The Regional Institute of Administration is one of five similar institutes in France, which train students and current civil servants to take up managerial positions in the public service. These institutes are under the authority of the French prime minister and are members of the International Association of Public Administration schools (IASA).

As part of their training, a study visit takes place every year in order to discover a foreign public administration. As Malta has just become a member of the European Union, the students decided to come to Malta to meet their Maltese counterparts and compare their experiences. Their study visit includes conferences with high-ranking officials and workshops with various Maltese administrations.

The opening lecture, held yesterday at the San Antonio Mercure Hotel in Bugibba, was on the theme: Malta in the EU: stakes and perspectives. This will be followed by various visits organised by the Institute of Public Administration and Management of Malta.

The students plan to spend their leisure time exploring Maltese culture and visiting Gozo, Valletta and Mdina.