Physical Inactivity is considered a key global risk factor for non-communicable diseases and premature mortality. In its 2017 global action plan, the World Health Organization (WHO) committed to reducing inactivity by 10% by 2025, representing a call-to-action for researchers worldwide to further explore physical activity (PA) trends in applied real world contexts. While research in Malta has revealed some valuable insights about PA among children and youths in compulsory education settings, less is known about the early adulthood years and the effect of higher education settings on PA habits. A cross-sectional survey design, and mixed methods approach to analysis was therefore developed to investigate PA trends among students and staff at MCAST, in light of various international trends and existing organizational structures at the college, namely, the effects of the provision and organization of facilities and activities on campus. The results show that 44% of students and staff at MCAST achieve WHO recommendations, while controlling for the effects of sports students’ PA levels the rate fell to 31% among the remaining student population, and 36% among staff. The achievement of PA recommendations was generally reflective of international trends in college and university settings, while the data on facility-use and activity-participation among various stratifications of students and staff are presented in the findings as a detailed model for assisting prospective development of more relevant, engaging, and effective PA-related initiatives and policies at MCAST.

We believe this special issue, the first of its kind locally, represents an important milestonein the history of sport and physical activity (PA) in Malta. Its main aim is to promoteacademic and scientific research for the continuing development of Maltese sport and PA,from a distinctly Maltese perspective. Mainly through the creation of locally-contextualisedknowledge, this issue aspires to make a valid contribution, in its own right, to specificmatters in sport and PA today. But more importantly, it is intended to form part of a greatermovement in the sector, towards increasingly rigorous and evidence-based approaches todeveloping the realistic and effective solutions Malta needs, both now and in the future.With more platforms to showcase their work, it is our hope that more local experts will turntheir scholarly attention to the unique challenges that matter the most to stakeholders inMaltese sport and PA.

Little scholarly attention has so far been given to discerning macro-level factors influencing Maltese underperformance in international sport. Degrees of financial investment, as well as national socio-economic metrics like Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) have previously been linked with international sports performance outcomes in larger countries, so we carried out a three-stage study to explore if and how such relationships scale down from the pan-European to small-state contexts, and what implications they might have for Maltese sport. We used a post-positivist quantitative approach, with statistical analysis of secondary data using ordinary least squares regression and basic comparison of proportions. GDP and population were the strongest predictors of Olympic success at the pan-European level, more so than actual total financial investment. At the small-state level, however, GDP per capita was more predictive than GDP alone, while CPI was the strongest predictor of all. A more fine-grained comparative analysis between Malta and other small states supported the notion that a Maltese underperformance problem does indeed exist. The findings clearly show a disconnect between competitive sports and non-competitive physically active recreation in Maltese policy-making, where a more holistic approach appears warranted. While Malta, like any small state, would meanwhile do well to maximise its GDP per capita and lower systemic corruption in pursuit of better international sports performance, more empirical research is needed to fully understand and eventually control the underperformance problem.

This paper explores the claim that small states are particularly sensitive to thedetrimental effects of systemic corruption on international sports performance, whichwas previously made on the basis of medal counts at the Games of the Small States ofEurope and the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games. The present studyaimed to further investigate the validity of such a claim and its generalisability in othersporting contexts. Due to its worldwide popularity and expansive global infrastructure,international football was selected as an ideal main discipline for probing such effects.The points system used by its highest international governing federation to rank countriesacross mens and womens categories was used as the main dependent variable of interest.A multiple regression analysis was then carried out to estimate the effects of smallstate status on performance, across all levels of corruption, while controlling for overallpopulation size. The findings strongly support the central thesis that small states havea unique susceptibility to the effects of systemic corruption on sports performance ininternational football. Serious concerns are consequently raised about the capacity for realimprovements in international sports performance by Malta or other small states, shouldpolicymakers and sports administrators fail to more meaningfully promote transparency,trustworthiness, accountability, and indeed any fundamental principles antithetical tosystemic corruption both within and beyond the microcosm of sports communities.

This paper explores a range of parental attitudes towards homework (HW) in primary school settings in Malta and Gozo. International research suggests that while parental attitudes towards HW vary across certain groups and population characteristics, they tend to be mostly positive. Positive attitudes are associated with increased direct parental involvement, which is in turn thought to improve overall academic performance. However, HW can also become a source of struggle and stress. This study aimed to further explore such claims, as well as develop previous work by local undergraduate researchers in ascertaining major trends in parental attitudes in Maltese primary school settings, and finally, understand how these fit more broadly in the context of Maltese society. A survey design and quantitative analysis of online questionnaire data from a sample of 59 Maltese and Gozitan parents was carried out to test various hypotheses relating to general attitudes towards HW, attitudes towards direct involvement in helping children do their HW, as well as perceptions of HW as stressful, excessive, or too difficult for children. The results showed that despite considering it as a stress factor, Maltese parents held generally positive attitudes towards HW as a valid educational tool, while favouring a less direct approach to helping their children. Maltese children are apparently expected to take a degree of personal responsibility for their HW, which can be interpreted as a crucial requirement for the early education of citizens and independent economic actors in an increasingly individualistic and consumeristic contemporary Maltese society.