New York, NY, June 15, 2018 — After a successful pilot year in 2017, the Cultural and Scientific Services of the French Embassy in partnership with the Network “n+i” are renewing the “Community College Abroad in France” program for a second year. The program, built with “Community Colleges for International Development” includes two components: a 10-day summer bootcamp, June 11-20 and a four-year degree-granting program starting at summer 2018.
Part of the US Department of State and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Transatlantic Friendship and Mobility Initiative” launched in 2014 to increase and diversify cross-Atlantic student mobility, the program echoes the French Embassy’s mission to reach out to new American students traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs.
10-day Bootcamp
A specially crafted 10-day bootcamp will be held in Paris, from June 11 through 20, with 16 community college students specializing in engineering and environmental sciences and 2 faculty members. This year, Embassy of France has partnered with American community colleges in New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Washington.
The program, aimed at illustrating the theme of “Sustainable development”, will include a series of professional and scientific visits and conferences in Paris to learn about air quality control, public transportation, water treatment systems, noise pollution and waste disposal. These visits include the Saint-Lazare train station, a pool heated by a data center, and urban beehives as well as an outstanding visit of the castle in Versailles. A networking reception at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs will mark the end of this unique experience.
Four-year Master Degree-granting Program
A new one-of a kind path to obtain a Diplôme d’ingénieur (Master’s level Engineering Degree) is open to outstanding community college students after the completion of their 2-year Associate Degree. The program, managed by Network “n+i”, starts with a one-year studying French and getting acquainted to French teaching methods. The following 3 years are spent attending classes at one of the 50 top engineering schools of the “n+” network and completing a paid internship in a company to acquire professional experience.
Feedback from previous edition: A successful experience
Bootcamp Students:
“I am seriously considering applying for a master degree in urban planning. I feel the program of the “n+” network has made rethink my future plans on where to go with my career.”
- 2017 alumni Diana Calderon
“Prior to the trip, I was indecisive about what to do with my chemical engineering major, but after visiting the Biogis Center and exploring more about biomass conversion, I now want to research ways in which biomass conversion can help reduce the amount of fossil fuels we use today.”
- 2017 alumni Monica Argumedo.
Community College Study Abroad four-year degree-granting program:
Daniela Markovic from Lonestar College in Houston, Texas, was the first student selected for the program, started in July 2017. So far, she has developed new French language skills, while getting to know French culture. Supported by a small group of French students, she will benefit from a high quality engineering program specially designed for her. Now she is starting her second year by joining a French company for her internship.
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
The Office for Science and Technology, a team of 24 staff members including professors, senior researchers and engineers located in the French Embassy (Washington, DC) and 6 consular offices (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco) is dedicated to bilateral French-American collaborations in science and technology. It monitors and reports advances in science and technology in the US through newsletters and diplomatic channels, promotes bilateral partnerships in science, technology and innovation, fosters exchanges and increases mobility of researchers, doctoral students and entrepreneurs, and supports young innovative companies and the internationalization of competitiveness clusters. https://www.france-science.org/-Homepage-English-.html
Community Colleges for International Development helps member colleges carry forward 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 Higher Education Institutions (Grandes Ecoles d’Ingénieurs). For 20 years it has been the biggest network in France pf the kind. These schools have elected to combine their international cooperation operations so as to offer a better service to foreign and French students in their international mobility projects . The Network “n+i” is a not for profit 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