AIMES Program: the Francophone University Agency launches a new call for projects 2020

A new call for projects for the reception and integration of students in exile

The AUF launches a new call for projects as part of the AIMES program for institutions preparing the integration of students in exile in training courses in French. This includes asylum seekers, refugees, and people under subsidiary protection, or people coming from a country in crisis and holder of a student visa. 

The objective is to help these students attend a training in French language, to be followed and supported to join a university training and to prepare themselves to professional life.

Selected institutions will receive financial support from the AUF, which will take consideration of the schemes planned and the number of students received.

Eligible projects

Projects must be designed for students from any origin and particularly strive to balance genders.

They must offer to students:

• An integration course including training in French as Foreign Language (FLE course);
• Cultural and guidance support;
• Customised follow-up.

Note that for French institutions, projects giving right to a “Diplôme d’Université ‘Passerelle’” (DU, “Bridge” University Degree) certified by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation will have priority.  The AUF underlines that “these DU, which template have been designed by the ADCUEFE as part of the MEnS network, give right to CROUS scholarships for refugee students or students under subsidiary protection”.

Application dates

The deadline to send applications is Monday 29 of June 2020 midnight, and actions will be implemented from early August 2020 and late October 2021.

The form used to apply is available on the AUF website here: https://formulaires.auf.org

The AIMES program

The AUF launches a call for projects for member institutions every year. The initiative aims at helping them welcome students in exile in their academic courses. These students have access to integration courses starting with improved training in French. Since 2018, this initiative is called “Programme AIMES” (Accueil et Intégration des Migrants dans l'Enseignement Supérieur, Reception and Integration of Migrants in Higher Education) So far, the program helped support the reception of over 6,000 students in 45 higher education institutions in France, Belgium, Lebanon and Burundi.

Calls for projects of the AIMES program benefit from the support of public or private partners:

• The Ministry or Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the Ministry of Inner Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs;
• The Conference of University Presidents (CPU);
• The Association of Headmasters of University Centres for French Studies for International Students (ADCUEFE-Campus FLE in French);
• The Mairie de Paris;
• Foundations from companies Michelin and Total.