GIOYA Higher Education Institution

Articles

GIOYA Higher Education Institution (commonly known as GIOYA HEI) is a private higher education institution licensed in Malta by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) under General Licence No. 2019-005. It is authorised to issue European-valid degree courses ranging from MQF/EQF Level 5 to Level 8, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework. The institution offers programmes in commercial diplomacy, entrepreneurship, and sport management, and operates a membership-based model combining academic programmes with networking activities. The institution describes itself as a "learning business club", integrating accredited education with selective membership and professional networking.

Founding and licensing

GIOYA was established in Malta in 2019 by professionals with backgrounds in the United Nations system and international organisations. The institution obtained its Higher Education Institution licence from the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (Licence No. 2019-005). The Tuscan yacht manufacturing consortium TYT (Tuscan Yacht Tuscany) and the trade association Navigo subsequently acquired a 10% stake in the institution.

The institution's name derives from Flavio Gioja, the 13th-century Italian navigator traditionally credited with perfecting the use of the magnetic compass in Europe. The institution's logo features a wind rose and compass motif. According to the institution, the original name "GY" was changed to "GIOYA" following the entry of Tuscany's yacht manufacturing district into its governance structure.

Management

GIOYA is led by Francesco Cappè, who serves as President, CEO and Head of Institution. Cappè is a former United Nations official who served at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). He is also the founder and Chairman of the garagErasmus Foundation.

Academic Senate

The Academic Senate is chaired by Maurits van Rooijen, a Dutch higher education leader who has served as Rector of Nyenrode Business University and Chief Academic Officer of Global University Systems. The University for Peace (UPEACE), established by a United Nations General Assembly resolution in 1980, holds a permanent seat in the GIOYA Academic Senate, represented by its Rector, Francisco Rojas.

Other members of the Academic Senate include:

  • Maria Chiara Malaguti – Emeritus President of UNIDROIT and Professor of International Law.
  • Evarist Bartolo – Former Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Chair of GIOYA's Ethics Committee.

Academic programmes

GIOYA offers programmes from undergraduate to doctoral level, delivered primarily online. The institution uses a Recognition of prior learning (RPL) system through which professional experience may be converted into academic credits, covering up to 50% of a programme.

Bachelor in International Business Administration & Entrepreneurship (MQF/EQF Level 6)

This undergraduate programme is aimed at working professionals. It features double degree agreements with the Institut catholique de Vendée (ICES) in France and the University of Turin in Italy. Students may also obtain a UNITAR CIFAL Global Network Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility.

Executive Doctorate in Commercial Diplomacy (MQF/EQF Level 8)

A joint degree programme with the University for Peace (UPEACE), holding dual validation from GIOYA HEI (via MFHEA) and UPEACE (by authority of the UN General Assembly). The programme is led by Professor Maria Chiara Malaguti, Emeritus President of UNIDROIT.

Doctorate in Business Administration (MQF/EQF Level 8)

This programme allows candidates with relevant MBA studies and professional experience to receive credit recognition. Joint-degree options are available with the University of Turin and ICES.

Postgraduate Diploma in Peaceful Coexistence (MQF/EQF Level 7)

A joint programme validated by the University for Peace and GIOYA HEI, developed in partnership with the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The programme focuses on peace, human rights and global development.

International partnerships

GIOYA has established partnerships with several international institutions:

  • University for Peace (UPEACE) – Joint Executive Doctorate in Commercial Diplomacy and joint Postgraduate Diploma in Peaceful Coexistence. UPEACE holds a permanent seat in the GIOYA Academic Senate.
  • University of Turin – Double degree programme in Management of Corporate Information and Communication at bachelor level, and collaboration at doctoral level.
  • Institut catholique de Vendée (ICES) – Double degree in International Business at bachelor level.
  • King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence (Bahrain) – Partnership for the Postgraduate Diploma in Peaceful Coexistence.
  • UNITAR/CIFAL Global Network – Certification in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development.
  • garagErasmus Foundation – Collaboration through the institution's founder, who chairs the foundation.
  • Shanghai University of Political Science and Law – Collaboration for the Malta Center for International Law and Commercial Diplomacy.
  • Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS) – Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2026 to support the educational development of athletes in Malta.

The institution's sport programme, known as "The Embassy Sport Premium by GIOYA", was launched in July 2024 at the Training Center Fuengirola-Higuerón in Marbella, Spain. The programme provides academic and executive pathways for professional athletes preparing for career transitions, combining education with high-level networking. It is promoted by NBA champion José Manuel Calderón and former professional basketball player Berni Rodríguez as ambassadors.

Accreditation and recognition

GIOYA HEI is licensed by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) under General Licence No. 2019-005. The MFHEA is the national authority responsible for licensing, accreditation, and quality assurance of further and higher education in Malta, and is a member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). The MFHEA is also listed in the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) International Directory in the United States.

Qualifications issued by GIOYA are pegged to the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF), which is referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

See also

  • Higher education in Malta
  • Commercial diplomacy