Programme helps French students get insights into Vietnamese culture
The “Tremplin pour le Vietnam” (Springboard to Vietnam) project - a collaboration between France's Paul-Valery Montpellier III University and the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has affirmed its role as a bridge to connect French young people with Vietnamese culture and language.
Initiated in 2019, the university education programme in Vietnamese language and culture, has garnered significant interest among French young people, with 20 students enrolling in the first course.
So far, the programme, operated under the special coordination of historian Pierre Journoud, a professor at Paul-Valery Montpellier III University, has trained nearly 100 students.
According to Prof. Journoud, the project is strongly supported by the French university and the Vietnamese Embassy in France. Its objective is to make Vietnam more popular among young French people and even older ones as this certificate is for those aged from 18 to 78.
The programme primarily focuses on education in Vietnamese history, culture, and language which serve as a common gateway to help learners understand more about Vietnam. In addition, it also covers economic, business and environmental topics, Journoud said.
In addition to in-class Vietnamese language and culture lessons, students also have chances to attend seminars or symposiums and engage in extracurricular activities to gain a deeper understanding of the Vietnamese community's presence in France.
The project is expected to contribute to further boosting the French–Vietnam cooperation, he added.
Holtzer Gérard, one of the oldest students in the programme, shared that he is especially interested in the programme.
“I enrol in the programme not only to learn the Vietnamese language but also to learn about history and sociology,” he said.
According to Dam Minh Thuy, head of the Faculty of French Language and Culture under ULIS, this programme provides young French people with an opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese culture, and offeres a valuable chance for Vietnamese French people to connect with their homeland.
