An overview of the 2018 France Excellence Summer Schools
2018 Summer Schools - What did they think ?
During summer 2018, about 200 Chinese students attended the 22 pre-doctoral summer schools of the programme Ecoles d’été France Excellence organized by the French Embassy in China. After a warm welcome in Paris, the students were taken to the schools organized in all parts of France (Provence, Pays de Loire, Paris, etc.). In each school, they attended master courses given by the best specialists in their field. They hence put the foundations of a doctorate in France while discovering the country, its language, its food, its landscapes and its culture.
Each school had its own specificity. Indeed, the schools covered a wide range of topics, from physics, environment, engineering to cultural heritage science and law. Each of them also had a tailored format : from 3 to 4 weeks, from 10 to 30 students, adapted schedules, projects and discovery of PhD research. As for the cultural program, beyond the french language lessons, it gave students the opportunity to discover the local places of interest as well as classical must see and gastronomy.
What did the students think of the 2018 Summer Schools ?
We asked them their opinion, and most of them kindly answered our questions. Here is a synthesis of the answers, followed by a selection of enthousiastic remarks and pictures.
The main goal of the schools is to provide the students a stepstone to a doctorate in France. From this point of view, the program has been quite successful. Indeed :
- two-third of the students have liked the program;
- 87% think participating to the program will be a major advantage for their professional career;
- About 40% think they will pursue with a PhD thesis in France;
- 75% would recommend the program to their friends;
- About 30% think they have met the Professor that could become their PhD advisor.
Since last summer, the Science & Higher Education Departments of the French Embassy follow up with the students to maintain contacts, help define subjects or find grants for PhD that may start from september 2018.
The students were in general very happy of their arrival and the welcome they were given. They specially appreciated the courses and the equilibrium between lessons and french culture discovery sessions. The contacts with the french teaching teams, the experimental research projects and France discovery are among the most cited positive points. But, moreover, they all recomand their friends to have the same experience.
Below are some pictures and testimonies of the students who participated to the 2018 edition of the French Excellence Summer Schools :
"You will not regret participating to this summer school!".
"It was such a great experience to attend the summer school to learn new things. France is a nice place with kind people, a rich culture, and an interesting lifestyle".
"Attending a France Excellence Summer School will be a unique experience in your life. It will open your eyes to other cultures. At the same time, if you are interested in studying abroad, the summer school will give you the opportunity to know the local academic research content and level. For me, it has been a great honor to participate to this program, I had a pleasant three-weeks summer school and I encourage you to attend such a program."
"At this summer summer school, I met excellent teachers, and I had access to a lot of research resources. This experience will help me in my future projects."
"The summer school was meaningful and worth it. Not only it will give you the opportunity to connect with labs, but it also help you to understand French culture."
