New York, NY, December 6, 2018 — The Cultural and Scientific Services of the French Embassy are pleased to announce the third edition of the program “Community College in France”, in partnership with Community Colleges for International Development and the n+i network (50 top engineering schools network in France). The Community College in France program includes two components: a non-degree-granting short summer bootcamp, for which students will have four options this year, and a four-year degree-granting program starting in the July.

Part of the U.S. Department of State and French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “Transatlantic Friendship and Mobility Initiative,” launched in 2014 to increase and diversify student mobility across the Atlantic, this program exemplifies the French Embassy’s mission to reach out to new American students traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs. Although more than 40% of U.S. college students go to community colleges, only 1.8% of students who study abroad are from community colleges, often because of the costs and time constraints of studying abroad. The Cultural and Scientific Services of the French Embassy gives those students the opportunity to study in France through accessible, affordable high quality programs.

Summer Bootcamps in France

This year, students will have four options for bootcamps in France. First, the successful n+i engineering and sustainable development bootcamp will return for its third year with a mix of on-site visits, conferences, and cultural discoveries. This 14-day non-degree-granting bootcamp in Paris will take place in June 2019 and concentrate on sport and sustainable development. This bootcamp is part of n+i’s successful rendez-vous summer programs. It will this year be supported by the cities of Paris and Los Angeles and will be dedicated for community college students from the Los Angeles community college district.

New boot camps will take place in the summer of 2019 in Lyon, Montpellier, and Caen, in partnerships with local French universities from each city. A 14-day program on sustainable development in the fields of public transportation and waste management will take place in Lyon, in partnership with IUT Lumière Lyon 2, offering cultural visits and the opportunity to attend conferences and present projects in these fields.

In a 19-day program in Montpellier, students studying abroad will learn about major industrial challenges in France, including food and water, energy and materials, and data science and management. On-site visits, conferences, French as a Foreign Language classes and cultural activities will be organized in partnership with Polytech Montpellier.

Finally, a 15-day study abroad program in Caen will concentrate on active citizenship in the digital era, giving students the chance to take classes, explore cultural and historical sites in Normandy, and visit digital companies and civil society institutions. The program is in partnership with the Université de Caen Normandie and in collaboration with the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace.

All four bootcamps offer thorough introductions to their topics, and are made affordable to students due to funding through the Cultural and Scientific Services of the French Embassy’s partnerships with local community colleges across the United States. Community colleges will be asked to nominate and shortlist students, so to apply, students should check if their community college is supporting the program. All programs grant European credits for successful completion.

Four-Year Degree-Granting Program

A one-of-a-kind 4-year degree-granting program offering graduate studies in France is open to hand-picked students after the completion of their 2-year associate degree at a US community college with honors. It is helpful, but not required, for applying students to participate in the summer study abroad bootcamps in France. The selected students will be given the unique opportunity to complete a Diplôme d’ingénieur (Engineering Degree) within four years after graduating from their community college.

First they will attend a pre-Diplôme d’ingénieur year in France, to get acquainted to the new methods of studies and to learn French, then complete a 3-year work-study Diplôme d’ingénieur at one of the 50 top engineering schools of the n+i network. This program will provide them with comprehensive professional training through a curriculum that is half classes and half paid internship. This internship will also allow students to auto-finance their degree, as they will receive a stipend from the company they train with.

As part of this program, the French Embassy offers a scholarship for one top student to finance the pre-Diplôme d’ingénieur year in France. The previous laureates, Daniela Markovic and Diego Ortiz-Vigil, are both from Lone Star College in Houston, Texas.

An Expanded Return of a Successful Program

After positive responses from the first edition of Community College Study Abroad, in 2017, and the second edition, in 2018, the Cultural and Scientific Services of the French Embassy has expanded the 2018 version to include an additional three bootcamps cities across France. Previous participants have spoken about their experiences in the Paris sustainability bootcamp, and how the program has affected their lives and career paths.

“This is a life changing experience for anyone interested in sustainable solutions… Many different companies are initiating objectives to make Paris environmentally friendlier. For example, we experienced the public transit system while learning about how the companies are sustainably improving to provide those services. I’m looking forward to learning how France leads future sustainability measures that are innovative and economical to improve quality of life.” —Betsy Borchardt, Kirkwood Community College

“This experience has changed my life, with respect to humanity. It has showed me that people can still care for each other and look to the future.” —Ian Sullivan, Central Piedmont Community College

“Overall, my experience in France was nothing short of terrific. During our cultural visits and professional visits, I gained a unique perspective on the relationship between the U.S. and France, the history of engineering in Paris, and the necessity of maintaining an international focus as a prospective engineer. Thanks to the n+i network and many others, I was able to have a one-of-a-kind experience in Paris.” —Bailee Atencio, Lone Star College

The Cultural Services of the French Embassy promote the best of French arts, literature, cinema, digital innovation, language, and higher education across the US. Based in New York City, Washington D.C., and eight other cities across the country, the Cultural Services brings artists, authors, intellectuals and innovators to cities nationwide. It also builds partnerships between French and American artists, institutions and universities on both sides of the Atlantic. In New York, through its bookshop Albertine, it fosters French-American exchange around literature and the arts.  http://www.frenchculture.org

Community Colleges for International Development helps member colleges further their internationalization initiatives and develop globally competent workers by providing a wealth of knowledge, resources, and experience in developing international programs. Founded in 1976 and representing more than 140 community, technical, and vocational institutions from 14 countries, CCID is dedicated to creating globally engaged learning environments. https://www.ccidinc.org/

The Network “n+i” is a consortium of over 50 French Grandes Ecoles d’Ingénieurs. For 15 years it has been the biggest network in France. These schools have elected to combine their international cooperation operations so as to offer a better service to foreign students.   The Network “n+i” Engineering Institutes is a not for profit public benefit association and addresses to students or young engineers with a degree in engineering science (BTech, BEng, BSc, BPhil, Licenciatura or equivalent). The network offers training for engineers aiming for an international career. http://www.nplusi.com/

Media Contact:

Camille Desprez – + 1 (212) 439-1417   camille.desprez@diplomatie.gouv.fr