France Alumni Ghana platform launched

Mr Francois Pujolas, the French Ambassador to Ghana, on Wednesday launched the France Alumni Ghana platform and the maiden edition of the "Study in France Fair" in Accra.

Launching it Mr Pujolas said the France Alumni Ghana platform, was first of all valuable and a very important addition to the existing closed links in the field of academic cooperation between Ghana and France.

He said this cooperation does not stop at the door of the universities; stating that "We have to continue to develop tiers between people, between former students and students in France and that is the main purpose of this platform".

He used the opportunity also to emphasize on the importance of studying in France.

"The French educational system may be one of the least expensive but at the same time one of the best in the world," he said.

"And imagine in this region of yours, in West African context, a Ghanaian student with a knowledge of French with a French degree, what a competitive advantage for seeking a job," he added.

Mr Pujolas noted that French was also being spoken on all continents of the world.

He expressed the hope that hundreds of Ghanaian students would come and meet particularly the representatives of the schools at the ‘Study in France Fair’.

The Ambassador said: "We are celebrating this year, the 60th anniversary of Ghana's independence, as well as the 60th anniversary of the relation between our two countries - Ghana and France.

"The partnership which we enjoy is a global one, which means that it covers a wide range of issues from the political dialogue, security, business development, but also in the first line, culture, higher education and research; because in these areas we can find ways to prepare for the future."

Mr Olivier Chiche Portiche, the Director of Marketing and Scholarship, Campus France, said more than 120,000 alumni from all over the world had already subscribed to Campus France.

He said the Campus France Ghana, had already registered over 220 members, and still counting.

Mr Portiche said the Campus France platform would serve as a social tool to link up all present students studying and former students who had studied in France.

Mr Daniel Doe, the Coordinator, Campus France Ghana, expressed the hope that their membership would soon reach 800 plus.

The France Alumni Ghana platform seeks to bring together as many Ghanaian professionals who had lived, worked or studied in France before to form a body that would facilitate and enhance international economic, cultural and linguistic exchange among members on an immediate level, and to a greater extent, between Ghana and France.

Under this year’s umbrella initiative of “France and Ghana:1957-2017 moving forward together”, which marks 60 years of bilateral relations between the two countries, the French Embassy in Ghana in collaboration with Campus France and Institut Français is organising Study in France Fair in Accra and Kumasi.

The two-city educational Expo dubbed: "Study in France Fair 2017," would be held in Accra on Wednesday, October 4, at the Events Centre, One Airport Square, located behind Marina Mall at the Airport City.

This would be followed by the second event on Friday, October 6 at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The Fair in both cities would have representatives from all the top universities and tertiary institutions in France in attendance to answer questions from the participants.

It would also give insight into education in France, from courses of study, medium of tuition, admission requirements to scholarships.

There would also be spotlight seminars to give more information on specific offers by the different exhibiting institutions.