Speaker
Morgan Parnis
Appearances over time
1 episodes
Episodes
1
Podcasts
Quotes & moments
In 2024, more than one in five students in Malta received a failing grade, highlighting a systemic problem in the educational system.
Students who fail in Form 1 continue to receive the same failing grade through to Form 6, showing the system never corrects itself.
Knights College launched with just 8 students, none of whom could pay tuition upfront, forcing Morgan to take a significant financial risk.
For the first 12 years, Knights College offered no masters-level qualifications, starting only with diplomas and building up carefully.
In Malta's private education sector, getting a new qualification approved by the regulator takes roughly 18 months of process and evidence.
Malta ranks among the highest in Europe for daily AI usage, yet educational institutions have been slow to integrate AI meaningfully.
Morgan Parnis has been running his entrepreneurial ventures since 2013, spanning education, HR advisory, market research, and corporate training.
Knights College's work-based learning model has students spend roughly four days per week with an employer and one day in formal academic study.
Knights College's AI tutor handles approximately 70% of learning delivery, freeing classroom time for applied projects and critical thinking.
Knights College formalises work-based learning through a tripartite agreement signed by the college, the student, and the employer.
Malta's education performance is regularly compared internationally using PISA reports, consistently showing areas of concern.
The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) is the national regulator responsible for accrediting qualifications and institutions like Knights College.
When a major deal would have compromised a key business relationship, Morgan walked away from significant money. He describes it as one of the clearest decisions he has made — the relationship was worth more than the revenue.
Knights College embeds students in real workplaces four days a week through a tripartite agreement signed by the student, the college, and the employer. Students solve real problems at work and apply theory in class — not the other way around.
Growing up in a household that went through cycles including depression, Morgan learned early to read difficult situations, take responsibility, and find solutions for the people around him. That emotional intelligence became his biggest entrepreneurial asset.
Knights College doesn't ban AI or pretend it doesn't exist — it actively teaches students how to use it well. The school has spent 18 months developing policies and tools, including an AI tutor that handles around 70% of content delivery.
Knights College is built for the student who felt overlooked, labelled, or written off. Morgan argues that when a student who was told they were 'done' walks through the door and finds they can succeed, something fundamental shifts in how they see themselves.
Morgan doesn't claim to be a perfect father. He is honest about the cost of building multiple companies: missed moments, a partner who carried more than her share, and the ongoing effort to be present. He says the goal is not to be exceptional — just to be there when it matters.
Knights College launched with 8 students, none of whom could pay upfront. Morgan chose to proceed anyway, learning through early regulatory battles and financial pressure what it meant to build an institution around mission rather than money.
Malta's education system has been under the same party for decades, and meaningful reform requires more than political will — it requires a systemic shift in mindset from everyone involved. Morgan says the minister cannot do it alone.
More than 1-in-5 students in Malta fail every year — and they keep failing at the same rate all the way through secondary school. The system is built around memorisation and linear trajectories, and if you don't fit the mould early, it never corrects course.
A blank page of experience is more valuable than a fixed curriculum. Knights College is built on the belief that learning happens through doing, failing, adapting — not through memorising and passing an exam.
The Higher National Diploma at Knights College offers three tracks — business management, finance, and accounting — and creates a formal pathway to the University of Malta and international universities for students who would otherwise have no route in.
Knights College competes directly with the University of Malta, which offers free tuition. Morgan calls it an underdog position — but argues that the competition is what keeps Knights College sharp, relevant, and genuinely mission-driven.
Analysis
What they talk about
- Business 33%
- Education 33%
- Society & Culture 17%
- Government 9%
- Technology 8%
