the french experience of internationalisation louise watts campusfrance

Study in Poland Conference

The French experience of internationalisation

Louise WattsCampusFrance

Perspektywy Education Foundation

Krakow, 20th-21st April 2009


CampusFranceAgence nationale pour la promotionde l’enseignement supérieur français à l’étranger

Outline of presentation

I. Context

II. Key issues

III. Mutualisation

IV. Institutional initiatives

V. CampusFrance



I. Context

The number of students in the world:

• 2000: 92 million

• 2006: 135 million

• 2025: 263 million (+95 % compared to 2006)

Worldwide student mobility:

• 2000: 1.9 million mobile international students

• 2006: 2.9 million (83% studying in OECD countries)

• 2020: 5.8 million

• 2025: 8 million (+176% compared to 2006)

Sources: OECD, UNESCO, BC, IDP, Altbach and Bassett.



I. Context

• USA: 584 814• UK: 330 078

• France: 263 094 (247 510)

• Germany: 259 797

• Australia: 242 498

• Poland: 11 365

Increased competition from other world regions (USA, Australia, Asia…).

Source: UNESCO / DEPP (France)

Destination countries (2006):



I. Context

• Morocco

• Algeria

• China

• Tunisia

• Senegal

• Germany

• Cameroon

• Lebanon

• Vietnam

• Italy

Source: DEPP

Africa: 47.5%

Europe: 23%

Asia: 21.7%

Top ten sending countries to French universities (2007):



I. Context

In French universities in 2007, international students studied at the following levels:

They represented 38.9% of doctoral students and 11.7% of all students.

Source: DEPP

• Undergraduate: 43.7%• Master’s: 43.7%• Doctoral: 12.6%



I. Context

France has 87 public universities offering the entire range of academic disciplines.

The Grandes Ecoles are unique French institutions in parallel to the university system. Extremely selective, they offer programmes in business, engineering, public administration, teaching, research…

There are also art schools, schools of architecture and specialised institutions.



I. Context

France committed to the Bologna Process from the start.

• the 3-tier system adopted

• academic year organised in semesters

• ECTS implemented and periods of mobility recognised

• Agence d’Evaluation de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur (AERES) created in 2006



II. Key issues

Aspects of internationalisation:

• Student mobility (incoming and outgoing)

• Staff mobility

• Partnerships, cooperation and exchange

• Learning environment

• Internationalisation of curricula and research

• Language teaching and intercultural understanding



II. Key issues

• Political benefits ?

• Financial gain ?

• Academic gain ?

• Cultural and social benefits ?

• Positive impact on national students and staff ?

• Human resources gain ?

Why attract international students ?



II. Key issues

• Quality / quantity ?

• Diversity of international students ?

• Which levels, which fields ?

• Working after studying ?

• Commercial "taboo" ?

Issues for France:



III. Mutualisation

• University mergers and alliances: e.g. Strasbourg

• Globally-oriented clusters with scientific specialisations

• Regional positioning: PRES

• Opération Campus

In response to global competition, there is increased clustering within France



III. Mutualisation



III. Mutualisation

• HEIs under one label, e.g. “Paristech” (www.paristech.fr), itself a member of the “IDEA league” (www.idealeague.org)

• Common promotion, application and student integration: the “n+i” system (www.nplusi.com)

• Innovative distance learning language preparation for engineering students

• Promotion towards a specific country: Université Franco-

Allemande (www.dfh-ufa.org), Université Franco-Italienne – Università Italo-Francese(www.universite-franco-italienne.org)

Joint promotion initiatives:



III. Mutualisation

Participation in European networks and initiatives:

• Erasmus Mundus

• Erasmus

• ECW

• Tempus

• Joint degrees

• European promotion




Institutional strategies focus on identifying key areas and implementing targeted promotion activities:

• Participation in fairs and events

• Missions and visits to HEIs

• Liaison with CampusFrance offices

• Recruitment drives

• Use of alumni as ambassadors




A key factor of success is ensuring study programmes are attractive to international students:

• Courses designed especially for international students

• Programmes taught in English

• French language and study skills tuition

• Wide range of specialisations

• Ensuring programmes can be clearly identified and contents and means of delivery understood




Developing links with partner institutions underpins many French HEIs’ strategies:

• Signing of MoUs and bilateral agreements

• Staff and student exchanges

• Joint projects

• Joint programmes

• Delivery of TNE




Improving hosting services for international students has been a priority for increasing attractiveness:

• Dedicated international office

• Website in English with specific information

• Information guides

• Institutional welcome and integration week

• Assistance with housing and administrative procedures

• Facilitating links with French and other international students

• Tutoring



V. CampusFrance

• The national agency for the promotion of French higher education overseas

• A non-profit-making agency serving the public interest

• Under the supervision of several Ministries

• Working in cooperation with key French stakeholders such as the Conferences and serving the interests of HEIs

Created in 1998 under the name of EduFrance.Became CampusFrance in 2007.



V. CampusFrance

CampusFrance works with all French HEIs and in particular with its members.

The Agency has 219 member institutions including:

• most universities

• 58 engineering schools

• 40 business schools and

• specialised institutions



V. CampusFrance

CampusFrance has 119 offices in over 80 countries which:

Overseas staff are coordinated by CampusFrance in Paris and attend training sessions.

In close to 30 countries, an online application system has been implemented which facilitates the visa application.

• inform, counsel and assist students interested in studying in France

• and carry out in-country promotion activities (fairs, university visits…).



V. CampusFrance

CampusFrance’s target regions:

• 1998: Asia and Latin America were key priorities:

Emerging countries where France was not attractive enough

• 2005: Europe also became a main target:

Political and statistical reasons

• 2007: Africa (esp. French-speaking countries) added:

Managing the demand for French HEIs

• The Middle East has been a second priority throughout the years.



V. CampusFrance

• Participation in important international events (Universal Exhibition, Year of France in Brazil…)

• Organisation of traditional fairs and testing of new formula: thematic visits and

events, interview sessions, institutional matchmaking, European fairs etc.

• Institutions can also participate in Les Rencontres or Academic Innovation Workshops to promote French programmes with a high degree of employability

Programme of events, attracting 150 000 visitors/year, elaborated in liaison with the French authorities, Conferences and HEIs:

The CampusFrance website www.campusfrance.org can be consulted in over 20 languages


V. CampusFrance

CampusFranceNational agency for promotingFrench higher education abroad

• It allows easy access to information on preparing a study stay in France, from choosing a programme to arriving in France

• 53 country-specific websites have also been developed

• In 2008, 3.6 million visitors consulted 15.5 million web pages

• An online catalogue gives access to over 33,000 French higher education study programmes

• Doctoral programmes are searchable through 20,000 keywords or 80 thematic disciplines

• The catalogue, available in English, features a presentation of doctoral programmes as well as details on research units and links to HEIs


V. CampusFrance


CampusFrance publishes regularly updated information guides designed for international students, such as:


V. CampusFrance


• The Choose France guide, published in several languages, providing information on the French higher education system, study opportunities and France’s cultural assets and quality of life

• The 6th edition of the catalogue of programmes taught in English containing information on over 550 programmes taught

in English at French HEIs


V. CampusFrance


CampusFrance produces regular publications aimed at its members and other stakeholders:

• Courrier CampusFrance, a bi-monthly newsletter providing information on the Agency’sactivities in France and abroad

• Les Notes de CampusFrance, providing analyses, evaluations and comparisons of issues pertaining to student mobility


V. CampusFrance


Over the past years, CampusFrance has increased its participation in European initiatives:

• Leader of the consortium composed of DAAD, Nuffic and the British Council responsible for implementing a series of European Higher Education Fairs in Asia

• Studies and analyses carried out with the Academic Cooperation Association

• Participation in Erasmus Mundus action 4 projects

The Agency continues to develop its links with partner organisations in Europe.


Thank you for your attention !

[email protected]

the french experience of internationalisation louise watts campusfrance

Documents

lenseignement suprieur

contextin french universities

unique french institutions

doctoral students

mobile international

public universities

oecd countries

student mobility incoming