Campus France Forum General Meeting 2025: renewed commitment for the attractiveness of French higher education and research
Members of the Campus France Forum met on 16 January 2025 at the Pasteur Institute for their annual General Meeting. The event, which was organised for the first time by a research entity, included 270 representatives from 167 institutions and 39 institutional guests.
A plea for an improved attractiveness of French research
The opening of the Meeting started with a speech from Yves Saint-Geours, president of the Pasteur Institute board of directors, who pointed out the key role of international cooperation in scientific and academic excellence. After reminding that France welcomed 430,000 international students in 2023-2024, he insisted on the need for concerted action to raise administrative obstacles and improve the attractiveness of academic career and research.
Donatienne Hissard, General Director of Campus France, then reasserted the work of Campus France at the service of the internationalisation strategy of institutions. Recommendations issued in the Forum and the sharing of experience during the event are a key contribution to the reflexions and discussions between Campus France, higher education and research institutions, and supervising ministries. She also pointed out the erosion of the attractiveness of French doctorate, which needs dedicated attention. In this regard, she reminded that doctoral training courses, and research in general, is a priority for Campus France that can be seen in the scheduling of promotional actions for the year 2025.
Strategic pillars for 2025
Speeches from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE in French) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR in French) revealed the strategic pillars for 2025. Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens, Chief of Cultural and Scientific Diplomacy at MEAE, stressed the need for structuring a scientific diplomacy based on influence, putting in synergy funding mechanisms and sectorial strategies of the State. Olivier Ginez, General Director of Higher Education and Professional Insertion at MESR, praised the promising results of the “Bienvenue en France” strategy, (Welcome to France), and called for a better coordination between ministries to reach the objective of welcoming 500,000 international students by 2027.
Conclusions of the commissions 2024 and prospects for 2025
The General Meeting is usually an opportunity to present the results of commissions by subject. Emmanuelle Garnier, President of the Campus France Forum, stressed the diversity of member institutions, which reached 374 in late 2024, representing various sectors of higher education and research (universities, engineering, business, management, theatre schools, and more).
In 2024, the work of commissions of the forum allowed to:
- Draw the list of priority countries in the Indo-Pacific area;
- Define the shape if a large-scale study to European students;
- Define the means to bring value to DD&RS (Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility) label in higher education and research
Andreas Kaiser, member of the research commission at the Forum, presented the progress and prospects of current work, and especially regarding the attractiveness of the doctorate and international joint supervision of thesis. He announced several actions to come such as the diffusion of practical tools for ambassies and institutions.
Comparative analysis of rectruitment of international talents in the United Kingdom and Canada (Quebec)
A highlight session of the Meeting focused on recruitment strategies of international students in the United Kingdom and Quebec, with outstanding speeches from Bahram Bekhradnia, Head of the Higher Education Policy Institute, and Nicole Lacasse, Professor at the faculty of administration science at Laval University. The strategies of recruitment of international students, whether British or French Canadian, show different but complementary approaches. Though the United Kingdom puts an emphasis on market competitiveness, Canada stands out with a policy based on inclusion and partnership. However, both approaches must adapt to an increasingly competitive global context, in which demographic, economic and social challenges need continued changes of strategies.
The discussion produced many results and fed the reflexion of participants about the levers of attractiveness that France could use.
Improving the scientific image of France
The afternoon was dedicated to a round table about the scientific brand image of France, and the means to improve the attractiveness of the doctorate. Before a 15% decrease of the number of international doctorate students over a few years, speakers stressed the emergency of joint actions to simplify administrative procedures, improve fundings and bring value to doctoral study courses in public policies.
Promising initiatives were described, including with the development of thesis joint supervisions, partnerships with international entities and the broadening of mechanisms to assist young researchers.
At the close of the Meeting, representatives from the Campus France Forum reaffirmed their determination to work together to improve the attractiveness of French higher education and research. Through concerted action, inter-ministerial mobilisation and an ambitious promotional strategy, Campus France and the members of the Forum are pursuing their commitment to making France a leading academic and scientific destination.
We look forward to seeing you in July 2025 at the University of Angers, where the Campus France Forum Summer Assembly will be held.
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