The Fabulous World of Research in France┋#5: The Écoles françaises à l’étranger

What are Écoles françaises à l’étranger ?
Literally « French schools abroad » and created between 1846 and 1928, the Écoles françaises à l’étranger are a network of five institutions of higher education network, that develop basic research in the field. They have a triple mission of training, research and publishing in the human and social sciences. They welcome young doctorate or post-doctorate researchers, rely on a community of confirmed researchers and/or members (french or from abroad), and are very busy publishers.
How many écoles are there ?
There are five of them:
- French School at Athens
- École française de Rome
- French Institute of Oriental Archaeology at Cairo
- École française d’Extrême-Orient
- Casa de Velázquez in Madrid.
Three main goals and objectives
- Host students as well as researchers and scientific personalities, within the framework of their scientific programs (mainly social sciences and humanities).
- Cooperate with research or higher education bodies and contribute to the international scientific cooperation.
- Put at the disposal of researchers their documentary resources and favor access to other sources and archives.
But also…
- They develop collaboration and cooperation networks in the host countries which make them ambassadors of French research abroad.
- They welcome PhD students and post- PhD students: one-year members, trainees for archaeological excavations, etc.
- They develop research missions in various domains of the human and social sciences: archaeology, art history, philology, etc.
- They accommodate researchers to their siege or in off-site structures.
- They offer the opportunity to work in an international professional frame.
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Further reading
École française à l’étranger (E.F.E) Ministry of french Higher Education and Research website
Réseau des Écoles françaises de l’étranger (« french schools abroad network ») website