Bordeaux Montaigne University is a Higher Education Institution and a Research center in the fields of Humanities, Social Sciences, Arts, Languages, Communication and information technology and journalism. Bordeaux Montaigne University brings together more than 16 000 students and 1 300 teaching and administrative staff.

As a laboratory for ideas, Bordeaux Montaigne University contributes to current scientific debates and works constantly to cultivate and nurture its fundamental values : independence, and freedom of thought. The university considers equality of opportunities to be one of its priority missions, and works permanently to perfect the courses it offers, and to support and guide its students towards success.

Through these values, Bordeaux Montaigne University seeks to follow in the path of Michel de Montaigne, by continuing to offer a university model that is distinctly human in its scope. In accordance with the values that have characterised it since its very establishment, the university seeks to be humanist, exploratory, polyglot, civic-minded, creative and digitally connected.

Bordeaux Montaigne University brochure (EN)

The Department of French as a foreign language (DEFLE – département des études du français langue étrangère) at Bordeaux Montaigne university has been welcoming students in exile since 2016. As our knowledge of the challenges faced by this population has grown so our programmes have sought to better integrate this disadvantaged and sometimes socially excluded group. The University is involved in the following projects and initiatives :

• the welcoming of doctoral students and teachers/researchers at risk in their country as part of the National Emergency Assistance Program for the Reception of Scientists in Exile (PAUSE) ;

• Since January 2017, specific programmes have been set up to enable exiled students to learn French in order to integrate degree courses in French universities and since September 2021, we offer a university diploma (diplôme universitaire passerelle) for the learning of FFL by refugees (60 places). This programme allows students not only to learn the host language but also to learn about French culture. During the programme the students are helped by a whole range of workshops which cover medical care, housing, financial and legal support. Students also receive individual help in language acquisition and concerning their studies and integration into mainstream courses at the end of their French language course ; 

• Bordeaux Montaigne university is member of the French nation-wide network MEns - Réseau MEnS (le réseau des établissements engagés pour l’accueil et l’accompagnement des étudiants et chercheurs en exil) and actively participates in meetings by taking action in higher education resilience in refugee crises. Therefore, Bordeaux Montaigne university is a signatory of the "COMMUNIQUE LIÉ À LA GUERRE EN UKRAINE” ;

• Our university works closely with the project manager in charge of the coordination of all projects linked to exiled students and researchers within the Nouvelle Aquitaine region (7 HEIs). The project manager works closely with the political representative for exiled students and researchers who is also the head of the DEFLE ;

• Bordeaux Montaigne has also welcomed two students enrolled in the project UNIV’R which allows students in refugee camps to integrate a master’s degree ;

• Our university also set up specific courses in order to welcome Ukrainian refugees and today 20 Ukrainians are enrolled in our university diploma.

Bordeaux Montaigne is one of the co-authors of the AGILE project.
Based on its former experiences in integrating refugees in higher education and on the creation of dedicated programmes, its academic and administrative staff will participate in most activities related to the analysis of the Higher education landscape with regard to refugees.

Contact : Baptiste COUE (project manager, International relations) baptiste.coue@u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr