The UAB and the French institute sign an agreement to foster language and cultural activities
The UAB and the French Institute of Barcelona signed a framework agreement to strengthen collaborations between the two organisations, particularly in the area of culture. This agreement includes the promotion of language certificates DELF/DALF (general and advanced language diplomas awarded by the French Ministry for education), and the launch of an annual cycle of film projections at reduced prices for UAB students interested in becoming members of the French Institute's multimedia library.
The official signing of the agreement, which took place on 24 January, included the presence of UAB Rector Javier Lafuente; Vice Rector for International Relations Màrius Martínez; French Consul General in Barcelona Olivier Ramadour; and Deputy Director of the French Institute of Barcelona Max Vasseur.
The UAB thus strengthens its relation with the French language and culture, with which it has been closely related during the more than 50 years since the founding of the University. The Faculty of Translation and Interpreting offers programmes in French and the Faculty of Arts & Humanities includes a Department of French and Romance Studies which is in charge of all academic, research and knowledge transfer activities.
The UAB, jointly with the UB, offers the only French Philology programme in Catalonia, which is also undergoing a deep renovation for the next 2022/23 academic year: the new Bachelor's Degree in French Language and Cultural Studies, which will substitute the current degree in French Studies. The new academic programme is better tailored to the needs of the labour market, and strengthens not only students' skills in the French language, but also in cultural aspects, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary fields to help students acquire solid skills in a broad range of subjects (sociology, philosophy, etc.).
The UAB, also offers a joint bachelor's degree, Dret + Droit, organised with the University of Toulouse, and different master's degree and Erasmus Mundus programmes with other French institutions. And the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées of Toulouse also works in collaboration with the UAB and the ECIU University, and European alliance of universities from 12 different countries that is an innovative project on internationalised, flexible and challange-based training applied to the resolution of specific social problems.
Not only that, but the UAB also contains over 200 international exchange agreements allowing students to enrol in mobility programmes in France and other French-speaking countries. French students are also one of the most abundant groups each year among the UAB's Erasmus students, and French universities are some of the most sought out institutions for UAB students interested in participating in an Erasmus programme abroad.
When it comes to research, the UAB is involved in 139 projects conducted jointly with research centres in France. The UAB also hosted the first scientific, cultural and plurilingual collaborations meeting of the Euroregion Pyrenees-Mediterranean. In cultural terms, the Department of French and Romance Studies launched the Mots Passants Award, which for 20 years was awarded to the creation of written texts and audiovisual pieces in French by students from all educational phases; and initiatives such as the Pedagogical Sessions on Teaching in French in Spain, with the participation of teachers from all over Spain, and the Batxibac Sessions, for students studying in French in Catalonia and enrolled in the double Spanish-French diploma programme.
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