C’est toute la communauté scientifique nord-américaine en sociologie de l’éducation et du travail qui partage les idéaux de justice sociale qui est en deuil aujourd’hui. À la mémoire de Pr Sultana, j’ajouterai que ses travaux d’érudition ont trouvé un écho favorable en Amérique francophone, tant dans mes travaux que ceux de mes collègues du Centre de recherche et d’intervention sur l’éducation et la vie au travail (CRIEVAT) à l’Université Laval. Je suis d’autant plus heureuse que nous lui ayons décerné un doctorat honoris causa, en 2020, et qu’il ait pu être témoin de son vivant de la grande valeur de ses avancées en éducation et dans la vie du travail, pour nous, à l’Université Laval. Le scientifique, l’érudit, l’humaniste et l'homme nous manqueront beaucoup. Merci pour tout Ronald! Votre contribution perdurera pour longtemps encore!

Je veux souhaiter mes condoléances à Roseline, son épouse, que j’ai rencontrée à Québec lors de la cérémonie de remise du doctorat honoris causa, ainsi qu’à tous les membres de sa famille qu’il chérissait tant. Pour nous son départ est si soudain, beaucoup trop tôt, et crève-cœur. J'imagine la tristesse qui vous habite tous en ce moment.

France Picard, PhD, CRIEVAT, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

Although I did not know Prof. Sultana personally, I had the honor to work with his ideas and translate some of his publications on career guidance into German.

I mourn the loss of a man and a scientist who repeatedly provided the world with important reflections on social justice and also initiated very concrete and practical applications of his ideas. My sincere condolences go to his family and friends.

Quelle épouvantable surprise que ce courriel, reçu ce vendredi 24 au soir, annonçant le décès soudain

de Ronald Sultana.

Ronald, marqué par les analyses de Pierre Bourdieu, comme l’était le Professeur Yrjö Paavo

Häyrynen de l’Université de Joensuu (Finlande), s’interrogeait, comme ce dernier, sur la contribution des interventions ordinaires de soutien aux prises de décisions de carrière à la reproduction des inégalités économiques et sociales et à leur accroissement dans la période récente. De plus, sensible à l’origine

Méditerranéenne de la civilisation occidentale (culture gréco-latine, religions juive, chrétienne et musulmane) et soucieux de la terrible crise de l’Anthropocène quelle a engendrée dans la période récente (crise que manifestent, entre autres, divers conflits armés actuels et les milliers de migrants morts en traversant cette mer des origines), il s’employait à trouver des voies contribuant à sa résolution.

Le décès de Ronald, c’est pour moi la perte d’un ami dont je me sentais très proche. C’est la peine de savoir que, jamais plus, je ne pourrai échanger des idées dans une atmosphère de confiance chaleureuse, avec cet esprit génial.

Ronald était très discret sur sa famille. Cependant, il évoquait parfois son épouse, d’origine française, ses fils et ses petits-enfants, dont on le sentait très proche. J’imagine leur immense chagrin. Et je voudrais leur dire que, dans ce moment si difficile, je suis – comme tous ceux qui, dans le monde entier, avait eu la chance de rencontrer cet homme exceptionnel – extrêmement affecté par sa disparition.

Jean Guichard (jean.guichard@lecnam.net)   

I didn't know Ronald much personally. But I was very familiar with his writings. They were inspiring and showed that critical sociology has a place in Malta.

Rest in peace and deepest condolences to all family and friends. 

Like all others, the sudden news came as a shock. Just nine days earlier, I had been in correspondence with Ronald. He told me that he was in the Faeroe Islands, and continued with plans for the coming months and beyond.

I have known Ronald for at least four decades. He has visited us at the University of Hong Kong, and I have had the pleasure of reciprocal visits to Malta. I co-edited one of his many books (together with Andre Mazawi, focusing on shadow education in the Mediterranean).

My email correspondence had been about further possibilities for collaboration. Well, they will not happen directly, but perhaps with some of the many students that he mentored and supported. He does indeed leave a legacy across multiple communities and locations. And I am grateful for this website that permits expression and sharing, even with the touching video of the funeral.

I met Ronald Sultana in Catania many years ago. It was 2011. He came to lecture on career guidance, responding to an invitation from me. He did not know me, yet he listened to my requests and offered his help. I will never forget his helpfulness, kindness and professionalism. He was generous enough to introduce me to an international research group on career guidance (NICE). It was there that I met dear people that now are friends and colleagues. A few years later he invited me to write in a volume he edited. An honour. 

I always thought of him as a Maestro. A great loss for the academic world and for those who loved him.

I am still in shock… I cannot believe that I will not see you again at conferences where you would always get everyone to critically think and reflect about your brilliant thought-provoking questions or ideas; or to ask for your stance/advise about career guidance related topics….

You were my office neighbour at University. You believed in me when I didn’t: You introduced me to career guidance, and invited me to attend a few taster lectures as part of your first Master in Career Guidance here in Malta. Since then, I have built my career identity around being and becoming a professional careers advisor.

Wherever our maltese career guidance community goes, for international study visits/conferences etc..., you are known as a pillar scholar and activist of the field! Thus, I am always filled with pride whenever I share that I was your student.

You are my mentor; a reference point to our career guidance community; a professional and an academic I look up to; an infinite source of wisdom and resources; an advocate of social justice; a loving husband, father and grandfather; and most of all a man of integrity!

You will be deeply missed 😢

As you once jokingly told us…

“Sliema ghalik SULTANA”

My sincere condolences to family, friends and colleagues. 

One of my role models has died. Too soon. Indeed, a respected scholar and public speaker, engaged in Career Guidance for Social Justice.  Memories I will treasure most, are from the ECADOC summer school 2019 in Malta. Here, I met Ronald the inspiring mentor, caring colleague and family-man. Rest in peace dear Ronald, and thank you for challenging me, to be the change I want to see in this world. 

It was shocking to hear that Ronald Sultana, a dear friend of many of us at ETF, has passed away so suddenly. 

He was one of the kindest and most inspirational persons I have had the fortune to have collaborated with. Remembering your infectious smile, R.I.P. dear Ronald

Below a shot from one of our meetings in the project "cross-cultural studies in lifelong learning", between universities of Tampere, Malta, London, Zurich, and collaborating with universities of Melbourne and Copenhagen.

I already learnt to know Ronald in 1995, when he participated in one of the first events, conference on Vocational education and culture-research network in Hämeenlinna. Next year he organised the conference in Malta, and together we published a book based on presentations - Vocational education and apprenticeships in Europe.

Since then I joined him during the years in several EU-projects related to vocational education, in evaluation and monitoring missions, and we followed each others' lives until I learnt about his death. Ronald was a smart, widely knowledgeable and critical scholar, but also a reliable and loyal comrade, friendly but never making compromises.

I am priveleged to have known him, learnt and shared worries and happy moments in our struggle towards more fair world. I am sure my students and colleagues would share my greetings. My empathy to your family, whom I know you loved and cared so much, Anja

I send my deepest condolences to Ronalds family.

His insights and knowledge within career guidance and passion for social justice has inspired me since our first meeting in Norway in 2015. I will miss him, but not forget him.

A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion: A visual meditation from Ronald Sultana

This is an amazing video meditation on social justice created by Ronald. I always show it to students whenever I am teaching about career guidance and social justice. 

Dear Professor Ronald Sultana,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this message on your memorial page. Your untimely departure leaves a void that words can hardly fill. I would like to express my deepest appreciation for the profound impact you had on my academic and professional life.

From the very first lecture, you welcomed us with open arms, fostering an environment of growth and learning. Your guidance, support, and encouragement were invaluable throughout every stage of the course, but particularly during my research. Your expertise and constructive feedback were instrumental in shaping the quality and direction of my study. Despite your extremely busy schedule, you always made time to meet with students, patiently clarifying any difficulties we encountered.

Your humility was outstanding, and you served as an epitome of respect, consistently working towards justice at every step of our academic journey. You believed in us, helping us see our worth and encouraging us to strive for excellence. Thanks to you, Professor, we not only completed our studies but also learned to believe in our potential to create meaningful contributions in the years to come.

Your legacy will continue to inspire generations of students, and your impact on our lives will be remembered with deep gratitude.

Rest in peace, Professor Ronald Sultana.

With heartfelt condolences,

Christabel Saliba