In liaison with the French Embassy in the United States of America, CampusFrance organised a workshop on Academic Innovation and Careers of the Future during NAFSA’s 60th annual conference in Washington D.C. in May 2008. Presentations were made by French and American representatives on three major themes: multicultural approaches and global challenges, multidisciplinary approaches and cross-curricular skills as well as space and communication systems, new skills, new careers. The aim of the workshop was to stimulate discussions between international partners and to identify good practice as well as to highlight examples of academic innovation including the use of new technologies, the enhancement of multicultural understanding and the development of cross-curricular skills.

The question of academic innovation and careers of the future is a key European issue at the heart of ongoing reflections, as illustrated by the New skills for new jobs EU initiative. An assessment of this first experience by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research is currently being carried out. If the conclusions are positive, a new and enlarged edition will be organised with Japanese institutions in December 2008 in Tokyo.

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