The Belgium Centre (BELZ) at Paderborn University has been accepted into the renowned "Network of University Centres for France and Francophonie". The association consists of university centres in Germany that are dedicated to research and academic exchange on France and the French-speaking world. Within this network, the BELZ is the only centre that focuses exclusively on a francophone country, namely Belgium. In future, the BELZ, together with the Franco-German "European Studies / Études Européennes" degree programme at Paderborn University, which was an important component of the application for admission, will also be able to distinguish itself within the network in the new research focus "European Francophonie".
Admission to the network followed a multi-stage application process. "Membership is an honour and at the same time proof of the quality and relevance of our academic work, which significantly increases the international visibility of Paderborn University in the Francophone region," says a delighted Prof. Dr. Sabine Schmitz, first chair of the BELZ.
The BELZ receives special support for its active participation in the network from the Belgian region of Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which have joined forces in the institution "Wallonie-Bruxelles International" (WBI). WBI acts as an organisation for international relations between the two entities. A joint support and networking agreement was signed at a ceremony in Brussels, ensuring that the BELZ will have even more excellent opportunities to work with important partners in Belgium in the future. The inclusion in the network was a first central component of the contract, in order to bring the BELZ's research on francophone cultures and francophone works in Belgium as well as its networking with the European Francophonie more strongly into the network.
This text was translated automatically.
