½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ

From Malta to the Arctic - Building New Academic Connections

An academic visit by Prof. Sarah Cuschieri, Faculty of Medicine & Surgery, University of Malta (½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ), to UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø is strengthening connections between the two universities and opening opportunities for academic exchange around population health, chronic disease epidemiology and small and geographically distinct populations.

The visit brings together two markedly different European settings: Malta, a Mediterranean island state, and Northern Norway, characterised by its Arctic geography and widely dispersed communities. Despite these differences, both settings provide valuable perspectives on how population size and geography can shape health, research and wider societal challenges.

From Malta to the Arctic

The visit reflects the growing value of looking beyond traditional geographical and disciplinary boundaries when addressing contemporary population challenges. Small, remote, island and geographically distinct populations provide perspectives that can sometimes be overlooked within research dominated by larger countries and populations.

For ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ, engagement with UiT also demonstrates how institutions located at very different geographical ends of Europe can identify common areas of interest and learn from their contrasting contexts. The exchange provides a platform for sharing perspectives and strengthening connections between Malta and Northern Norway.

Why this matters for ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ?

International academic visits provide an important means of increasing the visibility of ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ expertise, creating new institutional connections and bringing Malta into wider European research conversations.

It also highlights the potential contribution that Malta, as a small island state, can make to international discussions involving other small, remote and geographically distinct populations.

Extending CDERN's international connections

The visit also supports the international development of the Chronic Diseases Epidemiology Research Network (CDERN).

Prof. Cuschieri's research focuses on non-communicable disease epidemiology and prevention, including cardiometabolic health, health inequalities and population-based research. Connecting this work with researchers in different population settings strengthens CDERN's role as a platform for international exchange in chronic disease epidemiology.

Prof. Cuschieri is also Vice-President of the EUPHA Section on Chronic Diseases and works with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Health Systems and Policies in Small States, connecting the visit with wider European and small-state public-health networks.

The Tromsø visit therefore represents another step in strengthening links between ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ, CDERN and international partners, while highlighting the wider relevance of research originating from small populations.