Fewer than a hundred students were still waiting for a reply about whether they would be going on Erasmus exchange programmes, the University Students' Council said.

It was quoting Education Minister Dolores Cristina in a meeting with the council (KSU) on Wednesday, also attended by the Prime Minister.

Malta's EU study programme funds were suspended by the European Commission earlier this year due to mismanagement. A "temporary solution" was found by the government to enable hundreds of students not to lose out on their opportunity to study abroad.

The KSU said Mrs Cristina had assured it that the arrangements of students going abroad in the first semester had already been settled and this figure referred only to those who planned to go on an exchange in the second semester.

The KSU said it had been informed that the European Commission was "cooperating actively with Maltese authorities" to resume normal operations as soon as possible.

In their meeting with Dr Gonzi and Mrs Cristina, the KSU also proposed the setting up of a Quality Assurance Agency "to ensure the highest standards possible for all students studying in Malta".

It presented a report on the new Higher Education Act and was promised consultation before any action was taken.