AgroParisTech Cements its Two-Star Rating in the “Bienvenue en France” Label
January 12 2024Awarded for a period of 4 years, the Bienvenue en France (“Welcome to France”) label showcases higher education institutions in France that have developed initiatives for hosting and supporting their international students. With two stars out of three, AgroParisTech’s internationalization strategy was already rewarded nearly two years ago. The experts from the label, who came to meet the teams this Fall, confirmed the renewal of the distinction awarded in 2021.
The Significance of the Label for AgroParisTech’s Internationalization Strategy
Recognizing that how an institution hosts its international students is key to promoting internationalization and making a higher-education institution appealing, the Bienvenue en France label involves, in particular:
- Promoting a welcoming culture within institutions;
- Being a trusted source for informing international students on the precise conditions in which they are hosted;
- Attesting to the quality of international orientation and hosting programs;
- Making institutions’ international orientation and hosting programs visible and promoting them;
The label thus serves as a tool to showcase and promote institutions vis-à-vis an international student population that has become increasingly demanding in terms of the conditions under which they are hosted.
A Self-Assessment Confirmed by the Label’s Experts
The “Bienvenue en France” label is awarded by Campus France on the basis of an online self-assessment of candidate institutions and the submission of appropriate supporting documents to substantiate the content of the assessment.
The particularly detailed and demanding self-assessment covers 5 areas, each of which is further broken down into 4 indicators, with particular significance being given to those that create a “Welcome Package”:
- Quality and accessibility of information;
- Quality and accessibility of student orientation programs;
- Accessibility and support for teaching;
- Accommodation and quality of life on campus;
- Post-graduation support and follow-up.
Campus France’s assessment of the indicators met by the institution and the quality of its responses determines not only whether the label is awarded, but also the level of excellence assessed in accordance with the label’s conditions. The experts were particularly pleased with the quality of the interviews and the projects designed to improve our admissions and integration policy, which reflect the positive approach AgroParisTech has adopted.