First 25 institutions earn new “Bienvenue en France” label

The quality of support services for international students is an important factor in increasing the international appeal of French higher education. As the fourth-leading host country for international students, France is already recognized for its cultural and artistic value and for the quality of its academic institutions, programs, and degrees, according to  the 2017 Campus France / Kantar-Sofres poll on France’s image and appeal in the eyes of international students. To build on this strong position, France has been developing a strategy to enhance perceptions of its higher education system. The objective of the “Bienvenue en France” strategy is to attract 500,000 international students to France by 2027.

“Bienvenue en France” is a label awarded to French institutions that demonstrate the highest standards in international student support services

The “Bienvenue en France” label is one of the pillars of the promotional plan. It offers international students the assurance of a national standard. For the institution, the label is a distinction that can be leveraged in outreach efforts.

The label is granted by Campus France on the basis of a self-evaluation conducted in light of the expressed concerns of international students. The self-evaluation must be underpinned by supporting documents.

The criteria used in labelling a program of support are:

1. The quality and accessibility of information designed for international students
2. Support services (orientation, integration, advising, etc.)
3. Academic programs
4. Housing
5. Campus life
6. Post-graduation follow-up

In the course of Campus France’s annual gathering on research and innovation at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris on July 8, Frédérique Vidal, France’s minister of higher education, research, and innovation, announced the first 25 institutions of higher education to receive the “Bienvenue en France” label.

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Frédérique Vidal remet les premières attributions du Label Bienvenue en France (Juillet 2019)

135 institutions are at various stages of the application process

• 73 universities, multi-institution clusters (COMUEs), major free-standing schools
• 47 engineering schools           
• 20 schools of business and management            
• 7 art schools
• 5 language schools             
• 3 culinary schools      
• 3 Catholic institutes          
• 2 international organizations