Today we are talking to Francesca Marra, an Italian girl who has lived in Malta for many years, and who has decided to undertake a degree course at St. Martin's Institute.

Hi Francesca, tell us a little about yourself!

Hello everyone, I'm Francesca Marra, moved to Malta in 2014 from Rome. Right now I'm in my second year of a Bachelor's degree in banking and finance, and I work as a trainee for Deloitte, in the audit department. 

Francesca, you already lived in Malta, but why the choice of the SMI instead of the local university or an experience abroad?

The choice of St. Martin's Institute (henceforth SMI) instead of the University of Malta was influenced by the fact that the diploma received at the end of the SMI course would come from the LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, a world-recognized institution, an institution certainly superior to the university of Malta at the international ranking level. The experience abroad would have been my first choice, but it would have required too great a change both personally and financially, which I did not feel like undertaking when starting the degree. 

In your opinion, what are the advantages of living in Malta compared to Italy?

From my experience, moving to Malta gave me the opportunity to learn English as if it were my first language, when I arrived the level of English I had was very basic, but after 2 months I already knew how to speak it as if I had lived here all my life. I think this is a huge advantage for the future too, because it helps to have more choices both for going to study abroad and for a future career. Furthermore, being a small country, there are many more opportunities for young people in terms of work experience, many students, including myself, start working for large companies, also recognized worldwide already during the degree course

What did you expect before starting your studies? Have expectations been maintained?

The course I chose was not recommended to me because it was considered too difficult and advanced given my A level results (The Maltese Equivalent of Baccalaureate). Despite this, I decided to choose it because it was what interested me the most, and I can say that I found myself well, and I did not suffer as they told me, also thanks to the help of the professors during the first year. 

Graduation ceremony

How has studying at the SMI impacted your career?

During the school year the institute organized an event where we had the opportunity to have quick interviews with some of the largest companies in Malta. This gave me the opportunity to get contacts, which I then used to request an actual interview with Deloitte, where I now work, and have a permanent contract. 

Have you considered doing a master's degree after your Bachelor's Degree?

I have considered doing a master's degree directly after graduation, but I still don't know what I would like to specialize in. For now my plan is to work a year or two after graduation to understand what I would like to study at a more advanced level. 

In addition to the quality of the professors, did the SMI allow you to meet many people to make friends and network?

Yes, thanks to the career fest, we had the opportunity to meet the representatives of many important companies.

Would you like to return to Italy or do you prefer to continue your stay in Malta?

I feel good in Malta, I don't plan to return to Italy in the future. I hope to move abroad in a few years to continue studying and working. 

What advice do you have for those with reservations about moving to Malta to study?

I would say not to see the fact of moving to Malta like an unsettling event. The lifestyle here is very similar to ours, plus I think it is the best place to learn English without feeling completely disoriented, as there are many Italians. Furthermore, many Maltese speak Italian well.

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    An Italian studying in Malta, the story of Francesca last edit: 2021-08-05T15:25:50+02:00 da Staff

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