PingFin – Frankie Inguanez

Tag: PingFin

PingFIN X @ MCAST, Malta

Posted on 2019-04-21 by Frankie

For the fifth consecutive year MCAST IICT has hosted PingFIN, an International e-Payments Workshop organised by Odisee and currently in its tenth iteration. Also, co-hosting this event, in their respective campuses were Colchester Institute, UK and Fachhochshule FH Salzburg, Austria.

This event has become a staple in MCAST’s calendar and interest by our sponsors is growing, which this year included MITA, eSkills Foundation Malta, Microsoft Innovation Centre Malta, ccBill EU Ltd and RS2 Software PLC.

This year we had the highest attendance yet, with 24 local students and 15 visiting students and thus the change of venue. During the four day event from the 1st to the 4th of April all students were split into groups to work on the SEPA Credit Transfer and SEPA Recall Process using Oracle PL/SQL.

It most definitely was a unique experience for our participants working as a team, networking and learning new skills, whilst also getting feedback from professionals among our sponsors.

This was an unforgettable experience and I look forward for next year. I thank our sponsors, Kevin Picalausa from Odisee, all staff from MCAST for making this possible. Special thanks to my team: Alan Gatt, Daren Scerri, Luke Vella Critien and Robert Abela for their invaluable support. Finally and most of all, thanks to the students for taking our offer and making this experience special.

PingFin 9 Closure & Thanks

Posted on 2018-03-18 by Frankie

PingFin 9 was a resounding success across all European workshops. This year, which also marks the 10th Anniversary of SEPA, we experimented with a different layout here in Malta which worked really well. The workshop required each team to design, implement and visualize part of the SEPA payment protocol then to consolidate all parts together.

I would like to thank our sponsors MITA, MITA Innovation Hub, eSkills Malta Foundation, RS2 and Central Bank of Malta for their support. Thanks go also to MCAST management and administrative staff for their support. A special thanks to my colleagues Alan Gatt, Luke Vella Critien and Robert Abela. Thanks to all the staff at Odisee namely Dr. Christophe Debruyne. My final thanks and congrats go to all students for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism.

More information is found on our facebook page.

PingFIN 9 @ Malta

Posted on 2018-03-06 by Frankie

Glad to announce that all is set for the PingFIN 9 workshop. This is an international e-payments workshop being organised from Monday 12th-Thursday 15th March concurrently in 5 Universities Colchester Institute, Faculty of Organization and Informatics, FH Salzburg, Odisee, Westerdals, and obviously MCAST. The workshop in Malta shall be held at the MITA Innovation Hub, SmartCity and it will be attended by 16 local and 12 foreign students.

This activity is being sponsored by MITA, MITA Innovation Hub, eSkills Malta Foundation and RS2 Software plc. Assisting me are my colleagues Alan Gatt, Luke Vella Critien and Robert Abela. Visit our facebook page for more information.

PingFin 8 @ Malta – Closure & Thanks

Posted on 2017-03-16 by Frankie

It has been my pleasure and honour to chair the PingFin 8 workshop at Malta. I am pleased to inform you that we have ended the PingFin 8 workshop at Malta with great success. It has been a formidable 4-day experience and a real pleasure to share with a lot of talented people. I believe that all participants have learnt a lot and enjoyed themselves, we have also managed to complete design and implementation of 2 clearing house and 2 bank teams, had we had some more time, the other teams would have also finished.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of persons who were an integral part of this workshop, starting with Odisee University for having us as their partner and for coordinating this event at an international level. Thank you, Yvan Rooseleer and Stefaan Debrabandere for your invaluable time and support. This year, we have had a number of guests to deliver the professional side of SEPA, namely Mr Joseph Mallia and Mr Emerson Amaira from Central Bank of Malta, Mr David Grech and Mr Aaran Calafato from MITA.

This year, MITA has increased its support at different levels, thanks to: Mr Carm Cachia and Ms Bernardette Zerafa from eSkills Malta Foundation for their financial support; thanks to Mr Alexander Borg, Ms Deborah Maria Schiavone and Ms Tea Vrcic from MITA Innovation Hub for the venue, refreshments, laptops, service and support.

This is a testament that MCAST puts the student experience at the forefront and I would like to thank: the Principal & CEO, Mr Stephen Cachia, IICT Director Mr Conrad Vassallo and IICT Deputies Mr Mark Anthony Farrugia and Mr Jean Paul Tabone; IICT admin team Ms Stefania Aquilina, Ms Cher Tonna, Ms Nadia Schembri and Ms Sephora Said. I would like to thank my colleagues from my heart for their invaluable support, I would not have been able to do this without their help: Mr Alan Gatt, Mr Luke Vella Critien and Mr Robert Abela.

We are really glad to have hosted this event and hope that MCAST represented the Maltese culture and personality with our foreign visitors. It has been a real pleasure having you: Alpay Topalka, Ayoub Houari, Azeddine El Hammouchi, Berton Lutina Mulamba, Mohamed Lammou, Redouan Belguenani, Said Hadj, Walid Haouriqui and Yassine Azouagh.

My last, but not least, thanks go to the local students who have shown great dedication and respect to the visiting students, the hosts, the guests and staff. You have made MCAST proud and made a very positive name for yourself. Well done and thank you: Alistair Azzopardi, Andre Grech, Damian Fenech, Dylan Fenech, Francesca Micallef, Geordey Gatt, Jamie Lee Dingli Sacco, Jean-Paul Caruana, Kurt Montanaro, Luke Benjamin Cassar, Martin Meli, Michael Vella, Sigmond Gatt and Zack Gatt.