Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST)

The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), acting for and on behalf of the Foundation for Science and Technology, is a public body established by central government in 1988 with the mandate of advising government on science and technology policy. Today its remit has developed and expanded to include the:

• Responsibility for the National Research and Innovation Strategy 2020 and related Action Plan.
• Responsibility for Policy recommendations in the area of science and technology as well a representation of the Government of Malta in EU fora such as: ERAC, ESFRI, JRC, DG working parties, EIT,SFIC, COST, ERAC, MoCo, SGHRM and the High Level Space Working Party
• The management and administration of the National and EU Research and Innovation Funding Programmes
• The setting up of the first National Interactive Science Centre, science communication and science popularisation.

Today the Council is also responsible for supporting entities, being academic institutions or enterprises to join foreign consortia to undertake large-scale multi-national research activities. Typically, such projects would have public-private partnerships set up at a European level to address strategic areas where research and innovation are essential to European competitiveness. The Council also enters into Bilateral Agreements with other countries.