How to make doctorates attractive again to international students?

It is in a context of diminishing numbers of international doctoral students in France (-15% between 2018 and 2023) that, on Friday September 22, Campus France welcomed representatives from higher education and research institutions in charge of research internationalization, representatives from the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research for this second edition of a Seminar of Graduate Schools.

The program of this 2nd Seminar of Graduate Schools was made to provide an overview of the internationalization of doctorates in France and identify the levers needed to facilitate the reception of international doctoral students in France.

Donatienne Hissard, Director-general of Campus France, inaugurated the seminar accompanied by Patrick Nédellec, European and International Affairs Delegate for the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and Laurent Toulouse, Deputy Director for higher education and research at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

A series of conferences and round tables allowed participants to discuss the following topics:

• Key figures on doctorates in France
• The research homepage: a platform to promote thesis offers
• The actions of Campus France to promote doctorates and research in France
• Diplomatic and academic good practices to promote D level
• The reception of international researchers

Participants made recommendations and offered plans of action to better the international attraction of doctorates, for instance by raising the number of scholarships at the D level, developing scientific cooperation projects, simplifying the reception of international researchers and strengthening communication through focuses on the careers of remarkable Alumni.