Student welfare and integration

Student welfare is needs based and tailored to individual needs. For example: international students requiring French languag lessons to support life “away from home” are provided with language courses out of class hours. As part of the service provided students are tested and attend the language class appropriate to needs assessed level. A system of class delegate exists for matters useful to class administration, and links campus administration staff and
participants on global issues focused on process issues rather than customisation/personal course content. An orientation week is provided for international students to help prepare for French administrative issues related to accommodation, visas, banking, and such like:

  • The Orientation Week introduces “pratical and survival language” and establishing oneself in Paris & Lille. Students learn the language or cultural skill in class then later in the day go and “use” it and review the lessons learned.
  • A mentor system also using “senior” students or the class delegate exists to ensure people from the same background, or culture receives support from colleagues who really understand the transitions required. It is also a chance to establish social skills and structures to offset initial feelings of “aloneness”.
  • Any student wishing to have personalised Career Counselling and job market/job change assistance at theoretical and practical levels are provided for and supported. This includes understanding the European, and especially the French, job and economic market as well as understanding the candidate’s abilities through a personalised Competency Assessment in order to make a match between the two. ESC Lille has an extensive online job search service to assist more personalized external searches through agencies and the web.