The French Embassy celebrates the first World Alumni Day by highlighting Alumni’s talents
The French Embassy in Nigeria and Campus France Nigeria organized France Alumni Day on 24th May 2023. France Alumni Day celebrates international graduates of French higher education and their career paths through a day of events organized by the French Embassies and Campus France offices around the world.
Since the opening of the Campus France Nigeria office in Abuja in 2011, then with its branch in Lagos, the number of Nigerian students applying to French higher education institutions has only increased to reach over 1,000 Nigerian students currently in France.
The France Alumni network was set up in November 2014, at the initiative of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Managed by the Campus France Agency, it brings together more than 370,000 members and 3,500 partners in 129 countries, including Nigeria. In Nigeria, the alumni network has over 500 members, 440 of whom are registered on the France Alumni platform.
For this first edition in Nigeria, the event was held at the Residence of France, located in Abuja, during the evening of Wednesday 24 May 2023. Nearly 500 people were invited. The event brought together alumni of French higher education institutions, language assistants, three of the nine laureates of the new France Excellence in Computer Science scholarship launched last March, alumni of the Alliances Françaises in Nigeria, members of the NSAF and the Center for Management Development. The event also provided an opportunity to put these alumni in touch with representatives of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund and TETFUND, key partners in university and scientific cooperation.
The event, entitled "France Alumni Talent Celebration Night", showcased the talents of former students of French higher education. Four of these alumni came forward to showcase their skills. At the end of the presentation, the alumni were able to share their experiences in France, and discussions continued over a cocktail reception to forge strong links within the Alumni France Nigeria network.