Meet the Alumni
A Christmas reunion at the Embassy of France in India celebrates illustrious Indian professionals from the France Alumni network.
New Delhi, 20 December 2018
The Embassy of France in India organised its first Christmas get-together for members of the France Alumni India network at the Residence of France in India. The French Institute in India, the Cultural, Scientific and Educational Department of the Embassy, inviteded around twenty Indian alumni who have pursued higher education in France in recent years. The invitees come from a variety of institutions like NEOMA Business School, Sciences Po Paris, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Institut Français du Petrole (IFP), ICN Business School, INSEAD and several other schools of excellence.
The event was hosted by Mrs Claire Thuaudet, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of France, on Thursday, 20th December 2018 at the Residence of France.
Bringing the alumni together in an informal setting and over Christmas celebrations was an occasion for the Embassy to interact more closely with its illustrious members. Having benefited from the French experience, the diverse alumni, who comprise a wide gamut of professions including scientists, professors, researchers, entrepreneurs - are now pursuing successful careers in their respective fields.
The Embassy’s goal is to create a vast, active and strongly-knit network of alumni in India, who would be ambassadors of French educational excellence, culture and lifestyle. The Embassy is, thus, promoting people-to-people ties and university exchanges. 7,500 Indians chose France in 2018. This number is expected to increase to 10,000 students annually by 2020. The network will also ensure that more job opportunities are available to its members by associating itself to the nexus of over 600 French companies active in India.
The Embassy of France in India launched France Alumni, an international network, in India two years ago in New Delhi. Since then, it has been working very closely with the network and together, they have created more opportunities to expand the network and make it a dynamic, efficient platform of opportunities.
French higher education system
The French higher education system, long recognised for its quality, has placed France among the top three most popular destinations in the world among international students. With its famous ‘Grandes Ecoles’ and reputed universities, its renowned management and business schools, France is at the educational heart of Europe. With 14 Fields Medals, France is a research, innovation and industrial powerhouse.
The number of Indian students going to France has risen significantly over recent years. Most of these students attend the over 1,300 courses taught in English in France, a number that is increasing every year.
An agreement between India and France allows Indian students to stay in France for two years after the completion of their academic programme to enable them to acquire professional experience. It also provides for a reciprocal arrangement for French students in India.
India and France signed and ratified an Agreement on the “Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications”, the first such agreement between India and another country. This is a great opportunity for students from both countries since both Governments will recognise their degrees.
The Embassy of France in India offered 500 scholarships to Indian students in 2017. These were granted under the flagship ‘Charpak’ programme for Master’s degrees and also via exchange semesters and research internships. French companies also offer scholarships to Indian students, including tuition fee waivers and a monthly stipend. The newly-established Franco-Indian Education Trust now provides scholarships in a variety of fields.