Malta

Malta(English)

Malta(National language)

NUTS Level: NUTS 0 - NUTS CODE/MS:MT

Statistics

	Area: 316 km2
	Population: 542051
	GDP at current prices (M EUR): 17212.5
	GDP per capita at current prices (EUR): 36000
	% of National GDP: No information available.
	% of Unemployment: 2.9%
	Regional GERD (%): 0.65%

National-regional governance of STI

The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) has a mandate from the government to advise science and technology policy. It is responsible for the drafting, implementing and monitoring R&I policies and strategies, and it operates with the endorsement of the Ministry from Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR).

National and regional S3s: organisation and governance

Malta’s Research and Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) 2021-2027 was published in 2020 for public consultation and adopted in 2022. Malta has only a national Smart Specialisation strategy. At the strategic level, the responsible entity for the drafting and implementation of the S3 in Malta is the Ministry responsible for Research and Innovation, coordinating with the Malta Council for Science and Technology. At the bottom-up level, six expert Thematic Committees have been set up, one per thematic area of the RIS3, to bring together the relevant actors of the quadruple helix during the implementation stage of S3.

For information on regional S3s, please return to the homepage: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/assets/s3-observatory/index_en.html

S3 Strategy

Name of strategy	Malta's Smart Specialisation Strategy 2021-2027
Type of strategy	National
Languages	MT
Strategy approved	Yes

Download the full document about Malta

Competent regional or national institution, responsible for the management of S3

Name	Position	Contact
No information available.	Ministry for Equality, Research and Innovation with Malta Council for Science and Technology	info.xjenzamalta@gov.mt

Thematic platforms and partnership

Industrial Modernisation

Water Smart Territories

S3CoP activities

Guidance to implement better interregional collaboration in S3

The targeted assignment for Malta focuses on supporting its Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3), a national framework central to the country’s research and innovation (R&I) efforts. As the smallest EU member state and a Mediterranean island, Malta faces unique challenges in interregional collaboration. This assignment aims to enhance access to interregional opportunities, strengthening Malta’s national R&I ecosystem by leveraging complementary resources, skills, knowledge, capabilities, and lead users. Such improvements are expected to generate critical mass and accelerate the demonstration, deployment, and scaling of technologies. The assignment includes developing recommendations to address systemic gaps that hinder interregional collaboration and identifying existing opportunities, tools, and strategies to boost the participation of Malta's R&I actors in interregional collaborative initiatives.

Ecosystem label

	Aerospace & Defence ➝
	Agri-food ➝
	Construction ➝
	Creative & Cultural Industries ➝
	Digital ➝
	Electronics ➝
	Energy/Renewable Energy ➝
	Energy Intensive Industries ➝

	Healthcare ➝
	Mobility, Transport & Automotive ➝
	Proximity Economy ➝
	Retail ➝
	Social Economy ➝
	Textiles ➝
	Tourism ➝

S3 Priorities and keywords

Descriptive keywords

These keywords, identified using AI and manually verified, highlight the key elements of each strategic priority as reflected in individual strategies.

Semantically Associated Keywords

These keywords, identified and associated through semantic AI algorithms and manually reviewed, support the search function by identifying topics related to each strategic priority. While a priority may not explicitly focus on these keywords, they provide meaningful connections. For exxample, agricultural terms might relate to circular economy priorities, such as biofuels or agricultural waste valorisation. Semantically associated keywords enable users to find regions with similar or related priorities, offering a starting point for deeper exploration of each specific strategy.

Priority	Descriptive keywords	Semantic keywords
Health and Well-being	:	undefined
Sustainable Use of Resources for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation	:	undefined
Smart Manufacturing	:	undefined
Marine & Maritime Technology	:	undefined
Aviation and Aerospace	:	undefined

S3 Priorities, NACE and NABS codes

	Economic classification (NACE section & division)	Scientific classification (NABS digit 1 & 2)
Health and Well-being	Q - Human health and social work activities Q.86 - Human health activities Q.87 - Residential care activities Q.88 - Social work activities without accommodation	7 - Health 07.65 - Health promotion 07.66 - Monitoring the health situation 07.67 - Occupational health 07.68 - Personal health care for vulnerable and high risk population
Sustainable Use of Resources for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation	D - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply D.35 - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply	5 - Energy 05.31 - Energy conservation 05.32 - Energy efficiency - consumption 05.33 - Energy production and distribution efficiency 05.37 - Renewable energy sources
Smart Manufacturing	C - Manufacturing C.26 - Computer, electronic and optical products C.27 - Electrical equipment C.28 - Machinery and equipment n.e.c.	6 - Industrial production and technology :
Marine & Maritime Technology	C - Manufacturing H.49 - Land transport and transport via pipelines H.50 - Water transport C.26 - Computer, electronic and optical products C.27 - Electrical equipment C.28 - Machinery and equipment n.e.c. H - Transportation and storage H.49 - Land transport and transport via pipelines H.50 - Water transport C.26 - Computer, electronic and optical products C.27 - Electrical equipment C.28 - Machinery and equipment n.e.c.	6 - Industrial production and technology 06.56 - Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment 06.57 - Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products 06.58 - Manufacture of electrical equipment 06.59 - Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. 01.03 - Earth's crust and mantle excluding seabed 01.05 - Hydrology 01.06 - Mineral, oil and natural gas prospecting 01.07 - Sea and oceans 1 - Exploration and exploitation of the earth 06.56 - Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment 06.57 - Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products 06.58 - Manufacture of electrical equipment 06.59 - Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. 01.03 - Earth's crust and mantle excluding seabed 01.05 - Hydrology 01.06 - Mineral, oil and natural gas prospecting 01.07 - Sea and oceans
Aviation and Aerospace	O - Public administration and defence, compulsory social security O.84 - Public administration and defence, compulsory social security M.74 - Other professional, scientific and technical activities M - Professional, scientific and technical activities O.84 - Public administration and defence, compulsory social security M.74 - Other professional, scientific and technical activities	13 - Defence 13.109 - Defence

Additional information

Document type	Link
Webpage	Kohesio: Region/Member State
Webpage	Link to ERDF programmes database