Prof. Joachim James CALLEJA B.A. Hons (Educ), D.Ed (Padua), Ph.D (Bradford), CEDR Mediator (Lond.)
Principal and CEO
Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology
Professor James Calleja has been involved in vocational education and training since 2001.
Before his appointment as Principal and CEO of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology in June 2018, Mr Calleja was Director of European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) from 2013 to 2018. Before joining Cedefop, he served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Employment in his native Malta from 2011 to 2013.
In 2005, he was entrusted with the setting up of the Malta Qualifications Council where he served as Chief Executive up to December 2010. He is an Associate Professor and served as Council member of the University of Malta.
Prof Calleja is a graduate of the Universities of Malta, Padua (Italy) and Bradford (UK) from where he obtained his PhD defending a thesis on Kant’s political philosophy applied to international education. Since 2001, he is an accredited commercial mediator with CEDR (London). Since 2016 Mr Calleja is Governing Board Member of the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
In 2001, he was appointed Administrative Director of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology and in 2004 he moved to the European Training Foundation in Turin. He started his working life at the Foundation for International Studies of the University of Malta (1986-1995) followed by other upward career moves to the United Nations International Institute on Aging (1995-1998) and to the Ministry of Economic Services Malta (1998-2001). He represented Malta on the European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group, on CEDEFOP’s Governing Board and on the Bologna Follow-Up Group.
A prolific writer, Prof Calleja has published books and articles and has edited various publications. He is the co-author of the first Malta Referencing Report of the Malta Qualifications Framework to the EQF and EHEA. He has participated in international events in various countries in Europe, North America, South-East Asia, Australia, Canada, Africa, South Africa, the Middle East and in the Mediterranean region.
