The many facets of collaboration with francophone countries in higher education and research

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The many facets of collaboration with
francophone countries in higher education and
research Pierre le Mire Professor, University
Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne) Director of the
Asia-Pacific office Agence universitaire de la
Francophonie
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Francophonie

• The  Francophonie  a French-speaking
  commonwealth
• IOF (International Organisation of the
  Francophonie) 70 states and governments 56
  members, 14 observers
• 5 organizations supporting the Francophonie
  worldwide
• TV5 International francophone channel
• Senghor university in Alexandria
• Association of Francophone mayors
• Parlementary assembly of the Francophonie
• And the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie
  (AUF)

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AUF

• Largest network of universities in the world with
  710 universities in 85 countries (34 members in
  Canada, 41 in Vietnam)
• Supports teaching or research projects between
  its members? (with French as the working language
  of the projects)
• Solidarity towards the universities in
  developping and emerging countries
• Most of the budget is coming from governmental
  sources (France, Belgium, Canada...) and not from
  the membership fees. The AUF can then offer more
  support to its members (2000 scholarships or
  grants a year, support for research projects and
  scientific conferences, etc.)
• The AuF is organized on the same model as a
  university, with a scientific council and and
  administrative council. Both of them have a
  canadian president (Mmr Christine Colin and Mr
  Yves Fontaine).
• In each region, there is a local network of
  Rectors and Presidents of the members
  universities. In Asia-Pacific the CONFRASIE meet
  once every two years.

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AUF in Asia

• 67 members in Asia (41 in Vietnam, 9 in Cambodia,
  4 in Thailand, 3 in Laos and China, 1 in India, 1
  in Fiji, etc.)
• Goal to include in the network universities
  from Malaysia, India, Australia, Japan, to foster
  a regional cooperation in French among our
  members.
• 120 people are working for the AUF in Asia main
  office in Hanoï, with 4 local offices (Vientiane,
  Phnom Penh, Port-Vila and Ho Chi Minh-city) and 8
  Francophones digital campuses
• The AUF is established in Asia and the Pacific
  since 1993. It has a long-term involvment in
  supporting universities in the region.

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AUF in Vietnam

• In Vietnam since 1993, main office in Hanoi for
  the Asia-Pacific region
• Supports 36 bilingual bachelor programs and 8
  master programs (taught fully in French). More
  than 4000 vietnamese students are enrolled in
  these programs, hundreds of bachelor thesis
  submitted in French every year.
• Helps research cooperation, scientific
  conferences, distance learning, etc.
• More than 200 grants for students and academics
  in Asia and the Pacific

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Francophonie in Vietnam today

• 3 countries in Asia are members of the
  Francophonie (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam)? and one
  is an observer (Thailand)
• However, most of the population do not speak
  French 1-3 of the population speaks French,
  mostly the older generations
• Programs for a small group of people to creat a
  Francophone elite (lawyers, engineers,
  physicians, etc.)
• Bilingual programs in High school 18 000 pupils
  (2000 / year)
• At university level 3 bachelor degrees fully
  taught in French (programs of the Embassy of
  France, but with high tuition fees), 36 bilingual
  bachelor programs supported by the AUF in public
  universities in Vietnam with more than 4000
  students.
• The bilingual programs at university level
  attract mainly student who are beginners in
  French (only 5 of the students are from the
  bilingual high schools)

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Francophonie in Vietnam our policy

• Goal support the development of the bilingual
  bachelor programs by making them more attractive
  to the students (double degree, introduction of
  new courses especially english language classes,
  etc.)
• Development of new programs at master and
  doctoral level to match the demand
• Important to have a continuity in the Francophone
  offer in higher education (a student who finishes
  a bilingual BA has to have the choice to go to a
  Francophone master program).
• Already 8 local Francophone masters programs
  supported by the AUF (law, IT, physics,
  chemistry, psychology, architecture, etc.) with
  diploma from an european university.

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Opportunities for partnerships

• The AUF is very open to any partnership
• Works with
• Embassies and delegations of French speaking
  countries or governments (Wallonie-Bruxelles,
  France, etc.)
• French speaking research organizations (IRD,
  CNRS, CIRAD, etc.)

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Projects and supports

• Student and staff mobility more than 1 million
  euros / year in Asia-Pacific for regional (25)
  or international (75) mobility. Very few
  students and teachers go to Canada (high fees,
  lack of involvement of Canadian universities in
  our programs in Asia-Pacific)
• Joint research programs Call for application
  once every 2 years, for a 2 years funding.
• Support for scientific conferences
• Support to attend a scientific conference abroad

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For a new cooperation with the Canadian
universities

• Even though there are 34 Canadian universities
  with an AUF membership, most of them do not
  participate in our programs in Asia and the
  Pacific.
• Only 2 Canadian universities in the consortium
  to support the bilingual bachelor programs (45
  French universities and 4 Belgium universities)
• Only 1,24 of our grants in Asia-Pacific help
  students go to Canada (70 to France, 21 to
  Vietnam in the master programs)
• The Canadian-Vietnamese academic cooperation does
  not take full advantage of the AUF programs.

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Opportunities for cooperation

• The AUF will welcome a stronger involvement of
  Canadian Universities in our programs.
• Grants / scholarships master and PhD (for PhD
  the additional fees for foreign students can be
  waived for most students going to Quebec with an
  AUF scholarship due to a special agreement
  between the AUF and Quebec)
• Bilingual programs a new call for application
  is open until 15 January 2010 for the 2010-2014
  consortium

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Opportunities for cooperation

• New projects Calls for application are
  launched regularly for new teaching or research
  projects, preferably developed by, at least, 3
  universities from various countries and
  continents.
• How to know more about the AUF www.auf.org and
  www.auf.org/regions/asie-pacifique
• E-newsletter every 2 weeks.

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Conclusion

• AUF a well-established organization in Asia and
  the Pacific
• Open to more countries with the goal of creating
  a regional Francophone dynamic
• Open to more involvment of Canadian universities
• The Francophonie is one of the tools which may
  support the developement of the scientific
  community and higher education institutions in
  Asia and the Pacific