Malta Training Course 2026

First Impressions of Malta

We arrived in Malta and had our first contact with Maltese culture.

We visited Valletta, exploring its typical streets and surroundings, and enjoyed a beautiful view from the Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the Three Cities, including Birgu.

 Visit  to Malta´s cathedral

We visited St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, one of the island’s most impressive  bulding. Its richly decorated interior, full of gold details and artistic masterpieces, reflects the deep historical and cultural heritage of Malta. The cathedral is also home to a famous work by Caravaggio, making the visit even more meaningful as we connected art, history, and culture.

Exploring Valetta

After we strolled through the streets of Malta, enjoying its unique atmosphere and charm. From the Upper Barrakka gardens, we took  in the views of the  Three Cities( Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua )  appreciating its beauty. This becomes our starting point to discover local customs and make the most of the course while fully experiencing the culture around us.

  Visit Marsaxlokk

On our second day in Malta, we headed to Marsaxlokk, a charming fishing village that reflects the heart of Maltese culture. We wandered around its colourful harbour, famous for the traditional luzzu boats, and even enjoyed a short ride on one of them. Afterwards, we visited the stunning St Peter’s Pool, known for its crystal-clear waters and natural beauty, and explored the historic Fort St. Lucian. It was a perfect day combining local traditions, scenic views, and a glimpse into Malta’s rich heritage.

Enjoy Blue Grotto 

After we then made our way to the Blue Grotto, where we appreciated  the importance of the sea in Maltese culture. The impressive cliffs  highlighted how closely life on the island is connected to the sea, not only as a natural resource but also as a source of identity, tradition, and daily life. This visit allowed us to reflect on the strong relationship between the Maltese people and their maritime environment.

  Discovering Virgo

In the afternoon we explored Birgu, one of the historic Three Cities, famous for its streets and colourful Maltese doors that decorate theur houses. We could see how architecture reflects Malta's history , and daily life, linking the culture and traditions of the island.
A way to connect learning with the rich heritage and the culture of Malta.

Am approach to Maltese culture 

On Sunday in Malta we visited Marsaxlokk and enjoyed its colourful harbour.Then, we explored St'Peter's Pool and the Blue Grotto, discovering the island natural beauty and its connection to the sea.. In the afternoon, we walked around Virgo, appreciating its historic  streets and Maltese architecture, linking our experience to the culture and heritage of the island. It was a very enriching dsy.

The first day of  the AI course

The course we carried about during five days was focused on the use of AI in education, exploring practical tools and strategies to enhance teaching and learning. It aimed to develop digital competence and provided innovative approaches that can be shared with our School Staff and applied in the classroom 

Get to know participants in the course 

We took part in a series of ice-breaker activities to get to know the participants from each school in a dynamic and engaging way. This was followed by presentations from the different schools involved, allowing us to learn more about their contexts and experiences. We also shared our expectations and goals for the course, creating a positive and collaborative learning environment from the very beginning. 

Sharing our school with the rest of participants 

After listening to the presentations from the participating schools, we introduced our own school through a video created and edited by our students. It was a meaningful way to showcase our context, highlight our work, and share our school community from our students’ perspective.

Exploring Historical Memory of Firt St Angelo

In the afternoon, we visited Fort St Angelo , a historical fortress that offered  an unferstanding of Malta's strategic and historical.importance through history. We aldo enjoyed the views of the Grabd Harbour and the surronding .

Walking through its ancient wals, we could imagine  its role in shaping the island's  past 

Walking through Varetta streets

We ended the day walking thrugh Valetta streets , seeing the Maltese atmsphere and we  als visited Barrakka gardens  where  we wnjoyed the iews of the habour as wellas we had an stunnning iew of the Three Cities. From.this point we vould appreciate the connection of Varetta with the sea abd it also offered a moment to reflect on what we had learnt in our first day of the course abd which would be our expectations.

Exploring AI Agents and Educational Applications

We also learned how to achieve optimum results across different systems, as well as how to use and build AI agents and custom AI tools. Throughout the session, we explored practical applications of Artificial Intelligence in education, focusing on how these tools can support teaching, improve efficiency, and create more personalised learning experiences for students. It was a very productive session 

A exchange of Learning Practises 

 Today we continued with the presentations of the participating schools, which gave us the opportunity to learn different educational and learning approaches.With these presentations we alsocompare and understabd different methodologies and how they work in another countries. We also reflected about new ideas that vould be implemented in our school.

Exploring Historical Memory in Mosta

In the afternoon, we visited the Rotunda of Mosta, an impressive landmark that reflects Malta’s historical and cultural heritage. We also explored the nearby air-raid shelter, which offered a powerful insight into the island’s past and the experiences of its people during the Second World War. This visit allowed us to connect with the concept of historical memory, as the site stands as a symbol of resilience and collective identity. It linked closely to the theme we are working on in our project, helping us reflect on how history is preserved and remembered through significant places and shared experiences.

   From film set to Cultural.Heritage

We finished the day with a visit to Popeye Village, an iconic film set that has become part of Malta’s cultural heritage. This unique place reflects the island’s connection to the film industry and its ability to transform creative spaces into cultural landmarks. It offered us a different perspective on Maltese culture, showing how tradition and modern influences coexist and contribute to the identity of the island.

Malta and its connection with the sea

We then made our way to the Blue Grotto, where we appreciated the importance of the sea in the Maltese culture. The impressive cliffs highlited how closely lofe on the island is connected to the sea,      only as a natural resource but also as a source of identity, tradition ,and daily life. This visit allowed us to reflect on the strong telationship between the Maltese people and their maritime envirotmen.

 Exploring Medieval Beauty and Life Gh

To end the day, we visited the Ta' Pinu Basilica and the Citadel in Gozo, two iconic landmarks that reflect the island's deep cultural and religious heritage. These sites allowed us to better understand the importance of tradition, faith, and history in Maltese identity, as well as the way culture is preserved and expressed through architectural and daily life.

Reflection on Today's Visit

 The visits to both the City of Brussels Town Hall and the European Parliament were especially interesting and enriching. They allowed us to understand how different levels of government work , from local to European, and how their decisions impact citizens’ daily lives. It was a valuable experience that helped us see democracy in action and better appreciate the importance of civic participation. 

 Exploring Medieval Beauty and Modern Life Ghent 

During Our visit to Ghent was a truly enriching experience, combining history, culture, and stunning architecture. From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by the charm of its streets, canals, and historic buildings, which reflect the city’s important role in medieval Europe.

Reflection on today's visit

In Ghent, the students took part in a cultural visit around the historic city center. They discovered Flemish art at Saint Bavo´s Cathedral, and walking around the picturesque Graslei and Korenlei . Throught the day , they observed the medieval architecture, worked together on a small culture tasks, and reflected on the historical and artistic importance of the city.

 Reflection on the trip to Ghent

During students´trip to Ghent, students were  impressed by the city´s beautiful medieval architecture, especially the canals and historic buildings in the city centre. Walking through the old streets allowed them to better understand the history and culture of Flanders while enjoying its atmosphere. The visit helped them appreciate the importance of perserving cultural heritage.

Exploring the Atomium: A Journey Through Science and Architecture

 During students´visit to the Atomium , the students explored this iconic structure .Theysaw it from outsede and took some pictures. The visit was very memorable for them as they had already seen many times in the books. AThes the weather was very good, it was also a good time for a picnic .

Relaxing and walking in Petit Sablon Park 

The students and teachers´ next visit was Square du Petit Sablon, they explored the beautiful gardens and they walked along their paths. They also  admired the nearby Church of Our Lady of the Sablon and learnt about its history. 

The viusit allowed them to apprecdiate the ombination of art, history, and nature, and thry reflected 

Discussion on Digitalization I 

During our visit, we were shown the English Matriculation Exam, a six-hour assessment that includes multiple listening and reading tasks, an audio-based production of 217 words, a response to a prompt, and a writing task requiring students to tell a story. The exam is very similar to the First Certificate (B2 level), although the English teacher noted that its difficulty is closer to C1. The exam is highly comprehensive and demanding.

We also had a discussion about digitalization in Finnish schools. Most students use digital books, and even exams are conducted on computers. The Biology teacher told us that he  used a combination of digital and paper book, and mentioned that he encouraged students to occasionally set aside their computers, pay attention to his explanations, and take handwritten notes. Interestingly, many students do not bring pens to class. He also observed that Biology answers are now generally shorter than in thehjjk

 Discussion on Digitalization II

Similarly, a Mathematics teacher explained that she used both paper and digital books. She would like students to come to the whiteboard more often, but her lessons were constrained by time, especially since some courses lasted only six weeks. Students had a mix of long and short Mathematics courses. Overall, while students enjoy digital books, they did not mind using paper books for certain tasks.

One English teacher highlighted that she preferred paper books for in-class corrections because students has to correct exercises with the whole class, whereas with digital books they often corrected themselves individually. In a class survey, only a few students preferred paper books. For exams, however, teachers agreed that online exams are preferred, as they are easier to grade.