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Take part !
Going to a university or a Grande Ecole is entering the world of
knowledge, exchange, conviviality. To take full advantage from it,
go and meet persons who contribute to improving the daily life of
the students, even if your knowledge of French is not that good.
Then, do not leave the university right after the end of the classes,
or you might never adapt. Try to find the places where things happen.
As early as the first registration day, the halls of universities
abound with small groups of students behind tables. Generally, they
suggest you should join a union or participate in the associative
life of the university. It looks like a marketplace where each tries
" to sell " their products. Worried by the registration, your main
goal is to reach the registrar's office as fast as possible. However
we advise you, once your steps carried out, to have a look at these
" tables " and to take time to discuss. To participate in the life
of the university will allow you not only to widen your circle of
friends, to become integrated into a French structure but also to
understand the functioning and the mentalities of the French society.
The student unions : In the higher
education, there are several unions which, for many years, have
had the monopoly of the representation and the defence of the interests
of the students. The various unions, close the parties (UNEF-ID,
UNEF, UNI…), are settled in each university. They help you in your
administrative steps, in your relations with your UFR and watch
the various bills and laws on the world of the higher education.
If you want to participate in actions connected with your political
affinities, you can choose to join a union.
University election
An university works as a micro-society. To be a student there
means to be a citizen. You will have moreover the right to elect
representatives in different authorities (generally every other
year) :
at the level of the three councils of your university: the board
of directors (CA), the scientific council (CS) and the council of
university life (CEVU) ;
in the board of directors of Crous ;
on the board of directors of your UFR.
The three councils are composed of representatives of the teachers,
the students and the ATOS (Technicians and workers, that is all
the persons who work on the proper functioning of the University
: secretaries, librarians, laboratory assistants, technicians, guidance
counselors…).
A sound piece of advice : if you need to contact the authorities
of your university, apply to the CEVU, where the students' presence
is stronger. Your representatives will tell the CA or the President
about your problem . You will obtain the addresses of the CEVU from
the Post of Secretary-General of the Presidency.
Student associations: More and
more students are fed up with political organisations. And they
are less eager to involve themselves into the university life. It
can be explained by the emergence of various student associations
that they really prefer. There are three main types of associations.
The associations of courses are in charge
of the relations between the university and the job market
They have for main objective to promote a training programme to
the managers and to help you in seeking a training period. They
also propose you duplicated lecture notes, evenings or parties.
It allows you too to get in touch with the network of the former
students of your subject, already involved in the professional world.
Culture and services associations
They propose multiple services in different fields : drafting a
resume, photocopy of courses, school supplies at a reduced price,
cheap books etc. This type of association also proposes plane tickets,
tourist circuits, places of concerts, etc., at prices adapted to
your budget. Within the association, you can also give or take classes
in workshops of theater, painting, music, etc. The atmosphere is
often guaranteed.
Associations of protection of the rights
of students
This type of " cells " are multiplying : they are listening to your
needs or difficulties and strive to give you satisfaction.
Certain associations gather these three formulae. With their independence
and their pluralism, they strengthen the friendly character of the
actions of group. They are places of privileged exchanges, they
will give you the possibility to practise French and better to understand
the French way of thinking.
The Internet
More and more often, unions and associations
have an access to the Internet. For the price of a local communication,
you have the possibility of having a dialogue with the whole
world and above all with your country. Do not hesitate and ask
for the access and the mode of functioning. The Internet is
the current means of communication but above all the one of
tomorrow.
Except unions and associations, you can opt for two other solutions
:
the purchase of a computer equipped with a modem (access to
Internet) will be of a double utility. necessary to type your
reports, resumes, etc., it will permit you direct contact, for
a monthly subscription about 7,62 euros, with your country but
also with libraries, universities of the whole world. A real
data bank, it will fast become an indispensable tool for your
studies and your researches
the second solution is to go to the " cybercafés " where you
can, as their name puts it, drink a coffee while strumming on
the keys of a computer with a co-pilot who will guide you on
information super highway.
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Other ways to take part…
There are also other types of student organizations, more widely represented
in the specialized schools, the Grandes Ecoles and the high schools
of engineers and management :
The Junior Companies (JE) are a little bit particular kind of associations
who permit the students to propose services to firms (marketing surveys,
computer assistance, studies, translations…). The national Confederacy
of the junior companies (CNJE - Phone : 01 40 28 48 68), which gathers
French JEs and awards a specific label, can give you more ample information
about the subject.
The Students' Office (BDE) elected for one year by the students, the
school or the university, federates the various activities of the
establishment and acts as intermediaries with the administration.
They generally offer different practical services (photocopies, school
support, drinks, fast food…).
A certain number of universities have set up " Houses of the
student ", friendly places, mostly full of life and managed by
an association, a union, a mutual insurance company or student representatives.
You should go there for the services proposed (cafeterias, photocopies…),
to get acquainted… Finally, if you feel a vocation of journalist
or writer, write in the student press. On every campus there are newspapers
completely worked out by students, who will be happy to publish your
articles or drawings. If finally you feel like creating your own newspaper,
contact the J association (national association of the press of young
initiative) 01 43 45 22 07.
How to create your association ?
You are a part of a group of students who would like to share their
passions, the concerns or start a humanitarian action. Why not to
create your own association? This structure will allow you to obtain
a legal capacity (opening of a bank account, etc.) and to have a
certain credibility in front of public and of the justice. The non-profit
organization means that any money received is reinvested in the
association, its members not having on any account to taken advantage
of profits.
Since 1981, the French law has been allowing the creation of association
by foreign nationals. Since this date, the number of associations
with community character has kept increasing in France. This type
of associations, student or not, can help you, notably when arriving
in France, in your administrative and practical steps.
When your project is ready, you should find a name, elect an office
with a president, a General Secretary and a treasurer, define statutes
(models are at your disposal in all the prefectures) then declare
them to the prefecture on which depends the head office of your
association.
A complete fuill includes the following parts :
two specimens of the status ;
the initial declaration ;
the list of the members ;
the document of the owner or administration of the establishment
which authorizes you to settle inside its walls ;
a request for insertion in the Journal Officiel.
As soon as your file is complete, the prefecture sends you a receipt.
One month later, the creation of your association will be published
in the Journal Officiel.
House of Associations in Paris
The House of the associations of Paris aims
at among other things, supplying modern services to the whole
associative movement ; it is also a place of communication and
exchanges for associations, organizations or companies.
Legal advice are given free of charge to associations in progress
or already declared.
3615 ASSOPARIS permits the public to consult directly the files
of the associations registered, their activities and services.
A formula of annual subscription permits the associations which
want it, to have a page of supplementary presentation and an
electronic mailbox.
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Tuesdays of the MAP " inform and advise associations members
on subjects of their daily life : communication, assurance,
employment, subsidies...
To know more about it :
Maison des associations de Paris, Forum des Halles (niveau -3),
14, Grande Galerie, 75001 Paris. Open from Tuesday to Friday
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.
and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (except events). Post address : Forum
des Halles, cedex 116, 75045 Paris cedex 01. Tel. : 01 42 33
74 00. Fax : 01 42 66 63 47. Minitel 3615 code Assoparis.
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