Islamabad, Oct 18: French Ambassador Highlights Educational Opportunities in France, Strengthening Pakistan-France Academic Ties Through ‘Choose France’ Initiative. French Ambassador said that in his letter, Dear Mr. Chairman of the Prime minister’s Youth Programme, Mr. Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan.
Dear members of the Choose France delegation, chers amis. Dear representative of the media. Welcome to all at the French residence.As we are receiving a high-level academic delegation from France, we wanted to have this exchange in order to present more in details our actions and achievements in this field of cooperation, which is particularly promising between France and Pakistan.
Indeed, cooperation in higher education is one of the top priorities of our bilateral roadmap between Pakistan and France. And we are meeting today at the end of the 3rd edition of the Choose France Education Tour in Pakistan, which took place this year in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
Behind the Choose France initiative lies two objectives: raising awareness among students by allowing them to interact directly with leading French universities. And planting the seeds of cooperation, by connecting French and Pakistani universities during tailor-made individual visits, with a long-term vision.
As a result, or a first result, eight bilateral agreements for academic and research cooperation have been signed and implemented these last 2 years after these 1 to 1 university visits. We also wish Pakistani and French universities to be able to progress on double degree policy, a system which has still to be agreed between both countries’ authorities, in order to take the quality of cooperation to a higher level, and participate together in Erasmus Mundus programs for example.
This year again, we have seen a growing interest for France from Pakistan: 2200 students participated in the education fairs and 22 bilateral visits were organized, but also a growing interest for Pakistan from France: 21 Pakistani representatives participated this year in the third edition, compared to 5 universities visiting for the 1st edition, two years ago. These visits and interactions, connecting people, are essential to strengthen mutual knowledge and friendship.
France welcomes with pleasure the many talented Pakistani students who have a well-defined academic project. The figures show the growing interest and awareness to pursue studies in France, most of the time in English: over 3 academic years, the number of students accepted by a French institution have been multiplied by 6, and the majority of them obtained a scholarship.
I can only emphasize the importance for Pakistani students to identify the good institutions in France issuing state-recognized degrees. The role of Campus France Pakistan I crucial in this regard.
Campus France is the official organization that is there to help every Pakistani student and family to find the curriculum and universities which matches their academic project free of charge.
It is therefore an essential entry point for every student wishing to go to France, and this is why we has invested heavily in human resources this past year to better support students. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs created one new position at the embassy last January (Mathilde).
4 Pakistani Campus France officers were recruited in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. All are French alumni, which help them very much to advise and guide students, based on their own study experience in France.
These events could not have been organized without the support of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Government of Punjab and Sindh, the Higher Education Commission and Pakistani universities; I really want to thank them all for their invaluable support which has helped to bring the Pakistani and French communities closer together.
I will now let our guest speakers tell you about the cooperation, Campus France Pakistan, the mutual interest and the long-term impact these initiatives can have on our two societies.
Shukrya/Merci/Thak you
