On Wednesday 22 January 2025, the Ambassador of France, Her Excellency, Ms Sandrine Lelong-Motta, paid a courtesy visit to the Rector of the University of Malta, Prof. Alfred J. Vella.
For the meeting they were joined by the Embassy’s Cultural and Scientific Counsellor, M. Renaud Lallement, the Director of the International Office, Ms Stefania Agius Fabri, as well as Pro-Rector for Student and Staff Affairs & Outreach, Prof. Carmen Sammut.
The conversation centred on the long-standing collaboration between the University and the Embassy and the areas which require further attention. A specific focus was made on the need to encourage more local students to study French at all levels. Whilst there is extensive academic collaboration, cultural exchange and research engagement between the two countries along with a very strong number of French students pursuing exchange, internship and full-time studies at the University of Malta, the number of outgoing students on Erasmus+ mobility to France remains very small.
Rector made reference to the excellent collaboration that the UM has developed with the Universite’ de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO) through the SEA-EU Alliance and expressed hope that the planned programmes will boost UM student mobility to France.
The discussion also focused on the contribution that French Universities have made towards the principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the UM’s interest in possibly engaging with counterpart universities in France on these issues.
In closing, Prof. Vella thanked the Ambassador for the support that the Embassy has consistently provided towards academic collaboration, language learning and promotion and also in critical situations concerning students where the Embassy’s intervention was vital.
Presenting her with a copy of The University of Malta - Legacies and Bearings, the Rector thanked the Ambassador for her visit and augured for closer collaboration during her term.