The 2025 edition of France Alumni Day. (Credit: Photo provided by the French Institute of Lebanon)
For the fourth consecutive year, France Alumni Day, a forum bringing together graduates of French universities and students preparing to continue their studies in France, is being organized by the Institut français du Liban (IFL) and Campus France on Thursday, June 4, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Institut français headquarters in Beirut.
On this occasion, Christophe Musitelli, counselor for cooperation and cultural action and director of the Institut français du Liban, spoke to L’Orient-Le Jour about this year's event, which will place particular emphasis on professional networking with prominent figures in Lebanon. He also discussed the opportunities offered by French higher education, noting that Lebanese applicants enjoy an acceptance rate of around 70% at French universities.
What is the approximate number of Lebanese alumni of French universities and students currently enrolling in French universities? Is this figure increasing compared to previous years? What support is available for Lebanese students?
Created four years ago, the France Alumni platform now brings together more than 10,000 people in Lebanon who share the experience of having studied in France. Given that between 2,000 and 7,000 Lebanese have traveled to France to study in the past several years, we get a true sense of this network’s scope.
In 2025, the Campus France team assisted more than 10,000 people throughout Lebanon; roughly 3,500 submitted applications, and 2,500 were accepted in France. These figures are comparable to 2019.
It is lower than the levels observed during the successive crises that have affected the country in recent years. Following events such as the Beirut port explosion in 2020, applications and departures for France doubled between 2021 and 2022. Today, we are back to typical levels, which could still continue to grow.
Lebanese students benefit from special measures on several fronts. Graduates holding a French baccalaureate are exempt from administrative fees, which accounts for nearly 500 students per year. The French Embassy also offers annual scholarships to Lebanese students (last year, 200 young people benefited) through various programs (particularly at the master’s and doctoral levels).
Lebanese applicants enjoy a higher acceptance rate (up to 70%) in France compared to other countries. This reflects both the quality of the Lebanese education system and its compatibility with French higher education institutions requirements.
Finally, President Emmanuel Macron announced during the recent visit of Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to Paris that starting in the 2026 academic year, Lebanese students will be exempt from the higher tuition fees charged to non-European Union students in French higher education institutions. Up to 1,000 young Lebanese could benefit from this as early as the next academic year.
How important is networking among alumni from French universities in Lebanon and worldwide? How does an event like France Alumni Day help strengthen this network, and what distinguishes the 2026 edition?
Launched by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France Alumni Day is an international event celebrated in more than 130 countries to highlight the achievements of international students trained in France and to strengthen ties between communities worldwide. Today, this network brings together 370,000 people. This year, we will celebrate the fourth edition of the event in Lebanon, bringing together 300 people.
The audience includes students considering France as their destination for further studies, young alumni who have studied in France, and more senior alumni, some of whom began careers in France or the Gulf and have chosen to return.
The 2026 edition will spotlight engagement and employability through a series of meetings and exchanges with recognized personalities from the economic, entrepreneurial and academic sectors. Starting at 4 p.m., interactive workshops will be offered with 12 speakers and four moderators dedicated to the Lebanese market, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of the professional world as well as the difficulties and advantages of pursuing a career in Lebanon.
The evening will continue with an official opening by French Ambassador Hervé Magro and a meeting with Joseph Dakkak, Managing Director of CMA-CGM Levant.
How would you describe the advantages of pursuing higher education in France?
France remains the leading destination for Lebanese students. Higher education programs in France are valuable for the professional opportunities they provide. In the field of research, France is very well positioned, and its institutions and laboratories enjoy significant influence within the international scientific cooperation ecosystem. France also offers hundreds of programs in English, not limited to French-speaking students.
France remains extremely attractive, even with the new law applying differentiated tuition fees for non-EU students, thanks to a system that is largely subsidized by the state (estimated at 13,000 Euros per student, about two-thirds of the total cost of education).
How does France Alumni Day specifically help create professional opportunities for young Lebanese graduates?
France Alumni Day allows participants to become part of a network and benefit from the strength of the collective. It also enables a better understanding of the issues, dynamics, and opportunities in the Francophone market in Lebanon. It provides opportunities to open doors, facilitates contacts, and help better understand the mobility between our two countries: an education in France can enable a future in Lebanon.
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