It's not often that two media trainers get the opportunity to train members of a royal family, plus a judge, three lieutenant colonels and senior officials from various ministries. But such was the line-up of participants in the first-ever NPIA international media course, Media Skills and Communicating in a Crisis, that we recently ran in Bahrain.

The NPIA team consisted of two civilian associate tutors. Both of us are experienced former journalists with expertise in interviewing for press, TV and radio, and a track-record in training senior police officers for the NPIA. The venue was a 5-star hotel with facilities and food to match (we could easily get used to this). The participants carried out a series of recorded TV interviews with playbacks and feedback, discussed how to handle the media in a crisis, and presented press conferences.

The atmosphere was friendly and informal, and participants were fully engaged, showing a willingness to criticise their colleagues that we don't always find on our UK police courses. In fact one of the participants, role-playing a reporter, was so 'enraged' during the press conference presented by one group, that he cried 'cover-up' and stormed out.

It was encouraging to find that cultural differences were not so great and that our interview scenarios and key points were relevant and practical. The interviews improved noticeably over the two weeks, feedback was very positive, and there were enthusiastic reports on the course in the Gulf press.

We also had a lot of useful support and advice from the UK police officers based in Bahrain, who will, we hope, fully recover from the embarrassment of one trainer bopping happily around a swanky Lebanese restaurant on our final night. Bring us back and next time he'll behave. Promise.