What courses does the Institute for the Public Services offer?
The IPS Prospectus can be viewed from here. Alternatively, for more detailed information you can go directly to the IPS Prospectus Website by clicking on this link.
What is the IPS Prospectus?
The IPS Prospectus provides a list of training programmes and/ or courses that are aimed at furthering the personal and professional development of employees in the Malta Public Administration.
It is divided into sections which give details about the training which is applicable to the various sectors of the Public Service. Other sections are dedicated to academic training and sponsorships as well as training in relation to key Government initiatives. It also provides a number of core development skill courses that you could decide to follow in order to further your personal and professional development in your current grade. More detailed information on each section can be found here .
In additional to the above, IPS also offers guidance and support in other initiatives not captured within this prospectus, which are more customised according to the needs of your entity. More information on customised training can be found here.
The Prospectus Leaflet can be viewed from here. Alternatively, for more detailed information you can go directly to the IPS Prospectus Website by clicking on this link.
What is customised training?
As a general principle, Customised Training entails the creation of a new course or programme – either through the adaptation of an existing IPS offering or the total development from scratch of a course or programme - to meet a specific need of a Ministry or entity.
More information on what customised training is, the types of customised training and the application process can be found in the Binding Standards governing Customised Training Requests made to IPS and which can be accessed by clicking here.
IPS staff are happy to meet with you and discuss your needs and even organise the sessions on your behalf. Should you need further information or assistance, please feel free to contact IPS on: 2200 1884 or [email protected].
Who can apply for the courses of the Institute for the Public Services?
The Institute's courses are open only to the employees of the Malta Public Administration. In addition, courses usually have a target audience. Applications may not be accepted unless the officers who apply are within this target group. Public officers may apply on their own initiative, subject to approval by their line manager (where applicable), or they may be nominated by their line manager.
Ideally, staff should attend training after a training needs analysis has been carried out within their organisation. A training needs analysis should concentrate on how an organisation is performing and how it should perform; the skills and abilities of its workforce and whether they are related to the organisation's needs; and what individual employees are actually doing, and what their duties should be in relation to the overall performance targets of their employing organisation.
Training needs should therefore be analysed primarily for the organisation as a whole, secondly for groups or units with particular functions, and thirdly for individual employees. This will make it possible to establish the areas and priorities for training and the form of training to be adopted.
How can I apply for the courses of the Institute for the Public Services?
For those courses, where an employee can submit an application directly to the Institute for the Public Services, the applicant is to click on this link when the application period is open, and follow the steps below:
1. Choose the programme or course which is relevant to your grade and/or to your career advancement by ticking 'Interested to Apply';
2. The course / programme selected will be automatically added to the cart (a maximum of 10 courses can be added);
3. Checkout – when checking out you will be asked to select dates. In order to view the time and venue of the sessions, hover on the date of the course and a popup can be viewed with all details. Courses may become unavailable while you are submitting your application since the system works in real time and other potential participants may have taken up the remaining places. In such cases your application will still be accepted and will be included on the waiting list.
4. Your line-manager will receive an email to consider your application (as per Directive 8.1 prior authorisation is not required for Public Officers who are in Scale 5 upwards).. Once your line manager approves/rejects the application you will be notified accordingly.
More detailed information on how to apply through the IPS Prospectus Website, can be found by accessing this guidebook.
Should you still encounter any difficulty or have further queries on your application do not hesitate to contact IPS on: 2200 1884.
How can an entity apply for customised training?
If an entity identifies a particular training need which is not addressed through the Prospectus they may wish to apply for customised training. More information can be found by clicking here.
Should you need further information or assistance, please feel free to contact IPS on: 2200 1884 or [email protected].
When can I apply for IPS courses?
IPS communicates the opening of applications for programmes and courses by issuing a circular and/or through other means of communicationA A circular is published when the call for applications is issued. This is also advertised on the IPS Website and/or other social media.
This of course does not apply to those Programmes and/ or training courses which are mandatory and have a distinct application process, such as the Induction Programmes for new recruits, since these are offered on an ongoing basis and information on who is required to attend for such training is received from the Directors responsible for HR/People Management.
The application form requires applications to be supported by the nominating officer. Who is the nominating officer?
The nominating officer should be the applicant's line manager, whose role it is to ensure that the training is relevant to the applicant's work and to approve the application if he or she is satisfied on this count. The nominating officer may nominate staff for training on his or her own initiative if he or she considers the training beneficial to the organisation.
I have just joined the Malta Public Service. Do I need to apply for training?
Officers who join the Malta Public Service and have no prior experience of the Malta Public Service, as they have not previously served within the Malta Public Service, are required to complete the Core Induction Training targeted for external recruits. This is mandatory and is to be completed over and above other position-related induction training which may be required.
There is no need to apply for such training, as the Directors responsible for HR/People Management in each Ministry forward the list of officers to IPS, indicating the induction programme each officer is required to complete. For further information, you may wish to contact the respective Director in your Ministry.
How can I apply for induction training?
There is no need to apply for such training, as Directors responsible for HR/People Management in each Ministry forward the list of officers to IPS, indicating the induction programme each officer is required to complete. This applies to all types of induction training organised by IPS – i.e. external induction and position-related induction. For further information, you may wish to contact the respective Director in your Ministry.
Applications are currently open. Why cannot I apply for some of the programmes and courses?
Training programmes such as those of the induction are not open for applications directly from the officers who are required to attend. IPS receives the list of officers required to attend for such training from the HR department of each Ministry and contacts the officers directly with further details.
Other courses are opened for application at different times during the year depending on the need of the Malta Public Administration.
I tried to submit an online application through the Prospectus website, but the website is giving an error.
Try using a different browser – if you are using Chrome try again using Microsoft Edge and vice versa. If you still have a difficulty submitting the online application contact IPS on 2200 1884.
Is IPS training held online or in classroom?
IPS organises both online and classroom training depending on the subject of the training and which mode of training is deemed more beneficial for the target audience of the training.
Where can I find a record of IPS training attended, booked to attend and/or applied for?
The records of training attended, booked to attend and applied for can be found from myPortal. You can login with your CORP, iLearn or eID account.
Can I ask for an exemption?
If you have already attended for and successfully completed a course which forms part of a Programme you are currently following or believe that you are well versed in the relevant subject by virtue of your qualification and work experience you can submit an application to be considered for an exemption from attending the course/s. This can be done by filling in the exemption application form which can be accessed from this link and attach evidence of qualification and/or experience on the basis on which you are requesting the exemption.
If I complete all ICDL Base courses with IPS will I receive the ICDL Certificate?
IPS offers all ICDL base courses and interested officers can apply for this training during the application period. An IPS certificate is issued for each course attended but not the complete ICDL certificate.
Where can I find more information regarding specific courses / programmes offered by IPS?
Detailed information on the courses/ programmes such as the content, objectives, target audience and learning outcomes can be viewed from the IPS Prospectus Website. Once you are in the IPS Prospectus Website click on the 'View Details' for the respective course/ programme and then click on each heading.
How do I know if a course/programme is accredited?
The MQF Level and ECTS, as applicable, are available from the IPS Pros pectus Website . Once you are in the IPS Prospectus Website click on the 'View Details' and then the relevant heading (MQF or ECTS) for the respective course/ programme.
