On the occasion of the French Presidency of the G20 and G8 and within the context of the programme of civil society actions, ACA member CampusFrance organised a meeting on international education in Paris on 9-10 May 2011 for the world’s eight leading host countries of international students. The meeting attracted high-level representatives from the national organisations in charge of academic mobility and student exchange from Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and United States. India, a top sending country of internationally mobile students, also participated in the event.

The meeting was officially opened on 10 May by Mr. Alain Juppé, Ministre d’Etat, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and by Ms. Valérie Pécresse, Minister of Higher Education and Research. During the first day of the meeting, each country presented its national priorities for the promotion and internationalisation of higher education. The second day focused on new strategies in internationalisation, looking at the two priority areas of policies for enhancing mobility in higher education and research, and national measures and institutional actions. The French Conference of University Presidents also presented the conclusions of the Global University Summit that it organised in Besançon on 28-30 April and in Paris on 5-7 May.

The meeting, which was the first of its kind, is set to become a regularly-held event. In 2012, the Institute of International Education (IIE), which was at the origin of the joint initiative with France, will be responsible for organising the event in the United States.

Ministry of Higher Education and Research

Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs