Help us help you and have your say!

As part of our new ventures this year, GUG is embarking into yet another initiative to strengthen the voice of Gozitan youths. Thus we came up with the idea of organising an event totally dedicated to our beautiful island. This special week will contain a mixture of what Gozo has to offer, what it's got to say and what it has borne.

Dates; Monday 27th February - Friday 2nd March

Interested applicants should graduated from the University of Malta with a Bachelor's degree in Accounts and/or Finance, in San Lawrenz Gozo. Please send your CV to info@gug.org.mt

The Gozo University Group (GUG) said in a statement that it “welcomes the positive budget announcements that introduced several measures towards all students and specifically for Gozitans, which are the organisation’s main interest. GUG has been working endlessly in trying to cater for all Gozitan students not only those undertaking a course at University of Malta but also at MCAST and ITS institutes and to this regards for the first time GUG has established its representatives and sub committees for these institutes.”

“The announcement of an increase by € 700,000 in the allowance for Gozitan students who are studying in Malta which means that Gozitan students will be equally compensated no matter which institute they choose, for the expenses they incur while living in Malta.” GUG contuned, “For the past months GUG has been pushing this issue to the concerned authorities and would like to thank the Ministry for Gozo for taking this matter seriously, which resulted in this achievement.”

“The investment in the University of Malta and the G.F Abela Junior College is also increasing with a further €58.2 million investment. The government expressed its commitment towards the completion and finalization of the ICT building with an added investment of €7.2 million.” GUG said that it “wishes to express that these investments are a very important step forward for the improvement of the University both physically and as an increase in intellectual ability of students.”

GUG sais that “scholarships have been given a lot of importance in this year’s budget and in all a total of €1,020,000 will be invested in scholarships, €120,000 of which given as opportunities for scholarships in the sports sector. Such opportunities are very important for students to continue developing themselves abroad with the help of government funds that offer equality for all.”

“Also, for the first time ever €500,000 are being allocated to market the island of Gozo as a distinctive tourist destination to address Maltese public and other countries. GUG believes that Gozo has unique characteristics that need to be targeted with the end result being more investment and tourist arrivals in Gozo even in the off-season having a positive impact on the economy of Malta.”

GUG continued that it “also supports the €320,000 which will be allocated to Gozo schools and additional work at the Ninu Cremona Complex to finalize a lab and the work continues on the improvement of health services offered at the General Hospital of Gozo which still needs investments. Although mentioning that employment remains Gozo’s biggest challenge this issue still needs to be tackled with creative and innovative measures.”

In conclusion GUG said that it “thinks that it was a good budget that addressed main issues such as education and infrastructure and also gave much needed importance to Gozitan students. GUG hopes that for the near future further investment will be done in the Gozo Campus of the University of Malta and questions whether the permanent link will give the island of Gozo what it really needs.”

The Gozo University Group (GUG) said that as the only organisation that supports Gozitan students in Malta, it has conducted a study regarding the new transport system: Arriva focusing on the X1 route after the first month of the new academic year.

“Many questions and difficulties have been posed to us by Gozitan students regarding the new bus route system, in particular the X1 bus route,” GUG said, “as a result, GUG decided to conduct a study to make sure that the responsible authorities immediately tackle such difficulties and concerns and thus the Gozitan students no longer have to encounter additional difficulties when continuing their further studies.”

GUG said that, “in the study one can find the questions identified and discussed with our members to enable the formulation of this study and to highlight the situation with its pros and cons with the direct experience of our members.”

“It was also found from this study,” GUG continued, “that not only Gozitan students are suffering from the lack of adequate service but also Gozitan families who have their relatives as patients at Mater Dei and also the patients themselves. Therefore this situation is directly affecting a far more number of people that one might expect and creating a critical and unnecessary situation for many.”
GUG concluded by saying that it “has also worked on suggestions, to mediate and solve this problem. GUG strongly believes that this recurring issue must be amended immediately. That is why GUG intends to keep on prying and working hard on this troubling matter until the adequate and reasonable service is concurred.”

The results of the study can be found here:

http://issuu.com/qfm.media/docs/gug_investigates_any_concerns_that_gozitan_student

Gozo University Group (GUG) together with Youth for the Environment (Y4TE) are conducting a survey regarding what do you consider before you buy a car. We wish to hear your opinions.

This survey is being held in preparation for a discussion which it will be held on Tuesday 15th November at 11am at the University of Malta. This discussion is part of the ‘Green Expo’ which it will take place between the 15th and 18th of November.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LRQPYGF

Agenzija Zghazagh in collaboration with GUG and JP2 Youths will be organising the Youth Gozo Weekend with the theme of Volunteering, in Gozo, between 4th and 5th of November 2011.

On Friday 4th November morning, a structured dialogue will take place for Gozitan students, followed by an evening classical concert by the Cordia String Quartet, aimed at expressing volunteering through music. This will be held at the Cittadella Centre for Culture and Arts at the Citadel.

On Saturday morning a regional youth conference will be organized at the Cittadella Centre for Culture and Arts, entitled “Youth Volunteering on an Island region.” Here, youths will be given the opportunity to express their views on volunteering, especially on the occasion of the 2011 Year of Volunteering.

In the evening a Youth Art Expo will be held between 19.00 and 23.00, at the Cittadella Centre.

This event is aimed at promoting local artistic and creative talent coming from both aspiring students, as well as established artists, whilst offering these artists the opportunity to exhibit their work, as well as produce their art on the spot.

All artists interested in this event are kindly being invited to fill the application form available through the following link: http://bit.ly/yartexpo  by no later than midday of Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011.

Those interested to participate in the above events are kindly invited to call on 79256904.

GUG (Grupp Universitarji Ghawdxin) is the only organization at the University of Malta which
represents Gozitans. Since its official establishment in 1987, GUG committed itself to represent
and cater for the needs of all Gozitan students who may find themselves at a difficulty during the
transition from Gozo to Malta. The issue that Gozitans have different needs than their Maltese
counterparts has long been debated and nowadays this has come to be recognized. GUG binds itself
to tackle issues related to exams, transport and accommodation which, for many students, are a
headache to sort out.

- Whilst thanking the Labour Party for their invitation to fully participate in the regional congress
organised by the same party between Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd October, GUG is always on
the fore front to promote whatever is or can be beneficial for Gozo. Also the group wants to see
more participation from other Gozitan group organizations.

- GUG thinks that the Labour Party's initiative, that of creating jobs in Gozo for the Gozitans, is very
promising. Today everyone is aware that newly graduate students, find it hard to work in Gozo.
Therefore many graduates have to stay in Malta or otherwise leave Malta to work on the career they
have studied.

- GUG also welcomes the LP's affirmation to help in succeeding GUG's proposal, that of having the
option that University exams can be held in Gozo. If this proposal is successful Gozitan students
will surely benefit from less hassle that they face every day. The group greatly appreciates, and is
thankful for the Gozo Minister's promise to offer every logistic help needed to make this proposal
successful.

- GUG will further discuss the LP's views on ECO Gozo and believes that more studies should be
held in order to make the island a hub for investment and a role model for a positive economy.
GUG will also discuss the Public Transport reform and is conducting a study about it and how it is
effecting Gozitan students. The group also asks the LP what the party's controversial proposals for
the creation of new jobs are.

- Finally GUG believes that Gozo cannot be taken into consideration once every five years, on the
eve of the national elections, and the charity mentality has to stop. The group is always open for
discussions with every organisation and welcomes every support and or initiatives for the benefit of
Gozo's future while calling for more youth participation.

Gozitans deserve better: Gozo deserves better.

The Gozo University Group (GUG) has said in a statement that it is “currently investigating any concerns that Gozitan students might be suffering due to the new transport system; with specific reference to the X1 bus route from Msida to Cirkewwa and vice-versa.” GUG continued, that it “has already contacted Arriva coordinators on many occasions, to ensure that the best possible bus route and timetable is issued...

“We would like also to bring attention to the fact that, Gozitan patients and their families also use the X1 route and thus not only Gozitan students are suffering,” GUG said.

“Many questions and difficulties have been posed to us by Gozitan students regarding the new bus route system, in particular the X1 bus route,” GUG contiuned, “s a result, GUG decided to conduct a very brief study to make sure that all Gozitan students’ voices are heard. In the meantime, GUG is finalizing this Report which will clearly indicate what other essential changes should be made and some suggestions made by Gozitan students themselves are also given to show what the public truly needs.”

GUG concluded by saying it “strongly believes that this recurring issue must be amended as soon as possible. That is why GUG intends to keep on to be persistent and working hard on this troubling matter until a reasonable negotiation is concurred between our executive and Arriva coordinators in charge.