform to speak from Malta, rather than merely about it. From my own perspective, the prospect of publishing in MRER emboldened me to critically engage with contentious themes such as social class and institutional prestige, gendered educational pathways, and linguistic equity in vocational education. But more importantly, it encouraged me to do so without self-censorship. As I have argued elsewhere, academic dependency and deference to dominant metropolitan paradigms do more than just disrupt local research efforts. They silence the Maltese academic voice and undermine the long-term educational, social, and political development of Maltese society in an era of intensifying neoliberal ideological dominance. In this vein, I distinctly remember my first submission to MRER feeling like a homecoming. Many academics working locally know all too well the frustrating and disorienting experience of having to reshape their research to suit the scopes or expectations of journals never designed with their context in mind. Publishing in MRER, by contrast, felt like joining an authentic and resonant conversation. As I turned toward more substantive, locally-contextualised research interests, I felt a renewed sense of connection to Malta itself, to the streets and spaces I traverse daily, to the classrooms of my youth, and even to the broader Maltese story. Indeed, to one of the longest stories in human history. Over time, I have come to view MRER more as a community than a publication. For twenty years, unafraid to adopt the critical stance, it is a community that has provoked, challenged, and, above all, empowered. As we mark this important milestone, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all editors past and present, for their role in positioning Maltese academics not merely as passive recipients of educational knowledge, but as active, dynamic co-constructors of it.
Head of Department, Vilniaus kolegija, Lithuania
Lithuania and Malta are separated by more than a thousand kilometres, yet despite our geographical distance and differences, we share much in common—most notably, a deep concern for the quality of education and a shared commitment to exploring it through a profound, values-based lens. Our collaboration with the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta has been instrumental in our own professional development, encouraging us to grow, improve, and align more closely with a democratic, Western-values-based approach to teacher education. It has also prompted valuable reflection on the similarities and differences between our respective education systems and policies. We greatly value our long-standing friendship and remain sincerely grateful for it. The academic professionalism and global educational perspective of the journal’s editor, Professor Carmel Borg, not only impressed me but also inspired my engagement with the Malta Review of Educational Research, which features high-quality scholarship. His collegial encouragement motivated me to go beyond reading the journal; it helped me strengthen my academic writing, build confidence as a researcher, and ultimately prepare an article that was positively reviewed and accepted. I deeply appreciate this experience and am honoured to be part of the journal’s legacy. I warmly congratulate the Faculty on the 20th anniversary of publishing the Malta Review of Educational Research, and I wish the journal continued success in the years to come. May it remain a vital international platform for critical, inclusive, and value-driven educational discourse.
Marie Curie Scholar
As a young doctoral student and European migrant in the beautiful Maltese Islands, I often found myself wandering around the University of Malta – sometimes hopeful, other times invisible. While working on my PhD research on grassroots and community education in Malta, I also hoped to find a sense of home and belonging in this new place. Amidst the challenges of navigating academic life abroad, especially faced with the competitive world of academic publishing, I was surprised to discover MRER’s call for a Special Issue on ‘Emerging Scholars of Education in Malta,’ which focused on PhD candidates and recent graduates from the Faculty of Education. Through their encouragement and helpful feedback, I published my first academic paper, exploring the methodological challenges of working with activist communities, including issues such as epistemic injustice, colonial methods, and ethnographic fallacies. At a time when academic journals are often inaccessible, it is admirable that MRER remains a peer-reviewed and open-access journal, thanks to the dedication of its editors, reviewers, and other members. I am particularly grateful to the Faculty Doctoral Committee (which included the late Professor Ronald Sultana at the time) for organising this Special Issue in its 18th Volume. My gratitude also goes out to the editors of this issue, Professor Suzanne Piscopo and Professor Michael A. Buhagiar, who guided me through the process with kindness.
PhD candidate, University of Tampere, Finland
I first came across the Malta Review of Educational Research (MRER) while working on my Master’s thesis, and it immediately stood out as a journal that sheds light on topical themes while remaining rooted in the local educational landscape. A year after completing my Master’s studies, I published my first article in the journal, entitled Teacher Appraisals of Pupil Difference (Ciantar, 2023). It was truly a privilege to contribute to this journal. MRER showcases high-quality educational research, and its commitment to openly accessible, locally grounded scholarship is more important now than ever. Since my first encounter with MRER, I have chosen to pursue an academic and research-based path and am currently undertaking doctoral studies at Tampere University in Finland. Over time, my focus has shifted toward educational policy and vocational education and training (VET). Despite the geographical distance from Malta, MRER continues to be highly relevant to my work. The journal regularly offers insightful discussions that deepen my understanding of policy shifts, social justice implications, and the historical foundations of education in Malta. Its articles frequently challenge prevailing narratives and stimulate critical reflection on the direction of educational practice and reform. Personally, MRER has been a space where I can stay connected with local research while also sharing it with my current international academic community. Socially and academically, MRER is a platform through which we, as Maltese researchers, fulfil our responsibility to continue analysing and discussing societal issues. As MRER marks its 20th anniversary, I’m proud to have been part of its story and look forward to seeing it continue shaping educational thought for years to come.
PhD candidate, University of Malta
My engagement with the Malta Review of Educational Research (MRER) has been both a personal and professional milestone. As a researcher in the field of inclusion, my journey began in 2018 while brainstorming topics for my Master’s dissertation. At the time, I was working as a Learning Support Educator (LSE) in a church school, and I had long been intrigued by the complex and often under-acknowledged role of LSEs within the Maltese educational system. However, as I began my desk research, I was struck by a glaring gap: while there was a growing body of local research on inclusive education, the voices of LSEs themselves were largely absent in academic writing. It was then that I realised how often LSEs remained in the background, vital, yet overlooked contributors to the educational system. They seemed to be the Cinderella figures within our schools: ever-present, indispensable, but rarely centre stage. This realisation compelled me to pursue research that foregrounds the lived experiences of Maltese LSEs, giving visibility to their voices, their challenges, and their unique insights. For me the MRER provided a vital platform through which I could amplify the often- overlooked voices of LSEs within the Maltese educational system. Publishing my research in this journal allowed me to share these findings within a respected academic forum that values both local relevance and scholarly rigour. The MRER has played a significant role in shaping my academic journey. The review process was marked by a spirit of collegiality and intellectual integrity, pushing me to refine my arguments while respecting the complexity of the issues at hand. In turn, the visibility and credibility of MRER within the Maltese education sector has allowed my work to gain traction in professional development initiatives. MRER’s commitment to nurturing research that speaks directly about Malta’s educational realities felt both empowering and necessary. Publishing in MRER meant that my work could contribute meaningfully to local academic, and practitioner conversations, while also reaching a wider scholarly community interested in inclusion and support education. It has been a privilege to contribute to a journal that is committed to amplifying diverse perspectives within education, especially those that have long been marginalised and overlooked.
Senior Lecturers, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST)
Our contribution to MRER in 2020 emerged from a personal and professional commitment to exploring the collaboration between teachers and Learning Support Educators (LSEs). Having worked as a teacher-LSE team in a Maltese primary state school, we were driven by a shared curiosity to unpack the collaborative dynamics that empower inclusive education. This motivation aligned with our academic interests in teamwork, inclusive practices and real-world experiences, shaped the development of the COACTION Model (Clarity, Open communication, Accountability, Conflict resolution, Trust, Intrinsic motivation, Optimistic approach, and Nurturing attitude). Presented for the first time in MRER, this conceptual framework was both literature-informed and grounded in our lived experiences in Maltese classrooms. The drafting process of the paper was itself a microcosm of the collaboration we aimed to study. We acknowledged our complementary strengths, supported each other through limitations and embodied the eight elements of the COACTION Model (2020). The process was both enriching and transformative, fostering critical reflection on our assumptions. The model was particularly significant as it provides a structured lens for understanding collaboration, a concept often discussed but rarely analysed systematically within the Maltese educational context. We felt compelled to apply it locally, driven by a belief in the importance of authentic research that resonates with practitioners and policymakers. This motivation led us to contribute to a platform that values contextually grounded insights, which is what MRER has provided. The rigorous blind peer-review process offered constructive feedback that strengthened our paper and expanded our scholarly perspectives. The supportive editorial team exemplified best practices in academic publishing, making MRER more than just a journal; it is a vibrant repository of Maltese educational research, nurturing both experienced and emerging scholars. Back in 2020, we were completing our doctoral studies, and MRER provided a platform to share our work. Today, our collaboration continues at MCAST, where we instil respect and teamwork among our students, who will themselves become teachers and LSEs. We also supervise dissertations drawing on the COACTION Model (2020), ensuring its continued relevance. To future contributors to MRER, we advise seeking inspiration from lived experiences, identifying gaps in the literature and sharing insights that can contribute to the education community in Malta. Your work, once published, becomes a resource for educators, students and scholars as well as a living contribution that extends beyond your academic journey. As MRER celebrates its 20th anniversary, we extend our heartfelt thanks for its commitment to fostering vibrant academic discourse in Malta and beyond. Its legacy of rigorous, relevant and responsive research continues to inspire us, and we look forward to contributing to its evolution in the years ahead.
Zuyd Hogeschool, The Netherlands
Publishing in the Malta Review of Educational Research has been a meaningful milestone in our academic and professional journeys. MRER offered a uniquely open, interdisciplinary, and socially conscious platform to explore one of the most urgent educational and human rights challenges of our time: the resilience and rights of displaced Ukrainian families in accessing higher education in the Netherlands. Our decision to submit to MRER was shaped by the journal’s commitment to equity, critical inquiry, and public relevance. In a European context increasingly shaped by migration, conflict, and exclusionary policy shifts, we sought a scholarly home that could accommodate not only rigorous academic analysis but also moral clarity and civic engagement. MRER was that space. The editorial ethos of MRER empowered us to adopt an approach that wove together theory, advocacy, and lived experience. Drawing on qualitative interviews with Ukrainian mothers, we examined how educational access intersects with systemic exclusion, cultural dislocation, and the parental drive to secure better futures amid adversity. MRER encouraged us to speak truthfully about injustice, to frame displacement not merely as a logistical issue but as a test of Europe’s democratic values. Importantly, MRER supported our use of interdisciplinary frameworks—from Van der Pas’s parenting theory to human rights law—to highlight the structural nature of the barriers Ukrainian families face. This openness to plural perspectives and critical praxis is what distinguishes MRER within the broader academic landscape. Looking back, our publication in MRER not only amplified the voices of those too often left unheard, but also helped us connect with educators, social workers, and policy advocates across Europe. It affirmed that educational research must not only describe the world but also imagine and demand better alternatives. As MRER celebrates 20 years of advancing education for justice, we are honoured to have contributed to its mission. The journal remains a vital space where research, ethics, and public action converge. It is our hope that MRER continues to champion work that refuses indifference and stands firmly with those struggling to claim their rightful place in educational systems.
Senior Lecturer, Institute of Tourism Studies, and Visiting Senior Lecturer at the University of Malta
I had been thinking of submitting to MRER, and actually promising it to my good colleague Carmel Borg, for several years. Finally I could manage that in 2023. My decision to submit to the journal was guided by a personal aspiration to contribute to a journal that reflects a commitment to educational research that is grounded in relevance, rigour, and critical reflection within both the Maltese and international context. I knew some of the colleagues on the editorial team and some of the regular contributors, and felt motivated to join the latter. The journal’s openness to diverse topics, methodologies, and new avenues of inquiry, including and practice-based research, resonated with my own interdisciplinary orientation in the humanities. I appreciated that MRER does not shy away from complexity, but instead encourages contributors to grapple with the lived realities of teaching, learning, educational leadership and the role of education in a fast-changing society. What stood out to me, beyond the editorial standards, was the collegial outlook of the editorial and peer review boards. The feedback I received was not only rigorous but also generous—it supported the refinement of my ideas and helped me grow as a scholar. This is an ideal environment for early career researchers and academics who need to publish their first papers with a journal that is willing to handhold them. For more seasoned researchers, MRER has provided a sense of affirmation and validation, and in my case the journal situated my work within a broader international research community. I wholeheartedly encourage researchers, whatever their experience, to engage with MRER and contribute to the success of this journal and the strengthening of its inquisitive community.
Senior Lecturer, Junior College
I cherish the memories of publishing in this acclaimed journal with great satisfaction and a positive outlook. I was motivated to publish in the MRER journal because it is a well-established local journal with an international audience. The published articles are always of a high calibre and of great value that shed light on current issues in the field of education. It is a source of information and a point of reference both on a professional and an academic level. Since my study focused on the Maltese context, I wanted to become part of this esteemed community of academics. The areas that the MRER focuses on are broad and varied, yet its editors provide great support for young researchers to broaden their horizons in their academic trajectory. In fact, my participation was a learning curve to shift from writing a dissertation to peer reviewed academic papers. The publishing process has in fact enriched my experience in writing academically for an international audience. Most importantly, it gave me an opportunity to disseminate some of the findings from the PhD study that I carried out in the field of inclusive education within Further and Higher Education. The feedback from the esteemed academics was highly professional and constructive. Sincere thanks go to all contributors for their hard work who ensure that the MRER journal retains its high standards.
Teacher of Ethics Education, and Casual Lecturer at the University of Malta
This year, the Malta Review of Educational Research (MRER) celebrates its 20-year milestone—a testament to the journal’s enduring commitment to educational research, both within and beyond the classroom. While championing local scholarship across diverse educational fields, MRER has also attracted contributions from researchers of varied backgrounds, offering a holistic view of the many layers that shape education. Whether emerging or established, all researchers are invited to submit their work through MRER’s peer-review process—an approach that is not only democratic but also a privilege for any local (or international) scholar with a genuine commitment to education. In June 2023, as an aspiring educational researcher, I had the opportunity to publish my first academic paper with MRER. As many in academia will attest, publishing a first peer-reviewed article is a significant milestone—particularly when balancing full-time studies with other academic responsibilities. I remain deeply grateful to Prof. Carmel Borg and the editorial team for valuing student contributions, and for ensuring that being a student did not hinder the recognition of well-researched work. On the contrary, MRER affirmed that every research voice matters. In broader terms, this reflects an educational commitment to social justice—where a full professor holds no greater privilege than a student-teacher whose insights are equally valid in shaping the field. This opportunity enabled me to further develop my research interests, which lie at the intersection of educational philosophy and the social sciences. My work focuses on public participation, political activism, and education for social justice—concerns that are integral to my evolving praxis as an educator. In conclusion, I extend my sincere thanks to MRER and its team—for their accessibility, interdisciplinary openness, and equitable publication process, as well as for their unwavering call for more educational research. I particularly emphasise the latter within the local context, where we urgently need more educators—especially those at the grassroots—to come forward with relevant and critical research. These educators have much (if not more) to contribute to the conversation on the current and future state of our education system. MRER offers a vital platform for such research to be recognised and brought to fruition—as it rightly should be.
Visiting Lecturer, University of Malta, and Early Years Consultant
As I progressed through my doctoral journey, I attended various talks and lectures organised by the Malta Review of Educational Research (MRER) team, which I always found interesting and useful—not only for my studies but also for my personal and professional growth. My field of study is early childhood education and development, with a focus on pedagogies that benefit children aged 0–7. My doctoral thesis took me deeper into this area, as I explored postcolonialism and its impact—both past and present—on the pedagogies used in early childhood education (0–5-year-olds) in Malta and Grenada (in the Caribbean), which were the two case studies in my research. I also investigated 60 other small island states around the world, using a questionnaire to explore whether colonialism had an impact on how early years education is currently approached in those contexts. The MRER journal proved to be a valuable resource, helping me access literature on education and pedagogy in Malta. Reading articles published in MRER broadened my understanding of the pedagogical issues being researched locally. In fact, I cited several articles from the journal throughout my thesis. After completing my doctoral studies, I felt that MRER would be an ideal platform to publish an article based on my research. I was honoured when my article was accepted and published in volume 13, issue 1 (2019). The journal continues to be an important source for me, offering access to articles, book reviews, and current research in education. It helps me stay updated on postcolonial issues in Maltese education and the early years, as well as on emerging topics in the broader educational landscape. I am confident that future issues of MRER will include insightful articles on technology and the use of AI in education—topics I look forward to reading more about.