Before more than 800 students present in the university.

The French president gave a long speech "to Africa" on Tuesday 28 of November before students of the University of Ouagadougou. Among the many subjects he talked about, let's stress higher education cooperation with the following statements;

Before anything else, Emmanuel Macron wants that "all students who graduated in France can be able to come back whenever they want and as often as they want, thanks to travel visa with a longer duration, because studying in France is a special relation that should be extended and should not be submitted to a deadline".

In practical terms, Macron wants to improve the presence of French higher education institutions in Africa. To do so, he asked the Ministers of Domestic Education and Higher Education, Research and Innovation to "work towards the doubling of university cooperation we have in Africa". He also wants to "multiply online classes, partnerships and joint degrees that will allow to pass degrees from French universities here in Ouagadougou".

Macron also stands up for the French intake of "1,000 new African talents every year in company creation, research, innovation, culture and sports" by mentioning "tailor-made Talent Passport and visa to support this". It was also the opportunity for the French President to announce the opening before the 14 of July of the creation of the youth community centre in Ouagadougou which will host "Campus France, France Volontaires, research institutes, and an incubator for young business creators".

Last but not least topic: cooperation between European and African researchers. There is a need to "create conditions in order to allow African and European researchers to work together in common programs". "What has been successfully achieved as part of the European Union with the European Research Council should be extended to African universities. We must provide the financial means to structure the network of European and African researchers".

Check out the full speech

Read the Campus France keynote on the international mobility of African students