UP Academy

Change Your Mindset: Up Your Game

UP Academy is a Higher Educational Institution (MFHEA Licence No. 2023-004) which focuses on personal and professional development from CEOs to newly appointed employees. Our cutting-edge approach is based on our FIRE philosophy which encourages individuals to dig deep and work toward high performance and the best version of themselves.

The Academy provides programmes, structured into awards, on various themes and fields associated with the business environment and leadership development. Bringing together our expertise and experience in the education, training and business fields, UP Academy now offers you the opportunity to up your level through our range of challenging accredited programmes.

UP Academy is licensed by the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority (Licence No. 2023-004) which allows us to develop a wide range of programmes from Level 5 – Level 7 and have them accredited to the Malta Qualification Framework which is pegged to the European Qualification Framework. Our goal is to offer a broad portfolio of accredited courses from Bachelor to Postgraduate level, from Awards through to Masters.

Whether for career development or continuing professional development, UP Academy is a one-stop shop in providing a broad range of contemporary courses focused on the ever-changing world of business, leadership & organizational performance

Together we take you through a journey of self-development – helping you to keep focus on your role while providing top-notch guidance from accomplished leaders. Whether you’re an executive, manager, entrepreneur, or an aspiring leader, our supported programme is ideal for you to stay on track, be accountable, and grow into a better version of yourself.

Guaranteed results and personal development that benefits both you and your business

FIRE UP your organisation’s learning and development through our Academy’s online training courses when you want, where you want and on whatever you want to develop a culture of performance.

Licensed Head Office & further details;
30/2 Sunlight Apts, Buontempo Estate, Balzan BZN1172 Malta.
All programmes are run in the English Language and delivered at an appropriate location in line with MFHEA Guidelines. Intake for each programme is advertised on our social media pages from time to time. 

Accredited Courses: Change your Mindset: UP Your Game

Always striving to be ahead of the game and the emerging trends in the workplace, UP Academy is excited to announce the launch the first of its MQF accredited programmes dedicated to digging deep and developing leadership competences for each aspiring leader.

UP your FIRE through Academy’s programmes to aid and assist your self-learning or for organisations to tap into for learning & development.

he Level 5 programmes, which include the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Development and the Award in F.I.R.E. Leadership (Starter and Apprentice), are designed for aspiring and current managers looking to bridge the gap between technical expertise and strategic leadership.

Here are the salient points to highlight in a student brochure for these Level 5 offerings:

At a Glance: Programme Structure

  • Target Audience: Specifically aimed at individuals currently in management positions or those identified as future leaders within their organizations.
  • Flexible Blended Learning: A mix of digital delivery via the UYL Academy LMS (up to 75% online) and high-impact, face-to-face sessions at professional venues like the AX Palace Hotel.
  • Duration: Most Level 5 awards and certificates are structured over a 1-year part-time period, making them ideal for working professionals.

    Your Learning Journey & Assessments

    • Direct Application: A core component of the programme is Supervised Placement and Practice Hours. You don’t just learn theory; you are mentored while applying new skills directly in your current workplace.
    • Holistic Assessment: Expect a varied assessment strategy designed to build professional confidence, including:
      • Oral Presentations: Sharing your value statements and workplace innovations.
      • Case Studies: Analyzing real-world scenarios regarding team dynamics and resilience.
      • Written Assignments: Deep dives into leadership theory and strategic execution.

    Accreditation & Value

    • MQF Level 5: These are accredited programmes pegged to the Malta Qualifications Framework, ensuring high quality and international recognition.
    • ECTS Credits:
      • Award (Starter/Apprentice): 16 ECTS (400 total learning hours). Approx Course Price €1500
      • Undergraduate Certificate: 32 ECTS (800 total learning hours). Approx Course Price €3000
    • You can visit our Internal Quality Assurance document here UYL IQA Document – February 2022.docx

MQF Level 5 Award in F.I.R.E Leadership – Starter (16 ECTS Accredited by the MFHEA)

Rationale

Learners participating in this Higher Education programme will be able to grasp and take ownership of the basic leadership skill sets required to become a FIRE practitioner.

UP Your Level - Product Subscription-FIRE-STARTER

The programme consists of 4 modules covering a range of challenging topics:

Personal Flow

  • The Self -Motivated Mind
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Flow

Team Impact

  • Conversational Intelligence
  • Team Dynamics
  • Creating Shared Value

Leadership Roles & Responsibilities

  • Resilience
  • The Art of Delegation
  • Transformational Leadership

Strategy & Excellence

  • Strategic Thinking and the Art of the Long View
  • Innovation & Change
  • Organisational Excellence

The programme target audience are executives of all levels who are aiming to improve their personal soft skills on the workplace, thus improving their performance.

Learning outcomes: The programme will allow each learner the ability to be more self-aware and motivated both in times when the going gets tough, and when things are going swimmingly. It is frequent to see leaders lose motivation when either the challenge is too tough or too limited.

Learners will also be able to heighten their people management skills through enhanced emotional intelligence, allowing them to lead with empathy and garner great following within their teams.

You will learn to own up to the various roles they occupy during the course of their lifetime, both professionally and personally. This will allow each learner to avoid the ‘balancing act’ many leaders frequently succumb to. Finding alignment on the basis of achieving a fulfilled life is the key skill learnt here.

Finally, learners will find joy and meaning in continuously challenging and sharpening their skill sets. They will learn how to embrace criticism as feedforward to improve their arsenal of skills and better deal with what their business throws at them.

Overall Programme Breakdown: Award in F.I.R.E Leadership – Starter

The total learning effort for the 16 ECTS programme is calculated at 25 hours per ECTS, totaling 400 hours.

  • Total Contact Hours: 80 hours
  • Supervised Placement and Practice Hours: 80 hours
  • Self-Study Hours: 200 hours
  • Assessment Hours: 40 hours
  • Total Learning Hours: 400 hours

Module 2: Team Impact (Sample Module Breakdown)

This module focuses on how leaders can develop their teams by mastering dynamics and conversational intelligence.

  • Total Contact Hours: 20 hours
  • Supervised Placement and Practice Hours: 20 hours
  • Self-Study Hours: 50 hours
  • Assessment Hours: 10 hours
  • Total Learning Hours: 100 hours

Indicative Learning Outcomes for Module 2:

  • Competences: Acquire the autonomy to create shared value within a team, manage teams effectively, and negotiate differences with a focus on outcomes.
  • Knowledge: Build rapport through meaningful conversations, monitor team engagement, and ensure effective communication throughout an organization.
  • Skills: Describe Conversational Intelligence, identify key thought blindspots, and define assets for team dynamics.

 

MQF Level 5 Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Development

(32 ECTS Accredited by the MFHEA) 

Rationale

The aim of this Higher Education Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Development programme is to give learners a deeper understanding of key principles and approaches to leadership development.
Target audience: executives and employees of any age, aspiring to leadership and management roles.

The programme consist of 8 modules

  • Leadership vs Management
  • The Self-Aware Leader
  • Inspirational Motivation
  • The Leadership Toolbox
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Performance Methods
  • Transforming Individuals & Teams
  • Creating Long Term Success

Learners participating in this programme will build a better understanding of the following concepts and learning outcomes:

  1. Understand the meaning of leadership and different leadership styles
  2. Identify the key characteristics of a leader and structure leadership process for given contexts
  3. Understand own leadership strengths and weaknesses and apply tools to analyse strengths and weaknesses
  4. Assess personality characteristics through structured assessments and acquire emotional intelligence competencies
  5. Analyse own competencies to develop personal targets and plan and deploy techniques to increase motivation levels
  6. Develop confidence in self and others and communicate effectively within a team
  7. Formulate vision and mission statementsThe hours of total learning for the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Development are structured to meet the requirement of 25 total hours per ECTS, totaling 800 hours for the 32 ECTS programme.

    Programme Total Learning Hours

    The overall programme breakdown is as follows:

    • Total Contact Hours: 160 hours.
    • Supervised Placement and Practice Hours: 120 hours.
    • Self-Study Hours: 400 hours.
    • Assessment Hours: 120 hours.
    • Total Learning Hours: 800 hours.

    Individual Module Breakdown

    For programmes with multiple modules, such as the Level 5 Certificate in Leadership Development, each module (e.g., Module 7: Transforming Individuals and Teams) follows a specific breakdown to ensure the total hours are accounted for:

    • Total Contact Hours: 20 hours.
    • Supervised Placement and Practice Hours: 15 hours.
    • Self-Study Hours: 50 hours.
    • Assessment Hours: 15 hours.
    • Total Learning Hours for Module: 100 hours (equivalent to 4 ECTS).

UP's accredited courses provide the opportunity to up your game and take it professionally to the next level

Satisfied clients

I felt that my business had grown rapidly but was starting to create problems with my work-life balance. I felt that I needed to work harder and harder to keep up, despite spending more and more money on managers to grow the business. It seemed like I was constantly having to make decisions for them and it got to a point that I was actually considering refusing new growth because I didn’t think we could handle it. Whilst I was concerned that I didn’t have enough time in the day to get help and advice, I realised I needed a more objective viewpoint to help me get out of this situation. It was affecting my whole life.

I called in a business coach who worked on three key areas: Purpose, Personal Wellbeing and Leadership. These three diverse but complimentary areas of growth helped me focus on the things that were really important, find time to take care of myself and help me clear the fog that clouded my mind, and develop my leadership skills to empower my management team to share the load. Surprisingly it wasn’t a long drawn-out process as the guys at Ultimate Performance focused on me directly, with a secondary interest in the business. They knew that I was the best person to solve business problems but I needed to sort myself out first. I now feel that I can take on new opportunities without worrying that I’ll lose out on enjoying life.

Super inspired by Julian Azzopardi‘s talk yesterday about leading with purpose. He gave some very interesting insights on the roots of human behavior and actions and how they link with the golden circle, explaining how to use those principles to lead a team to success.

CÉCILIA MZAYEKTimeNinja Founder

Thanks for a much needed and certainly a very insightful 1.5 days. I really enjoyed trying to live those moments in the Now, blanking my ever curious mind from the onslaught of thoughts that are so pervasive in every waking minute of our lives. I felt that the time we spent together gave me a curiosity to learn more about this state of flow and how to harness it in my everyday life and work. Keep up the great work and there will definitely be a part 2 to this.

ANDREW MANGIONEC English Malta Executive Chairman

If you go to Malta, look up Julian Azzopardi at UP Insights. As the CEO, he is a wonderful blend of strategic thinking and creativity, combined with an attention to detail, a focus on providing the highest level of professional development and a drive to support the growth and success of organisations and their key leaders. He’s making waves, of the best kind!

HENRY ROSE LEEInter-Generational Expert & Keynote Speaker

Julian is an expert with integrity. Working along side Julian to improve the performance of the company I work for was a massive learning experience and inspirational. Julian’s ability to listen to our ideas and come up with pragmatic solutions is impressive. No matter what question I ask, he will always answer. Julian has developed his skills through years of study, experiences, voluntary work and overcoming obstacles. I strongly recommend Julian Azzopardi if you wish to achieve more out of life.

DAVID SANTSS Lifts Technical Manager

We had a very interesting session with Julian Azzopardi on how to be our better versions, how to adapt and embrace change, introducing us to the FIRE approach! Thanks for putting so much enthusiasm and passion into it!

MIREIA GARCIA-TAPIA YTURRIAGADDTT Bershka Malta Brand Manager

Investing in people is a priority for us at ICON. More than ever, we’re seeing true, tangible value by broadening team members’ horizons at every level. Interns gaining new skills via shadowing experiences, ITIL training for all developers and customer-facing team members, and company-wide motivational speeches like the inspirational Nathan Farrugia and his FIRE method, the boost in morale and motivation makes us all stronger. It’s all well and good to push your team to reach their targets, but you can’t expect a team to deliver true value if you’re not investing in them.

IAN CASTILLOIcon Malta Managing Director

I wanted to thank you for the help and guidance you gave my team and I during 2018. We truly managed to reach what we thought was unreachable from a change management perspective. We also had a record turnover, with a 20% increase over the prior year and the OKRs worked wonders in helping us achieve that!

THOMAS ZAMMITElektra Ltd. CEO

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