Campus France convenes 330 representatives of academic institutions in Strasbourg to strengthen international student services
Campus France’s colloquium on international student services took place in Strasbourg on May 15–16, 2019. More than 330 institutional representatives were there to share views on facets of international student life in France—among them the “Welcome to France” strategy, labelling of institutions that meet best practices, housing, visas, and medical insurance. A partnership agreement was signed betweeen Campus France and the Grand Est region to broaden the international footprint of that region’s postsecondary institutions.
Campus France’s annual colloquium on “Welcoming International Students” has become a key event on the calendars of institutions and organizations hosting international students, scholars, and scientists in France. This year’s colloquium was held at ENA in Strasbourg on May 15–16 as a step in the implementation of the French government’s “Welcome to France” plan, which places support services at the center of a new strategy for attracting international students.
Record participation
The 336 participants in this year’s colloquium set a new record. They represented:
- 64 universities
- 11 COMUEs (clusters of postsecondary institutions)
- 43 schools of engineering
- 9 schools of art and architecture
- 25 schools of business and management
Improving the student support services that are essential to exchange
The participants spent two days absorbing and exchanging information on new ways to improve services for international students and researchers in France, including:
- The national student recruitment strategy, “Bienvenue en France” (Welcome to France),
- The “Bienvenue en France” label and Campus France assistance to institutions participating in the initiative,
- Housing, integration, and other support services offered by institutions,
- The medical insurance reform introduced in recent legislation on integrating international students and ensuring their success in France,
- Actions taken by France’s national and regional student service organizations to improve the international student experience,
- Changes in visa policies affecting student stays: virtualization and simplification of the application process, new procedures for processing student visa applications, virtualization and validation of the combined long-stay visa and residency permit, and application of the European directive on hosting international students and scholars.
Spotlight on the Grand Est region
Jean Rottner, president of the Grand Est region, and Béatrice Khaiat, director general of Campus France, signed a partnership agreement to expand international efforts to promote the postsecondary institutions of the Grand Est region and to increase student mobility.
On the eve of the colloquium, Béatrice Khaiat told Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace that “mobility is a challenge and an opportunity for Alsatian institutions seeking to expand their influence and their economic base.” (Read the interview from May 15.)
Would you like to learn more about institutions of higher education in the Grand Est region and their policies and practices for welcoming international students? If so, take a look at some of the city profiles that Campus France has prepared to accentuate the appeal of French institutions.
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