New York, NY, June 14, 2017 — The Cultural and Scientific Services of the French Embassy are pleased to present the launch of a two-fold tailored program entitled “Community College Abroad 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 Abroad in France program includes two components: a 10-day, non-degree-granting summer bootcamp in June 2017, and a four-year degree-granting program starting Fall 2017.

Part of the US Department of State and French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “Transatlantic Friendship and Mobility Initiative” launched in 2014 to increase and diversify student mobility cross-Atlantic, the program echoes the French Embassy’s mission to reach out to new American students traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs.

10-day non-degree-granting bootcamp

A specially crafted 10-day non-degree-granting bootcamp is currently gathering in Paris, from June 8 through 17, 17 community college students were selected from across the US specializing in engineering and environmental science.

The program includes a series of professional and scientific visits to learn about air quality control (Ballon d’air de Paris), environmental management practices for water distribution (Usine d’Austerlitz), innovative urban transportation and lighting management in Paris.

These professional and scientific visits are combined with cultural visits and dinners ‘à la française’ in the capital city. After learning about various options to study engineering in France, the students will end the experience with a networking reception at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Four-year degree-granting program

Proposing graduate studies in France, a one of a kind 4-year degree-granting program in France is opening to hand-selected students, after the completion of their 2-year Associate degree at a US community college with honors. 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 learn French, before completing a 3-year work-study Diplôme d’ingénieur at one of the 50 top engineering schools of the n+i network. This program, providing them with a comprehensive professionalizing training, with a curriculum including half attending classes, half completing a paid internship, will give the students a first-hand professionalizing training while enabling them to  auto finance their degree—as they will receive a stipend from the company they are trained by.

Within this framework, the French Embassy offers a scholarship for one top student to finance the pre-Diplôme d’ingénieur year in France. This year, the laureate is stellar student Daniela Markovic from the honors college at Lonestar College in Houston Texas, who will start July 2017.

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. 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