Philippe Baptiste: “France must not close its doors, France cannot close its doors, France doesn’t want to close its doors”

In a global context marked by major countries (including the United States of America) applying retreat and restrictions policies towards foreign students, France stands out with its determination to stay a beacon of openness and inclusion. Baptiste reminded that France refuses to close its doors, a decision in line with its traditional values of exchange and cooperation. Greeting students is also “a strength and a necessity”.

“You, international students, are a rare resource!”

With conviction, Philippe Baptiste reminded the importance of international students as a key asset for France’s sovereignty and global competitiveness. These talented individuals are crucial to tackling worldwide challenges, from technological innovation to climate change. By investing in academic excellence and diverse student profiles, France positions itself as a leading player in the global competition for talent, offering a clear alternative to the restrictive policies being adopted elsewhere. Baptiste also acknowledged the key role played by Campus France and French higher education institutions in helping the country welcome “more students, and welcome them better.”

Choose France for Science: a flagship initiative

The Minister presented Choose France for Science, a program launched in April 2025, as a bold statement to the global scientific community. This initiative aims to attract top students and researchers to France, with a particular focus on science and technology fields. The goal is to boost France’s appeal as the best destination for study and research while promoting international collaboration in response to growing restrictions in other parts of the world.

Strengthening partnerships and cooperation agreements

Philippe Baptiste also emphasized the need to deepen partnerships with universities abroad, especially in developing countries. Cooperation agreements are essential for enriching academic and cultural exchanges and for building lasting bridges between nations. France is committed to supporting such efforts through targeted project funding and close cooperation with higher education institutions, reinforcing its global academic network in the face of rising isolationism.

Celebrating alumni: a source of pride

France Alumni Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate diversity and the success of international students who chose France for their studies. With their inspiring careers and contributions in many fields, alumni embody the vitality and influence of French higher education. The International Young Scientific Talent, granted during this event, is an illustration of this diversity and excellence, a showcase for the success for France’s policy of openness.

Bridges to the future

In conclusion, Philippe Baptiste reminded that universities and France cannot grow in isolation. Baptise quoted historian and Hellenist Jean-Pierre Vernant to remind that knowledge and innovations of tomorrow will be built, as in the past, through contact, exchange and cooperation, beyond borders[1]. International students are these essential bridges between cultures and knowledge, contributing to a common richer and more open future. As such, France reaffirms its commitment to be a land of opportunity for talents from all over the world, in opposition to restrictive trends observed elsewhere.

[1] “You know yourself, you build yourself, through contact, exchange and trade with others. Between the banks of self and the other, the human is a bridge” Jean-Pierre Vernant, La traversée des frontières, Seuil, 2004. This quote, booked for the 50th anniversary of the Council of Europe, is written with others on a milestone of the bridge of Europe linking Strasburg to Kehl.