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​Alumni of French universities offered Schengen visa

Posted on by angelo
​Alumni of French universities offered Schengen visa

Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron addresses the celebrations at the embassy. At the event, it was announced that French graduates of master’s and doctoral programs are now eligible for Schengen visas. Niem Cheng

The French Embassy in Cambodia has announced that Schengen visas are now available for Cambodian alumni who have graduated from French universities with a Master’s or Doctorate degree.

The visa would allow them to travel freely across the 29 European countries recognized by the Schengen visa.

The announcement was made as the embassy hosted a reception for alumni on the evening of May 24. Present were Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron and around 500 alumni. This gathering took place as part of the second World Alumni Day in France.

Fabrice Etienne, charge d’affaires of the French embassy, ​​announced that the visas will be valid for one to five years and can also be offered to spouses and children of former students who have graduated from France.

For France, visas will allow former students and their families to stay in France for 90 days. Candidates can apply to TLScontact in Phnom Penh with a valid passport and a photocopy of their master’s or doctorate, and register on the France Alumni Cambodia website.

The France Alumni Cambodia network was launched in November 2015 and today has more than 900 alumni members.

According to the embassy, ​​France is a popular study destination; Every year, 150 Cambodian students go to study in France. Currently, more than 800 Cambodian students are continuing their studies there.

Around 500 Cambodian alumni of French higher education institutions gathered on May 24 at the French Embassy in Phnom Penh to mark the second World French Alumni Day. Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron (center) attended. Niem Cheng

Most of them benefit from scholarships from programs such as France Excellence, which welcomes around thirty students per year, the Excellence Eiffel program, which welcomes around ten students per year, the Erasmus + program, which welcomes around fifteen of students per year, and the DFMS/DFMSA medical scholarship. , which welcomes around 70 students per year.

In addition, some students from the Cambodian Digital Academy (CADT) were also sent to study in France.

Meas Len is a professor of mathematics at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, who studied in France for 5 years from 2012 to 2017 thanks to the PGSM (École Supérieure des Sciences Mathématiques de Paris) scholarship program.

He spent two years pursuing a master’s degree in mathematics in Paris and a further three years for his doctorate in the same specialty, in Nice.

He explained that he applied for the scholarship several times until he got it. The professor stressed that this scholarship is more competitive than those offered by the French government. He was the first Cambodian student to be accepted into the program.

Len encouraged those interested in receiving scholarships in France to develop a strong and solid foundation in their respective fields. Knowledge of French and English is also important, as some programs are bilingual.

“No matter what you want to study, it is important that you build a strong foundation in your field during your stay in Cambodia. This foundation firstly helps us get a scholarship; secondly, it makes us feel comfortable and under less pressure when we get to school,” he said.

According to the French Embassy, ​​France ranks third in the world for the fourth consecutive year in the academic ranking of world universities, known as the Shanghai Ranking. Several French educational establishments appear among the top 20 on the list.