Today's educational system needs to respond to the effects of globalisation and the rise of the knowledge society, as well as the changes taking place in the labour-leisure relationship and demography. The demands for higher competitiveness and specialisation, the "massification" of Higher Education institutions and factors such as greater mobility, inevitably quicken the pace of current reforms.

The Fondazzjoni Temi Zammit brings together expertise from complementary fields and institutions, adopting a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to ensure the most successful project outcomes. Following its decision to undertake regional development initiatives of benefit to the community, in areas of relevance to the foundation members, FTZ established itself as one of the most successful Maltese participants in the EU's Interreg programmes. It is effectively implementing projects covering a range of thematic areas, from tourism and culture to ICT.

The Fondazzjoni Temi Zammit's vision is designed upon the premise that knowledge is the "essential enabler" around which the new economy revolves. Besides supporting the development of learning organisations, the foundation also intends to promote a favourable environment for research and innovation. For this reason, the Ministry of Education mandated FTZ to set up and operate the national Researchers' Mobility Centre, which seeks to highlight the attractiveness of research careers and to enhance the mobility of researchers.