23 March 2015 - The Philippine Embassy in Paris conducted an orientation seminar for Filipino students in France on March 13. The seminar was attended by Filipino students from various French universities such as Sciences Po, Institut Français de la Mode, ESMOD Paris, Ecole de maquillage Fleurimon, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle and Novancia Business School, among others.

The Philippine Ambassador to France Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro welcomed the students and briefed them on the visit to France of President Benigno S. Aquino III in September 2014 and on the recent visit of President François Hollande to the Philippines last February.

Ambassador Lazaro also mentioned the agreements which were signed during both visits relating to education, such as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Higher Education and Research and the MOU between the Development Academy of the Philippines and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration.

Ambassador Lazaro said that these high-level visits were a sign that France was now paying attention to the Philippines and that one of the best ways to sustain this is through people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

“People-to-people exchanges can best be promoted through education and you are the best means for the Philippines to promote itself in France”, Ambassador Lazaro told the students.

An open forum provided an opportunity for the students to ask questions ranging from consular matters, trade and investment opportunities, the political situation in the Philippines and internship opportunities in France.

Over 60 cooperation agreements exist between Philippine and French academic institutions. According to the French Embassy in Manila, over 300 Filipino students come to France every year for pursue further education in various fields such as business and finance, fashion, political science, international relations, gastronomy and the French language, among others.  END