Once again, the International Journal of Arts & Sciences (IJAS) will host a refereed conference at the University of Malta, this time on the campus within the 16th century fortifications of Valletta, Malta's capital city. And it will start on Carnival Sunday.

At the same time, the departure point for our educational tours and recommended hotel will be the five-star Grand Hotel Excelsior, also in Valletta. You may check the rate for one room (see online booking form) at Booking.com. Other hotels are available in Valletta (click here), and the seafront resorts of Sliema (click here) and St Julian's (click here). It's an unbeatable academic package with deluxe hotel rooms going at low rates and the conference registration fee including an introductory visit to Valletta followed by two bus programs that will tour the whole country in two days. Once again, IJAS delivers an affordable 5-star package for university professors, a package fit for royalty.

Nestled sixty miles under Sicily, the Maltese Islands are a unique mix of Sicilian and British cultures while the underlying native language, Maltese, is a Semitic language. 

Beaches are everywhere. Thousands-year old temples overlook the fishing boats trawling the crystal clear blue waters.

These islands of beauty and peace are the European Union's gems in the Mediterranean, a rejuvenating magnet for lovely country walks, full of pleasant cultural surprises. During March, they provide one of the warmest spots in Europe. 

The name "Malta" is somewhat confusing because sometimes it denotes the largest island and sometimes it refers to the three islands - Malta, Gozo and Comino - as one nation state. Our conference will be held in Malta, the largest island.

Besides offering you the opportunity of sharing your research with an international audience, the conference will facilitate your participation, free-of-charge, in (i) a one-day program around Malta, and (ii) a one-day program around Gozo, discovering both islands' major touristic and cultural areas by bus and some walking. On the first day of the conference, 1 March, there is an introductory walk (with tour guide) around Valletta, the capital of Malta. 

Malta is distinctly different from Europe to its north and North Africa to its south. It captures the flavor of both but then adds its own creative touch for an idyllic life that is so distinctly Maltese.