The Université Catholique de Lille awarded the “Welcome to France” label

France is committed to providing an increasingly high-quality welcome for its international students!

A fundamental issue in the internationalisation and attractiveness of higher education, the quality of the welcoming of international students has become essential for French institutions. In order to welcome them as well as possible, the creation of a strategy and a “Welcome to France” label has made it possible to distinguish those who have implemented real measures to guarantee the best “arrival” and the best follow-up for these students.

Today, this label has become a real opportunity to highlight and promote the French welcome culture throughout the world.

Different objectives have been defined in order to provide optimal reception conditions for each foreign student who comes to study in France. The aim is not only to inform them about the reception conditions in their future institutions, but also to attest of their quality.

Indeed, when they arrive in their new faculty, international students have many needs. Having to get used to another country, another way of life, another way of doing their studies can be stressful. Therefore, the quality and accessibility of the information and the welcoming facilities, but also support in teaching, accommodation and quality of life on campus, as well as post-graduation follow-up, are essential elements which need to be implemented and constantly improved throughout the years.

The Université Catholique de Lille was there when it came time to start the labelling process and prove its strengths in terms of hospitality. Internationalisation is clearly part of its DNA, along with student welfare.

Established on the basis of an online self-assessment by the institution, but also via the compilation of a file with arguments, and of course, a visit to the institution by independent experts, the awarding of this label was also subject to an independent commission ruling on its level.

To date, 189 French higher education institutions are involved in this process and 138 have been awarded the label for a renewable period of 4 years.

It is with great pride that the Université Catholique de Lille has been awarded this label.