Two graduates of Maltese, Ilona Sciberras and Sumeia El Raes, received awards for the BA dissertations which they submitted in 2023 during the seminar held at main campus of the University of Malta on 12 February 2024. Ms El Raes received the Premju 臓u偶猫 Aquilina for her dissertation in the field of Maltese linguistics about 鈥淚n-Nomi Inaljenabbli fil-Malti, which was supervised by Prof. Michael Spagnol. Ms Sciberras was awarded the Premju Oliver Friggieri in the field of Maltese literary studies for her dissertation entitled 鈥淚r-Rumanzi dwar is-Snin Tmenin minn Lenti Kontemporanja,鈥 which was supervised by Dr Immanuel Mifsud.
Ms Sciberras was also given book vouchers in recognition of her achievement as the student who placed first among all graduates of the Faculty of Arts.
The trophies were designed by the well-known artist Austin Camilleri. This year the recipients of the two awards were also given scrolls which were handmade by Andrea Portelli and include quotes from Aquilina and Friggieri, both long-time members and former heads of the Department of Maltese: "F鈥檃rt fejn il-kliem hu m魔awwad, fejn il-kelma qajla hi stmata jew imfissra tajjeb, tistg魔u tkunu intom li tg魔idu kelma 摹dida." (Oliver Friggieri), and "L-im魔abba ming魔ajr ir-ra偶an tal-istudju tfixkel is-setg魔at tal-mo魔魔." (臓u偶猫 Aquilina).
The awards were presented during a two-hour seminar for all BA students of Maltese in which the graduates Wayne Camilleri, Louisiana Micallef, and the award winners presented their dissertations and answered questions about the methodology they adopted and the content of their research.
Papers based on the the best dissertations of BA students of Maltese are published in print in the periodical 搁颈膵别谤办补迟耻谤颈, edited by Prof. Michael Spagnol, and on the research portal of the Dipartiment tal-Malti.
