The main objective of NSTF Science is:
"to generate awareness and interest amongst students at all education levels of the nation in the importance of science and scientific research to one's daily life and to experience and promote science out of the classroom through hands-on projects, exhibitions, experimentation, research and discussion from both a scientific and ethical perspective".
NSTF Science Week 2010
NSTF began its involvement in science in 1984 by selecting students who excelled in science at post-secondary level to participate in the London International Science Fortnight.
The National Student Travel Foundation has over the past years developed a Science Programme together with the Malta Chamber of Scientists and the Malta Council of Science and Technology to increase the interest of students in Science and Technology, and encourage them to read for degrees in science and take up careers within this sphere.
The peak of all these programmes is the NSTF Science Week, this year being organised in collaboration with MCST at Villa Bighi between the 11th and 17th April 2010.
Students from MCAST and St. Aloysius Sixth Form participating in the Contest for Young Scientists and secondary school students participating in the School Contest for Young Scientists will all be exhibiting their scientific and technological projects. Students with the winning projects will then go on represent Malta at the EU Contest for Young Scientists in Lisbon, the Expo Science Europe in Moscow and the Belgian Science Expo.
Schools are invited to visit throughout the week. Students from the MCAST Institute of Art and Design and teachers from the Curriculum Management and eLearning Department (Science Centre) are coordinating various interactive workshops for students. The British Council is involved through the “Darwin Now” Exhibition and Workshops. Further to their European Action on Drugs commitment, the Maltese Medical Student Association (MMSA) will be running interactive seminars to raise the awareness of teenagers on the risks of substance abuse.
The NSTF Science Week Official Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday 11th April at 1000hrsat Villa Bighi. Hon Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, recently appointed Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology, will officiate.
NSTF would like to thank all those entities without whose help such an initiative would not be possible, namely the Malta Council for Science and Technology, the Malta Chamber of Scientists, Air Malta, the Corinthia Group of Companies, the British Council, Bank of Valletta, Agenda Bookshop, V. & F. Portelli & Sons Ltd, MCAST Institute for Art and Design, the Curriculum Management and eLearning Department (Science Centre), the Maltese Medical Student Association, IMS Ltd and NSTS Student and Youth Travel.