In the last week of February 2026, Assoc. Prof. Jaroslava Kubátová took part in an Erasmus training mobility at the University of Malta, within the Centre for Environmental Education & Research (CEER). The centre focuses on environmental issues, particularly the concept of permaculture – an approach that promotes sustainable and balanced use of resources over the long term.
During her stay, she visited the Fawwara Centre (pictured on the left), a space that connects academia with the wider public. The centre hosts lectures, seminars and community activities focused on education for sustainable development, and its outdoor areas have been designed according to permaculture principles. She considered how these principles could also be applied to the development of sustainable business models, for example in the preparation and analysis of business plans within our students’ thesis work.
Alongside these inspiring initiatives, the impacts of rapid economic development on the island were clearly visible. Malta is currently experiencing strong pressures linked to tourism growth – from traffic congestion and hotel construction in historic areas to environmental challenges associated with cruise ships and waste. In many places, the contrast between deteriorating traditional architecture and new developments is striking.
Assoc. Prof. Kubátová had previously visited Malta twenty years ago, which allowed her to compare the island’s past and present condition. The visible transformation of both the landscape and urban environment highlights how difficult it is to balance economic growth with long-term sustainability. A visit by a CEER representative to Olomouc is already planned for May, opening up further opportunities for collaboration and exchange in the field of sustainability and education.