UMASA (University of Malta Academic Staff Association) decries the lack of involvement of academics in the process for the election of Rector of the University of Malta. As a position at the helm of the national University, one of the country’s major employers, we believe it is important that the process is as open and participatory as possible. In the discussions on the draft University Act in 2017 UMASA had insisted that reforms in the elections for Rector should involve the wider University academic community in a direct democratic process. Under the current procedure only 3 out of the 31 electors are elected representatives of academic staff with half of the members appointed directly by Government.