Cooperation

The mission of the UAE French Institute is to promote the French language among the Emirati educational authorities and general public. It relies on the 300,000 French-speaking people in the country and on teachers of French, and it maintains privileged links with other French-speaking institutions.

Linguistic Cooperation

The United Arab Emirates has been an observer member of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) since 2010; it became an associate member in October 2018. That same year, an agreement was executed between France and the UAE Federal Ministry of Education to reintroduce French in UAE public schools. Some 30 schools throughout the State now teach French to 6,500 students. The program is in full expansion and plans to offer French increasingly earlier in order to allow students to reach a sufficient level of French to consider studying in France or in French and to join companies working with the French-speaking world.

The French expertise contributes to the development of an educational and linguistic policy (recruitment, training of French teachers in Emirati public schools, pedagogical contents…) and the continuous improvement of the quality and the importance of French teaching in the State:

Training and Support of French Teachers

The French Institute supports and accompanies the teachers of French in the State: continuous training sessions, thematic workshops, training courses for the accreditation/reaccreditation of DELF/DALF correctors, distribution of pedagogical resources and newsletters, and animation of the IF Profs Network.

French Language in Universities

The French Institute works in collaboration with the French Departments of various universities in the United Arab Emirates such as Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University located in Al Ain, American University of Sharjah, University of Sharjah…

French Language Certifications

The UAE French Institute works with private schools to organize DELF Junior exam sessions every year in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

The French Institute also supports the promotion of the DELF general Public, DELF Prim, TEF, TCF, DFP certifications provided by the Alliances françaisesCertifications

Why French?

Relations between the United Arab Emirates and France have always been rich and fruitful, and they are growing. Major emblematic projects such as the creation of French military bases, the Paris-Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi and the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum bear witness to the quality of this relationship and the great trust between our two countries.

At the economic level, the United Arab Emirates are France’s second most important partner in the Middle East and many French companies are present in the country, both large groups and small family businesses, in all sectors from energy and defense to catering, technology, banking, finance, trade…

 

Mastering French also gives you access to one of the best education systems in the world: France has 3,500 higher education institutions, many of which are ranked among the best in the world. France also offers a wide range of courses in sectors that are booming in the Emirates: we have a long tradition in the arts and culture, tourism and hospitality, health, fashion, international relations and diplomacy, etc. We are now also positioning ourselves in the technologies of the future, the circular economy, bio-technologies, management sciences, etc. France is the 5th country in the world to host foreign students.

 

Mastering French is particularly interesting in the diplomatic field since French is the official language and working language at the UN, the EU, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee… and of course at the International Organization of La Francophonie.

 

Spoken by more than 300 million people on five continents, French is an official language in 32 countries and governments, including Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, etc. It is the second most taught foreign language after English. Speaking French opens-up new horizons, both personally and professionally.

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