MCAST

What MCAST does

MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology) is Malta's designated public vocational and tertiary education institution, established by the MCAST Act in 2001 to consolidate and modernize the country's vocational education and training (VET) system. It operates four campuses — the Main Campus in Paola, the Institute for the Creative Arts in Mosta, the Institute of Applied Sciences in Qormi, and the Gozo Campus in Għajnsielem — and is organized into six academic institutes covering creative arts, engineering and transport, community services, business management and commerce, ICT, and applied sciences. The institution delivers programmes spanning MQF Level 1 through Level 8, including vocational diplomas, higher diplomas, bachelor's degrees, master's programmes, and doctoral research, with the MG2i sub-brand handling part-time and CPD offerings and the MyMCAST App serving as a student services hub.

MCAST's product surface combines full-time on-campus delivery with online learning, apprenticeship-based work placements, employer partnerships (MITA, APS Bank), and Erasmus+ international mobility. Revenue is generated primarily through government funding (institutional allocations under the MCAST Act), tuition and course fees across full-time, part-time, master, and doctoral programmes, CPD courses for working professionals, and ancillary services such as the Hair and Beauty training salon. Programmes are nationally accredited by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) and externally validated for engineering by ASIIN, with the first professional engineering warrants awarded to MCAST graduates in February 2026. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via website applications, open days, course finder tools, and Erasmus+ exchange, with no third-party channel intermediaries.

The technology stack includes the Classter student information system, an e-learning platform, the MyMCAST mobile application on iOS and Android, and specialised facilities such as the Cyber-Physical Lab (advanced sensors, robotics, automation, simulation) at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a digital TV studio at the Mosta Campus. Customer segments span full-time students, part-time and CPD learners, Gozitan residents, international exchange students, and employer-partner organizations hosting apprentices, with marketing conducted through the institutional website, social media, MCASTLink magazine, and on-campus events.

Name

MCAST

Legal name

Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology

Website

https://mcast.edu.mt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

MCAST is Malta's government-established public vocational and tertiary education institution, operating four campuses and delivering accredited programmes from vocational certificates through doctoral degrees across six academic institutes. It serves 7,000+ full-time students, working professionals, and international learners through applied learning and apprenticeship pathways.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD), Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE), Information Security, Privacy & IT Governance (CISSP CPE, Privacy CE) (EDAAALAL)

Keywords

• Vocational education training
• Higher education programmes
• Apprenticeship programmes
• Professional development courses
• Vocational qualifications Malta

Headquarters

HQ city

Paola

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: MCAST generates revenue through tuition fees for full-time, part-time, and master courses. The institution operates a stipends office suggesting financial support mechanisms for students. Course delivery spans vocational diplomas through doctoral programmes.
2. Government Funding: As Malta's primary vocational education institution established by law, MCAST receives government funding for operations. The MCAST Act governs institutional structure and funding mechanisms.
3. Continuous Professional Development (CPD): MCAST offers professional development courses generating revenue from working professionals seeking skill upgrades and certifications.
4. Hair and Beauty Salon Services: Training salon operated by MCAST providing beauty services to public while serving as practical training facility for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MCAST is Malta's primary government-established vocational and higher education institution delivering full-time and part-time courses from MQF Level 1 vocational certificates through MQF Level 8 doctoral research programmes across six applied institutes. It also operates work-based apprenticeships, continuous professional development (CPD) courses, an online learning platform, and public-facing training services including a hair and beauty salon and childcare centre.

Product overview

MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology) is a public vocational and higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes and student services. The institution operates as a multi-campus college with four main locations: Main Campus in Paola, Institute for the Creative Arts in Mosta, Gozo Campus in Għajnsielem, and Institute of Applied Sciences in Qormi. The academic structure comprises six institutes: Institute for the Creative Arts, Institute of Engineering and Transport, Institute of Community Services, Institute of Business Management and Commerce, Institute of Information and Communication Technology, and Institute of Applied Sciences. Educational offerings span from vocational certificates (MQF Level 1) through doctoral programmes (MQF Level 8), delivered through full-time courses, part-time programmes via MG2i, online learning platforms, and Continuous Professional Development offerings. The institution complements its academic portfolio with student support services including the MyMCAST mobile application, Wellbeing Hub, Library, Apprenticeship programmes, Career Guidance, and an International Office supporting Erasmus+ mobility. The MCASTLink publication serves as the institution's official magazine, while a dedicated Recruitment Portal facilitates job opportunities. MCAST emphasises applied learning through work-based experiences, internships, and industry partnerships, preparing graduates for professional careers across arts, engineering, business, ICT, community services, and applied sciences sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MG2I: MCAST's brand for part-time courses and professional development programmes.
• ICA Festival

Products and services

• Full-Time Courses Full-time vocational and applied higher education programmes from introductory MQF Level 1 certificates through bachelor's (MQF Level 6) and master's (MQF Level 7) degrees, offered across six institutes and serving over 7,000 full-time students.
• Part-Time Courses (MG2i)

Quantifiable outcome

• 64.4% of Level 1-3 students report struggling with mental health challenges (depression, stress, anxiety, eating disorders)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013MCAST participates in Erasmus+ mobility programmes enabling student and staff exchanges with educational institutions and industrial settings across Europe. MCAST Gozo students participated in Leonardo Da Vinci placements since 2004, with subsequent involvement in Comenius, Erasmus+ school projects and placement mobilities.
• National Literacy AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Malta's National Literacy Agency enabled publication of children's books written by MCAST Early Years students. The Agency conducted second selection round for book publications that were distributed to primary schools across Malta and Gozo.
• MITA (Malta Information Technology Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMITA provides apprenticeship opportunities to MCAST ICT students, offering real-world experience aligned with agency requirements. Former apprentices have developed into managerial and specialised positions within MITA, demonstrating the partnership's value for talent pipeline development.
• APS BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPS Bank provides apprenticeships to MCAST Banking and Financial Services students, enabling practical training experiences. Graduates have transitioned into full-time roles upon completion of their programmes.
• ASIIN (German Accreditation Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAST pursued independent external evaluation of engineering programmes by ASIIN, one of the leading international accreditation bodies. This evaluation validated output competencies of MCAST graduates and confirmed programmes meet European Standards and Guidelines.
• Edexcel/PearsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAST was the first college in Europe to receive the Edexcel International Centre of Excellence Award. The institution previously delivered programmes regulated by foreign awarding bodies including City and Guilds and BTEC (Edexcel).
• Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll MCAST programmes are accredited by MFHEA within Malta's national qualifications framework (MQF/EQF). This regulatory partnership ensures programmes meet national quality standards for further and higher education.
• Bord tal-Inġiniera (Engineering Board)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional engineering regulatory body that awarded MCAST graduates the first professional engineering warrants in February 2026, recognizing MCAST engineering programmes meet national professional standards.
• EUDUAL (European University Development Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAST participates in EUDUAL, a European association supporting university development and internationalisation in education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Malta: Malta's primary higher education institution and MCAST's principal domestic competitor for degree-level students, faculty, and research funding. Both operate as public, multi-faculty institutions offering programmes from undergraduate to doctoral level in Malta.
• BPP University: UK-based for-profit university specialising in professional, vocational, and apprenticeship-based education across law, business, finance, and healthcare. Highly comparable to MCAST's applied, professional, and apprenticeship-led model, and a useful benchmark for monetising professional pathways.
• IU International University of Applied Sciences: Germany's largest private university of applied sciences, delivering accredited bachelor, master, and doctoral programmes with a strong online and dual-study model. Comparable in its "applied sciences" positioning, multi-disciplinary portfolio, and digital-first delivery — relevant for MCAST's online learning and CPD expansion.
• QA Higher Education: UK-based provider of higher education, vocational training, and apprenticeship programmes with international pathway partnerships. Comparable in combining vocational/apprenticeship delivery with degree pathways and international student recruitment.
• Staffordshire University: UK public university with a strong applied/professional identity, significant vocational and technical portfolio, and a history of ASIIN accreditation. Closely comparable to MCAST in mission, applied orientation, and engineering provision.
• Sheffield Hallam University: UK public university with extensive professional and vocational programmes, strong employer engagement, and high apprenticeship activity. Comparable to MCAST as a large, multi-disciplinary, applied higher education institution focused on workforce outcomes.
• London South Bank University: UK public university with a long-standing applied and professional orientation, strong vocational/apprenticeship track record, and ASIIN-accredited engineering programmes. Comparable to MCAST in mission, scale (similar student body), and applied engineering specialism.

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan International: Large international education provider operating language schools, university pathway programmes, and vocational training across multiple countries. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering multi-disciplinary education with strong international student recruitment — relevant for benchmarking MCAST's internationalisation strategy.
• Pearson (Edexcel): Global education and assessment company whose Edexcel awarding body granted MCAST its first-in-Europe Centre of Excellence Award. Comparable as the broader incumbent that underpins UK and international vocational qualifications used by MCAST historically and serves as a benchmark for international awarding-body partnerships.

Regional players

• University of Gibraltar: Public university serving Gibraltar — a small jurisdiction with demographics and labour-market dynamics broadly comparable to Malta. A natural regional peer for MCAST given similar scale constraints and government-founding context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcastmt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpf-MitFkBDSsn552PMC6hw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MCASTmt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/malta-college-of-arts-science-&-technology-mcast-
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcastmt/?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=121x81zyd7p61

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MCAST