IBFI activities

In addition to the training in our catalogue, the IBFI has developed various actions that are specific or by invitation. They rely on current monetary, economic and financial topics, as well as specific request from our partners. They are organized to the best of our hosting capabilities and of our experts’ constraints and availability.

The seminars offered through the IBFI’s annual catalogue are our primary mode of action. They consist in 2 to 5 day training sessions whose contents change according to the needs expressed by our partners. They include theoretical and practical presentations, simulation exercises and case studies. Participants are often gathered in smaller groups to foster interaction around a particular topic.

IBFI seminars are opened to all central bank candidates upon request, within the constraints of the available accommodation, and taking into account the relevance of their application (motivation, position held, prior training, etc.).

 

We receive numerous requests asking us to organise specialised or customised training programmes. Thus, aside from our traditional training seminars which are open to all central banks, we conduct tailored projects on a bilateral or regional basis.

Such specialised support may consist in study trips in France of small groups of central bankers, or may take the form of bespoke training sessions, held on our premises or within the partner central bank. In this latter case, we seek to involve, to the greatest extent possible, employees from other central banks of the same region, so that any such initiative may benefit the largest number of persons.

These sessions are only launched after an in-depth study of existing requirements and a thorough examination of the most adequate means of satisfying demand. The duration of these events is variable, ranging from two to five days. Attendance may be combined with participation in seminars included in the IBFI annual catalogue.

IBFI has a broad network of partners world-wide. In addition to our bilateral cooperation with other central banks or international institutions such as IMF or BIS, we build partnerships with regional institutions, in order to deliver training services suited to the local context and challenges, and to limit travel expenses for participants.

Throughout the year, IBFI organises technical workshops upon an invitation-only basis. The organisation of these workshops is highly dependent on economic and financial news and the evolution of challenges faced by central banks.
 
These workshops aim at bringing together the main central bank specialists who are called upon to tackle a common issue. Participants come from various geographic zones and from diverse areas of expertise (macroeconomists, economic policy specialists, experts specialised in financial stability issues, as well as specialists of the markets, payment systems, regulatory and supervisory matters, or the internal management of central banks).

 Workshops organised by IBFI allow for a matching of experience, including with other public institutions and private sector players, in order to bring about the emergence of solutions possibly suited to the various local contexts.

For the proper progress of the debates, it is utterly essential that all participants in these workshops have prior extensive knowledge in the area concerned.

 

IBFI is equipped with the infrastructure necessary for the organisation of videoconferencing among the experts of our partners and the Banque de France. Such a cooperation mode is particularly suited to the review of a highly specific topic, requiring a short time period (one or two hours) of work in common.

Some of our partners ask us to organise our capacity-building effort through a formal agreement to better plan training and skills enhancement programs that are often complex and multi faceted.

Thus, in order to address this request expressed by central banks and partner training centres, IBFI signs training agreements.

Experts within IBFI, or appointed by IBFI, also participate in training projects organised and financed by third parties, whether national or regional central banks, international financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank, regional institutions such as the European Commission, or French and foreign higher education institutions.