International mobility programmes

CDEFI is the financial operator of several international programmes that are financed by the Minstry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research on the French side, and by the ministries of the countries involved. 

CDEFI also provides grants and assistance for a tutoring programmes involving Engineering students from the Dominican Republic and Colombia. 

The FITEC programmes help implementing Engineering education related projects in collaboration with foreign universities and building close ties with these institutions while promoting the mobility of students and teachers.
Each programme is managed by a joint steering committee associating France and the various countries involved. These committees define the objectives and procedures regarding the programme's implementation and the launch of calls for projects. 
 
In each country, partnerships may involve the higher education institution in charge of the project, as well as other associated Engineering education institutions, thus creating networks. 
Encouraging cooperation, the FITEC programmes help developing and consolidating the international students welcome programmes in French Engineering Schools.
 
A demonstration of FITEC programmes' success can be found in the annual projects holders meetings that take place during  the three programmes' forums.
Every year, these forums are conducted both in France and abroad and enable partners to meet, discuss on projects status, share good practice, develop new projects and grow partnership networks.

 

In 2002-2003, the Brazilian institution Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, "Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel"), the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research launched the BRAFITEC programme, with the support of CDEFI. 
 
The BRAFITEC programme enables French Engineering Schools and Brazilian universities to establish agreements for scientific collaborations and students and teachers exchanges in the fields of Engineering.
 
The BRAFITEC programme promotes:
 

Currently, the BRAFITEC partnership programme involves more than 50 Brazilian universities and about a hundred French Schools of Engineering.
It has been recognised as a key programme in the scientific and technical cooperation between France and Brazil, and led to the creation of similar exchange programmes with other Latin Amercia countries. 

The ARFITEC programme involves academic cooperation projects that are developed by both French and Argentinian higher Engineering education institutions. 

The ARFITEC programme is managed by a Franco-Argentinian joint steering committee, in which both countries' authorities are represented. In Argentina, the programme is implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. In France, this role is held by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, with the support of the Embassy of France in Argentina and of CDEFI. 

 

The MEXFITEC programme was created on June 5, 2008, after the representants of the French and Mexican governments signed a cooperation agreement in Mexico. 

The MEXFITEC programme aims at promoting bilateral cooperation projects in Engineering education through bilateral students and teachers exchanges. The objective is to elaborate comparative studies and evaluations for Engineering programmes and teaching methods in both countries.

In Mexico, the programme is implemented by the Ministry of Public Education and the Secretary of Higher Education. In France,  MEXFITEC is handled by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (through the Directorate-General for Globalisation, Culture, Education and International Development) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (through the Delegation for European and International Relations and Cooperation), with the support of CDEFI.