Bank of Valletta recently welcomed a group of MCAST students at its BOV Centre in Santa Venera. These were Bachelor of Science students in Creative Computing, and the visit was focused on giving students first-hand insight into how innovation and user-centred digital thinking are shaping the financial services world.
The session opened with an introduction to the Bank’s EPIC (Empowering Pioneers of Innovation and Change) Programme. Led by Ludwig Mallia, Head Agile and Value Stream Delivery, the programme focuses on transforming employee ideas on innovation into practical improvements at the workplace.
Sean Agius, on behalf of the Bank’s User Experience (UX) team, explained how BOV is placing customers at the centre of research and design to make digital services intuitive, accessible and relevant. Students also saw how UX practices support multiple banking projects, with a strong focus on empathy, usability and continuous feedback, while keeping accessibility and inclusion central to the design process.
Students also stepped inside the Bank’s UX Lab, a dedicated research space where customer interactions with digital services are observed and analysed in real time. The Lab supports testing, collaboration and innovation, helping teams refine services through real user insight.
Senior Lecturer Silvio Nocilla outlined how the Creative Computing programme aligns with the growing needs of the digital and creative technology sectors. The students also showcased their mini portfolios and assignments that highlighted their growing strengths in creative computing, UX thinking and problem-solving.
The experience closed with meaningful discussion on innovation, career readiness and the value of stronger links between education and industry in developing the next generation of digital professionals. This initiative forms part of the Bank’s ongoing commitment to engage students, support emerging talent and help build a future-ready workforce for a fast-changing digital world.
