The University of Kent in Paris and the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) have committed to enhancing the learning experience in Paris for both their student bodies by working more closely together, particularly during these challenging times of Covid-19 and at the end of the Brexit transition period.
Both institutions are the only UK universities to have academic centres in Paris and offer a unique opportunity to UK and international students seeking to gain the intellectual experience of living and studying in the city.
Through their new cooperation agreement, students at both institutions will benefit from greater resource sharing and linked activities between the two universities and their student societies. They will also have access to a wider social network and shared knowledge on the practical approaches to living and studying in Paris.
For the universities, they will deliver joint seminars and lectures, explore the synergies of research engagement across the two institutions, and cooperate on the delivery of quality education during a globally uncertain time.
The first joint event will be a discussion between the Cameroon film-maker Jean-Marie Teno and African cinema specialist Melissa Thackway, with a showing of Teno’s documentary film ‘Afrique, je te plumerai / Africa, I will fleece you’ (1992), examining colonialism and Cameroon’s War of Independence. It will take place on 21 October, as part of Black History Month.
The agreement was signed by Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, Kent’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Strategy, Planning and Performance, and Dr Tim Gore, Chief Executive Officer of the University of London Institute in Paris. Together with Professor Jeremy Carrette, Kent’s Dean for Europe, they said:
‘This is an exciting adventure to bring together our UK-based educational experiences in Paris and we are looking forward to the new opportunities it will bring for our respective institutions. We have frequently worked together in a number of ways over the past few years to provide our students with life-changing experiences and opportunities. Through our new agreement we will be able to improve our offer through the sharing of resources, local knowledge and support. It will enhance the student experience and enrich their time in one of the most exciting European cities for art, literature and culture.’
Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture is a specialist postgraduate centre offering advanced, flexible degrees across the arts, including in architecture, history of art, film, drama and literature. Its modules were designed to capitalise on the city’s vast heritage and culture. Established in 2010, the School is based in Columbia Global Center‘s Reid Hall in the district of Montparnasse.
The University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) traces its history as a centre of Franco-British academic friendship back to the end of the 19th century. It became an Institute of the University of London in 1970. The campus is located in the 7th Arrondissement, home to many of Paris’s most famous cultural landmarks. Its activity in Paris includes an interdisciplinary undergraduate programme in French Studies, International Politics and Cultural Studies; a post graduate community and a lively research and public seminar programme. ULIP has a number of active partnerships in particular with Queen Mary University of London; King’s College London and Goldsmiths University of London.
Prof Jeremy Carrette interviewed by the BBC in Reid Hall