Overview of the Academy

Objective

The Academy for Disciplined Forces is a licensed, autonomous, further education institution (MQF Level 4, Licence Number 2021 – 008) set up to carry out training and professional development of members of the following Disciplined Forces in Malta:​

The Malta
Police Force
The Armed
Forces of Malta
The Civil Protection Department
The Correctional
Services Agency

Overview

The Academy designs its programmes based on five pillars:

1.

Training of Recruits of the Disciplined Forces

2.

Specialist Task Training customised for the Disciplined Forces

3.

Training for Vertical Career Progression within the Disciplined Forces

4.

Training for Horizontal Career Progression across the Disciplined Forces and beyond

5.

Accreditation of Prior Learning and Work-Based Learning

The Academy ensures the Disciplined Forces can attract and employ the best candidates and gives these people the opportunity to develop themselves continuously. Through training, the Academy promotes a combination of skills, expertise, professional behaviour and attitudes.

Through the policies, regulations and laws governing the Disciplined Forces, the Academy assists in the recruitment of candidates applying for jobs with the forces and provides recruits with induction training. The Academy also provides comprehensive training to serve the highly specialised skills required on the job and for continuous professional development.

Disciplined forces may provide training to their respective members, outside the scope of the Academy, subject to approval from the Academy, which retains the right to assess the quality of the training provided and make recommendations where applicable.

 

International Networks

The Disciplined Forces in Malta form part of international networks that enrich the skills and knowledge frameworks in the Academy’s education and training programmes. The work of the Disciplined Forces is intertwined with events in the international environment, in Europe and beyond. The Academy for Disciplined Forces gives internationalisation a recognisable and prominent position in the educational and knowledge services that it offers. Transnational co-operations for the armed forces, police, civil protection and correctional facilities are examples of subjects added to the curriculum of the Academy.

Knowledge and Research

As the Academy develops its education and training faculty, it will be in a position to provide knowledge and research services, which can be carried out by staff. Research, advisory and consulting services will include projects that link the disciplined services with further and higher education, career development and career progression.  

Quality Assurance

The Academy seeks to obtain a licence to confer awards, certificates, diplomas, and degrees as a further and higher education provider. The Academy strives to earn the status of a self-accrediting institution to offer a range of qualifications of a vocational, academic and professional nature. It is the intention of the Academy to apply qualification equivalency with recognised national and international vocational education programmes in line with the Malta Quality Framework from Level 1 to Level 8 where practical training plays an important role.

The Academy is periodically audited to meet the stipulated standards and guidelines of the National Quality Assurance Framework. The Academy is subject to a rigorous quality assurance process in line with the National Quality Assurance Framework, which necessitates two mechanisms: Internal Quality Assurance Process and External Quality Assurance Audits.

Human Resources

Quality comes from people, and the right people will create an Academy that is built on a comprehensive education strategy, supported by a sound service infrastructure and governed by an adaptive set of regulations. The organisation is led by the Commandant, assisted by the top executive roles of the Registrar, Director of Studies and the Manager of Human Resources and Administration.

Finance

Funding of the Academy is established through the Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security within the Government of Malta. Funds are made available for the Academy to be able to carry out its core duties in line with national priorities.

Campus and Estates

The Academy will establish a Campus and Estates Master Plan in line with international guidelines for educational spaces and will include: internal teaching areas, external training areas, classroom based teaching areas, skills based teaching areas, study areas and e-library areas, administration areas, staff amenities, student amenities, sport facilities, food hall, accommodation, green spaces, recreational spaces, parking and logistic routes.

Information Technology Infrastructure

The Academy for Disciplined Forces provides students, educators and administration staff with technological platforms that enable online access to recruitment applications, email, calendars, cloud storage, online learning, student records, administrative information and access to international online libraries.
Governance, Regulations and Policies

The Academy aligns its programmes with national objectives set by Government and reports on the results attained. The Academy practices a policy of autonomy with full accountability for its actions and operations, in line with its organisational governance, policies and regulations.