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ANGLO-FRENCH SYNERGY: ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF BUCKINGHAM

The French students with staff from Buckingham and France outside the Anthony de Rothschild Building

Monday 20 April 2009

A new development for Buckingham has been an innovative collaboration struck between our University and two French institutions of higher education based in Paris, FACO (Faculté Libre de Droit et d'Économie) and its sister organisation IPC (Facultés Libres de Philosophie et de Psychologie).

In the first year of collaboration, six students registered for a postgraduate degree programme in human resources management at FACO have come to Buckingham to take the 6-month theoretical phase of our unique MSc Service Management programme. After completing the examinations in June, the six students will begin their work placement / dissertation phase, jointly supervised by Buckingham and FACO staff. The business context of the burgeoning service economy, as taught in the Service Management programme, will provide the students with the framework within which to apply their knowledge and skills in human resources management.

On 17 April, Dr Bertrand Carroy (Directeur, Crescendo / Département de Formation en Entreprise, Institut de Philosophie Comparée) and Mrs Hélène Bourgeois (Professor of English Economics) visited Buckingham for a review meeting with Dr Terence Kealey (Vice-Chancellor), Dr Jane Tapsell (Dean of the Business School) and Mr VS Mahesh (Director of the Service Management programme).

Dr Kealey emphasised the importance of the collaboration between the two independent higher education institutes in England and France and expressed the hope that this was just the start of what would be a long-term association. Dr Carroy said the first batch of students were very happy with their Buckingham experience. The students expressed satisfaction with the multi-cultural environment at Buckingham and the unique programme they were studying. Mr Mahesh said the presence of the French students had certainly improved class participation and quality of discussions.

Report by Mr VS Mahesh and the Web Team