« I am honored to be among the five Nigerian scholars chosen for the esteemed French Embassy's French+Science program, out of a pool of 400+ talented candidates. This prestigious international scholarship has afforded me the opportunity to engage with a global community of thought leaders and change-makers in the realm of sustainable development. Through immersive workshops and expert training, I have gained cutting-edge knowledge in agriculture, renewable energy, sustainable Housing and climate change, equipping me to contribute meaningfully to the global sustainable development agenda. Moreover, acquiring proficiency in the French language has expanded my cultural competency and enabled me to connect with a broader international community. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to CIRAD Research center,Université de Montpellier,Accent Francais French Language School, and Enercoop, Stéphanie Checa. for their invaluable contributions to our knowledge and experience. Their expertise and support have been instrumental in making this program a success. This experience has been a defining moment in my life, fostering invaluable connections with intellectual peers from diverse backgrounds and fortifying my resolve to drive positive impact in the world. I am deeply grateful to the French Embassy In Nigeria, Campus France Nigeria, and all the partner institutions for this life-changing opportunity, and I look forward to leveraging this experience to create a lasting legacy in the realm of sustainable development. »

« With the warmest of salutations, I am immensely proud to announce that over the last month, I have been part of an amazing program: the French + Sciences Program, sponsored by Campus France and Accent Francais French Language School in collaboration with ENTERCOOP . I was honored to be one of the selected students to receive a full scholarship from TotalEnergies. This program was nothing short of a surreal experience. We had the chance to learn French in the magnificent city of Montpellier while delving into the environmental sustainability facets of the city through a series of lectures, workshops, and site visits led by inspiring instructors. Let me take you on a deep dive into some of the incredible areas we had the utmost pleasure of exploring: 1. Montpellier as a Pedestrian City: Montpellier's extensive tramway network plays a crucial role in making a gradual transition to sustainability without disturbing the city's stability and historical charm. During the first week of the program, we discussed the meticulous planning involved in housing development. This included an introduction to co-housing, highlighted by a site visit that showcased how Montpellier is galvanizing people in the new wave of housing. 2. Solar Energy and Agroforestry: In the second week, we had two significant milestones. First, we learned about the culture of solar energy in Montpellier, led by an intelligent team of engineers and entrepreneurs. They demonstrated the importance of transitioning to a net-zero energy grid system, emphasizing that change starts with citizens. Additionally, we explored agroforestry in France. Farming, a leading industry in France, needs to be appropriately integrated with the new sustainable policies inaugurated by the French government. Given that France is the world's largest producer of wine, this was a crucial and fruitful discussion during our stay in Montpellier. 3. Corporate Sustainability Initiatives: In the last week, we visited various places to see the sustainable progress made by large corporations since the Paris Agreement. We had the chance to visit CIRAD, where we saw their genetics testing laboratories and numerous greenhouses. We also visited the Château de Restinclières, known for its phenomenal natural heritage and environmental diversity. The different experiments we observed and analyzed highlighted the importance of agricultural research and development, emphasizing efforts to achieve environmental restoration without infringing on farmers' rights. Overall, I extend my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who contributed to making this unforgettable journey a memorable one filled with informative sessions and great discoveries. I thank all the people I met during this program for making it exceptional. And last but not least, thank you, Montpellier, for leaving a longstanding impression on me. »

« I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the 2024 French & Sciences Programme organized by Campus France France in Montpellier🇫🇷🌿. This immersive experience encompassed a diverse range of activities, from engaging sessions on sustainable development with Enercoop to exploring the rich cultural and environmental heritage of Montpellier and its surroundings. Achieving an A1 level in Accent Francais French Language School at Accent Francais French Language School added a new dimension to my ability to connect and communicate in this vibrant city. I owe immense thanks to Stéphanie Checa for her exceptional leadership in orchestrating such a transformative program. Meeting and collaborating with talented individuals from 14 countries further enriched my journey, fostering a deep exchange of knowledge and cultural perspectives. Representing UAE🇦🇪 during this program was a privilege that allowed me to share our cultural richness while gaining profound insights into sustainable development. I am inspired to apply these learnings in advancing innovations in housing, energy, and agriculture. This experience has not only left me with cherished memories but also with a global network of passionate individuals committed to shaping a sustainable future. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Khalifa University for their ongoing support throughout my journey. Their consistent guidance and encouragement have been essential in shaping my accomplishments and personal development. »

« I am delighted to share that I have successfully completed the French + Science program, a journey made possible by the generous scholarship from the Embassy of France Singapore and Campus France. Blending my love for the French language with my intrigue into sustainability science, this experience has been transformative and these are some of the takeaways that I hold dearly to me. 🌏 Developed a deeper understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships between human activities and climate impacts through Climate Fresk organised by the Université de Montpellier. 🌱 Investigated the future of agriculture in France, focusing on innovative solutions like agroforestry and sustainable farming practices with CIRAD. 🧱 Delved into the circular economy in construction, particularly the reuse of building materials, calculating environmental benefits and understanding life cycle analyses at Pôle REALIS. ⚡️ Learned about the challenges of the energy transition and engaged in the hands-on installation of photovoltaic systems facilitated by Enercoop. 🇫🇷 Took immersive French lessons at Accent Francais French Language School, attaining an A2 CEFR European Level, which enhanced my ability to communicate and immerse myself in French culture. 🫂 Met peers from around the world, engaging in conversations enriched by diverse perspectives, and cherishing the friendships formed along the way. Throughout the program, I have gained valuable knowledge, developed new skills, and met inspiring individuals who have enriched my journey. I am deeply grateful to Ambassade de France à Singapour as well as Campus France for this incredible opportunity. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Stéphanie Checa for her dedication towards ensuring the smooth organisation of the program as well as Félix Anthonysamy for his invaluable help in coordinating my trip. I look forward to applying what I have learnt in the next steps of my career to create a lasting impact in the sustainable development sphere! »

« 🌍 I am thrilled to share my recent experience participating in the French + Sciences Program, focused on the theme of hashtag#SustainableDevelopment. 🇫🇷As a recipient of the generous 'French + Sciences Scholarship' awarded by The Embassy of France in Portugal , I had the privilege of spending one month in the beautiful city of hashtag#Montpellier. 📖This unique program integrated intensive French language courses with scientific workshops, conferences, and hands-on experiences revolving around the themes of renewable energy, resilient agriculture and sustainable housing. 🌿Highlights included my A1-level French language courses at Accent Francais French Language School, the Climate Fresco and 'Resilient Agriculture Week, particularly the workshop and site visits on the topic of hashtag#agroforestry, visiting CIRAD and learning about their work in agricultural research and international development in the Global South was fantastic. 📖Participating in the French + Sciences Program has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, presenting the perfect opportunity to explore the convergence of my areas of study. This experience has provided me with a clearer vision of my role in promoting sustainable development and maintaining crucial international links. I am eternally grateful to the Embassy of France in Portugal and Campus France for entrusting me with this scholarship and coordinating my trip. A special thank you to Stéphanie Checa and her team at Accent Francais, who went above and beyond in organising every detail of this outstanding program, from our French language courses to our weekend excursions - we all appreciate your hard work. 🌟Thank you to all those at Enercoop, particularly Juliane H., and the University of Montpellier for facilitating engaging scientific sessions and opening the doors to future study. ❤️Finally, I would like to thank all of the other students (31 students from 14 countries) in the course, who I am lucky to now call my friends. The hashtag#multidisciplinary and multicultural insights you brought to our discussions added an invaluable extra dimension to this learning experience, and I cannot wait to see where this course takes you! I was very proud to represent Portugal through all this journey. Thank you so much! »

« I am immensely grateful to have been able to participate in a French + Science program in Montpellier with cohorts from around the globe! 🌍 This amazing opportunity was made possible with a scholarship from the French embassy in Norway and Campus France. The program contained enriching conferences, workshops and hands-on experiences, both in French and sustainable development. The perfect blend of the two things that I am passionate about. 🤝🏽 Even though the overall experience was life changing, these are my key takeaways: 🇫🇷An astonishing learning environment at Accent Francais French Language School with all thanks to my amazing teacher - Justine - and fellow students, made learning smooth sailing. The classes were both engaging and interactive, challenging myself further. My A2 level certificate is truly a testimony of my progression in French. ⚡️Climate fresco taught us the relation between human activities and its dreadful consequences on our planet. In addition to visiting CIRAD - laboratories with a speciality in French agricultural research and international cooperation organisation for the sustainable development of tropics and Mediterranean regions. Our energy sources are abundant, and the demand for green energy is increasing with time. 🌿In the spirit of the green shift, we installed photovoltaic panels ourselves with guidance from Enercoop. Renewable energy, sustainable housing and agriculture were the topics covered at Enercoop and CIRAD 👥Exchange of ideas and perspectives with my cohorts have made my stay in Montpellier more fulfilling. Every activity and excursions to Pezenas and Aix-en-Provence, organized by Stéphanie Checa was an opportunity to learn the culture as well as the people I surrounded myself with everyday. Memories have been made and friendships have been established. Thank you all for making it memorable. Wilson Lo Diego Figueira Elysia Tong Uchchita Joshi Afekogena Cokerson Phinehas Timothy Hana Al-Assaf Elizabeth Rakhi Baby Jesline Yu Sarah Raiser Ava Bush Lucy Tompson Hanna Lein-Mathisen Sebastian Warncke-Wang Mohammed Usman Lawan Merin Sara Mathew Ashelee Wong Ruth Zewdu Abdi Sandra Taskovic Hamda Almenhali Lana Hatabeh Karajah Shama Alnuaimi Fatima Alhashmi. Overall, this program has been an unforgettable experience. I am now feeling more confident tackling climate crisis, the best way I know, with biotechnology/biomedicine. 🧬This program is definitely, without doubt, something I recommend everyone who is interested in challenging themselves to excel in French, as well as creating equality and livable conditions for us all. Thank you again for everyone who made this possible🫶🏾 »

« I’ve had the absolute joy of participating in the French+Sciences Programme this June, an opportunity possible upon being awarded the France Excellence Summer School Scholarship. This 3 week programme was the best of both worlds, combining Sustainable Development and French language. It brought together 31 students of 14 different nationalities to the lovely city of Montpellier in France. 🧐☀️ The Sustainable Development component focused on hashtag#renewableenergy, hashtag#sustainableagriculture and hashtag#sustainablehousing, gathering inter-disciplinary experts like engineers, scientists, academics and entrepreneurs to collectively explore what a kinder world looks like. What really stood out to me was the varied modalities of lessons - a combination of seminars, workshops and fields trips ensured our newly accrued knowledge would go beyond just the theoretical. Some highlights: 🌳Ventured out onto hashtag#agroforestry experiment sites, analysing the nuances of agro-ecological solutions. 🧫Visited the laboratories of CIRAD and learnt about the cutting-edge technology contributing to hashtag#climateresilient crop production. 🌻Installed hashtag#photovoltaic panels on a citizen-owned energy production site, experiencing first-hand the accessibility of DIY solar panel kits. 🏡Visited the Equinox-Ecoé Residence, a sustainable housing facility co-owned and managed by residents (an hashtag#inclusive community across family structures, gender and age). In wondering how such implemented solutions could look like back home, I went down rabbit holes on initiatives like vertical farming, food sustainability, sustainable construction/architecture and solar energy in Singapore. Sharing how hashtag#sustainabledevelopment looked back home was a natural course of action and hearing from my peers were at times relatable (Hong Kong with space constraints; Indonesia with heatwaves), other times enlightening. 🧐🗣️The other half of my time was well-spent with Accent Francais French Language School, taking A1 French lessons in small class sizes that ensured we were speaking/reading/writing/listening from day 1. While I had taken a semester of French in NTU, this was a different ball game entirely! Being immersed in a french-speaking environment meant I had more opportunities to put my learnings to the test, even if it meant tripping over my words like a toddler… 🤘🏼Looking back, this was a clear reflection of the opportunities I seek that feed my curiosity - be it experiencing cultures, learning new ways of communication or alternatives for building a kinder world. With 2024 demarcated as the France-Singapore Joint Year of Sustainability, it was timely being part of this programme and I look forward to being a conduit of future initiatives enhancing relations between both nations. 🇫🇷🇸🇬 »

« Euphoric to share that I was the recipient of 'French + Sciences Scholarship 2024' for the theme #SustainableDevelopment by the French Embassy in India. For this I spent the last month in the very beautiful, sunny, southern French city of hashtag#Montpellier! The program included french language training along with scientific courses, conferences and site visits revolving around 3 major sustainability areas: housing, energy and agriculture. As an architect turned designer who wants to pursue a career in academia, I am so humbled and at the same time overjoyed to have received this amazing opportunity in form of a crucial stepping stope. And also to be one of the only two people (+ Merin Sara Mathew) representing hashtag#India at the program this year. (31 scholars from 14 countries). This taught me course-related things, yes, but most importantly it taught me that one can learn simply by being. Being in a new context, being open to new ideas and being the midst of many talented souls from all over the world driven by the same singular passion for the future of the planet. I am eternally grateful to French Embassy in India / Ambassade de France en Inde, Campus France and Rajni Bachwani Ma'am for entrusting me with a scholarship yet again and for helping me reach France smoothly even though the time was short. National Institute of Design and Shilpa Das for always having my back and for believing in me. To Accent Francais French Language School and Stéphanie Checa: I cannot thank you enough for helping with the transition (especially in my case where I just had a week), organising and coordinating everything so immaculately along with excursions and events! Justine Lisa Schmitt Pour avoir été le meilleur professeur de langue de tous les temps et pour avoir été si patient tout au long ! :) Juliane Huber and Enercoop for organising the scientific part so well. It was so stimulating to interact with different speakers and do hands on things :) And lastly to Université de Montpellier for opening doors to future opportunities. In India, as a scholarship alumni, I also had the pleasure of being an invitee for an evening soirée at the residence of Consulate General of France in Mumbai (Mr. Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet) I have returned with a deep reverence for the Indo-French ties, a clear idea of my role in sustainable future, a shift of perspective, multicultural friendships and an A2 level in French. I hope to use this learning in every step of my future journey. »

« I am thrilled to announce that I was recently awarded the prestigious 2024 French+Sciences Scholarship by Institut Français du Portugal. This incredible opportunity allowed me to spend three weeks in Montpellier, a renowned city for its scientific research focused on sustainable development. In addition, I was fortunate to be part of a diverse group of students, from 15 different countries, which enriched my experience and broadened my cultural understanding. Here are some of the program's highlights: · Mastering the Basics of French: Thanks to the excellent Stéphanie Checa and Accent Francais French Language School, I completed my A1 French language certificate, which motivated me to learn French even more. · Climate Change Impact: Gained a deeper understanding of human impact on climate change through the Université de Montpellier's Climate Fresk Workshop. · Sustainable Agriculture: I explored the future of French agriculture with CIRAD, focusing on innovative solutions like agroforestry and sustainable practices. Moreover, these sessions included visits to some outstanding laboratories related to my field, biochemistry. · Circular Construction: Learned about the circular economy in construction at Pôle REALIS, including material reuse and life cycle analysis. · Renewable Energy: Explored energy transition challenges with Enercoop and participated in hands-on photovoltaic system installation. A big thank you to the Institut Français du Portugal for awarding this generous scholarship! And a special thanks to Madeleine Gal, Julie Peigné and Campus France for organising the details of my scholarship. This experience in Montpellier has been truly transformative, and I'm excited to take these learnings and newfound connections with me in my future endeavours! hashtag#France hashtag#Sustainability hashtag#Science hashtag#FrenchLanguage hashtag#Montpellier »

« Glad to share that I was awarded the 2024 French+Sciences Scholarship by Campus France. This incredible opportunity allowed me to spend three weeks in Montpellier, one of the largest cities in southern France. Along with an amazing group of friends from 15 countries around the world, I had a transformative experience learning French and exploring sustainable development. Some highlights of the program included: 1. Visiting an experimental farm in southern France to learn about their innovative initiatives to combat climate change. 2. Touring a sustainable housing community where residents play an active role, and learning about pioneering sustainable building material projects. 3. Diving deeper into the benefits of solar power and other renewable energy solutions. 4. Gaining a stronger understanding of climate change, including its causes and impacts, through the Climate Fresk workshop based on IPCC research. 5. Visiting CIRAD to learn more about their cutting-edge research initiatives. In addition to these sustainable development activities, I completed an intensive three-week French language course that provided an immersive cultural experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the program, especially the time spent exploring Montpellier and nearby cities like Toulouse, Marseille, and Pézenas with my new international friends. This will be an unforgettable experience as someone dedicated to contributing to sustainable urban development and climate resilience. I'm incredibly grateful to Campus France and the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau for selecting me for this amazing scholarship, as well as everyone that makes this happen like Stéphanie Checa from Accent Francais French Language School and Juliane from Enercoop and Université de Montpellier. I hope to revisit the Occitanie region in the future. »