Macron Unveils: French President Emmanuel Macron, the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day parade, announced measures to boost the enrollment of Indian students in France. Macron expressed France’s ambitious goal of hosting over 30K Indian students by the end of this decade.
To facilitate this, Macron outlined plans to assist non-French-speaking students in attending French universities through the establishment of foreign classrooms.
Macron Unveils Initiatives
He emphasized the development of Alliances françaises and the creation of international classes to enable students with limited French proficiency to join French universities. Additionally, Macron pledged to streamline the visa process for former Indian students who had studied in France.
Addressing challenges faced by Indian students, Macron acknowledged the visa-related issues raised by Thierry Mathou, the Ambassador of France, last year. In response, Macron expressed France’s willingness to welcome Indian students and address such concerns.
In a significant development, Indian students holding a Master’s degree or above, who spent at least a semester studying in France, became eligible for a 5-year short-stay Schengen visa since last year.
This special provision aims to strengthen ties between Indian alumni and their French counterparts. Macron’s initiatives underscore France’s commitment to fostering educational collaboration and cultural exchange between the two nations.
The measures not only aim to enhance the academic experience for Indian students in France but also demonstrate a concerted effort to address practical challenges such as visa processes, ultimately fostering stronger ties between the two countries.
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