The French Embassy in Bangladesh and Campus France Bangladesh (French government Agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and international mobility) brought students the opportunity to interact directly with top French institutions for the very first time in Bangladesh through France's biggest education fair: Choose France Tour – First Edition. Having partnered with Alliance Française de Chittagong, Alliance Française de Dhaka, and Erasmus+, this event took place on September 25 and 27 in Chattogram and Dhaka respectively.  

The Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, Her Excellency Mrs Marie Masdupuy attended the event as the chief guest. Mathilde Mallet, Head of Asia Department at Campus France was also in attendance as the special guest.

Representatives from prominent business schools of France such as Audencia Business School, Emlyon Business School, ESDES School of Business and Management, IÉSEG School of Management, and Rennes School of Business as well as renowned engineering schools such as École Centrale d'Électronique (ECE), Écoles d'ingénieur-es généralistes - ESIGELEC, and Institut Mines-Télécom alongside the prestigious art and design school École Conté Paris, and the famous public university Sciences-Po were present at the event.

There was also a stand for general information on higher studies in France that hosted more than 3,500 public and private institutes of higher education. These fairs provide opportunity for students to explore highly selective scholarships based in the European Union such as the ERASMUS Mundus Joint Masters. Such postgraduate programmes aim at enhancing the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education and attract talent to Europe with high-level EU-funded scholarships for the best students applying.

156 Bangladeshis received an ERASMUS scholarship last year. It is awarded for a minimum of 12 months and maximum of 24 months depending on the postgraduate programme duration (60/90/120 ECTS credits). It covers travel, visa, installation, and subsistence costs. It is calculated based on a monthly unit cost of EUR 1400 per month which corresponds to a maximum scholarship amount of EUR 33,600 (24 months).

This fair brought together different educational institutions that offered a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of programmes and courses in various fields. Whether you were a student, parent, educator, or simply curious about French education, there was something for everyone. In addition, all questions from students and parents regarding student visas were addressed by a representative of the consular section of the French Embassy in Bangladesh.