Already awarded 2 stars in the Bienvenue en France label in 2019 for the quality of its welcome services for international students, Aix-Marseille Université stood out for the richness of its renewal file and was awarded the third star by the Campus France label commission in March 2024. While the International Relations Department, which submitted the application, can be proud of this excellent result, it is the work of the entire AMU team that has been rewarded.
At the heart of our success: new ways to welcome international students
Following the award of the Bienvenue en France seed fund, the DRI created a new Welcome and Attractiveness unit in 2021. The newly-formed team, working in close collaboration with all the DRIs on campus and the IR Departments in the various departments, set about refining and perfecting the range of services available to international students, whether on individual or supervised mobility programs. Today, each of these two groups is offered support prior to their arrival in France, during their studies at AMU and after graduation. In fact, Campus France has pointed out the marked progress made by the establishment in areas such as :
| All the information they need to prepare their stay in France can be found on the university website. |
| Webinars on preparing to come to France are offered in the spring. |
| A thematic online helpdesk has been set up to help students with any questions they may have. |
| The back-to-school multi-service counters have been redesigned in a hybrid format, with stands open to all, followed by appointments for personalized assistance. |
Highlighting a rich and generous ecosystem of student services
But beyond the services strictly reserved for international students, Campus France appreciated the modernity of AMU's student life and the possibility for international students to find their place and the support they may need.
In this respect, the student health center, part of whose medical staff is able to receive students in English, was particularly appreciated, as was the network of Étudiants Relais-Santé and the SPRE. The jury was also impressed by AMU's inclusive approach to disability, in particular the Mission Handicap and the Sport & Handicap scheme.
Tools such as the Pacte'AMU for access to culture, the commitment bonus for CSRD projects, access to French as a foreign language courses and the diversity of digital tools offered to students in their university careers convinced the label committee that Aix-Marseille Université should be awarded the top mark for the Bienvenue en France label.
Finally, our institution's ongoing commitment to providing collective responses to the various global crises of our time underscores the strong political support that underpins the vitality of our university. Examples include the total exemption of Ukrainian and Lebanese students from tuition fees, the continued welcome extended to international students in times of pandemic, or the creation of a bridging DU for refugee students...
AMU is therefore confident that it will be able to display its three stars for the next 5 years, but aware that there is still much to be done. The DRI's next objective is to strengthen its close links with users, as close as possible to them, on campus. The Maison de l'Etudiant (Student Centre), a major campus project with which we are associated, will once again demonstrate our determination to place student well-being at the heart of our priorities.