the creation of centres of expertise with a focus on the exploitation of language resources and technology for the advancement of research in the humanities and social sciences.

The raft of reforms that took place during this period included a new National Curriculum, and the establishment of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) to provide universally accessible vocational and professional education and training, the Malta Qualifications Council, the Malta Centre for Restoration (no ...[+++]w Conservation Centre and Institute), the Centre for the Arts and Creativity and the Maltese Language Council.

9. Proposes that the Commission and Council encourage the establishment of regional and local technology facilitators, using existing resources such as the Euro Info Centre and Innovation Relay Centre networks, who will be financed by the structural funds and associated with regional projects, technology parks, clusters and networks, and will invigorate innovation for businesses, particularly small businesses, by facilitating access to European aid schemes and programmes;

52. Remains concerned that previous innovation and competitiveness programmes have failed to deliver the necessary link between fundamental and applied research and industrial innovation partly due to the fact that the financial resources were rather limited; believes that the support of the European public is indispensable for realising the Lisbon goals; considers that the Commission should propose a simplification of its financial procedures with a view to facilitating the implementation of research policy; considers that financial instruments need to be rethought in a more ...[+++] fine-tuned, targeted way and that the establishment of an ambitious programme for competitiveness and innovation endowed with adequate financial resources is vital for supporting a "prosperity" oriented industrial policy, notably for SMEs, that would successfully capitalise on research through industrial applications, such as technology transfer from universities and research centres into industrial application; considers that further steps should be taken to foster development of the information society as proposed by the Commission, developing and promoting international standards for ICT and mobile telecommunication technology, monitoring the implementation of the electronic communications legislative framework, supporting EU benchmarking activities in the field of eEurope action plan initiatives and further enhancing EU security research; regards such a programme as essential in order to achieve the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy in the sphere of new technologies and ecotechnologies; considers that adequate funding must be secured through the 7th EU Research Programme (FP7) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) for the EU Action Plan for Environmental Technologies (ETAP); calls for adequate funding for the support of innovative SMEs and initiatives aimed at helping the commercialisation of research and the transfer of technology, notably through the Euro ...

The ESF/ERDF integrated measures on enhancing research centres achieved satisfactory results under Objectives 2 and 5(b) and, with regard to human resources, the measures on specialised training for employees and job seekers and the measures on training in new technologies were highly successful.

- ICT professionals who support and develop technology environments in the industries that use ICT or services vendors selling their ICT professional resources time; - E-business professionals focused on supporting business strategies related to the Internet; - Call centre professionals providing sales and support activities in the emerging phone channels.