Our annual Education Fair took place on Monday with over 70 institutions coming from around the world to present their offer to students and their family. Every year, we get excited about this event as it is a real opportunity for students to widen their horizon and take their first steps into higher education.
As we are quite curious, we took the time to ask several representatives to answer two questions: what pieces of advice they would give to the students who want to apply, and how French-speaking students with diverse backgrounds enrich their institutions.
“We have several students from LFS applying to EHL every year. We are the top Hospitality Management School in the world, we are the oldest, and our school is located in the French-speaking region of Switzerland.
We really value mathematics and insights. Economics, accounting are both important if students want to enter the bachelor’s programme. A scientific background would be better because our bachelor’s is a bachelor of science.
I really love LFS students because they really do a lot of research by themselves. They learn about our school and prepare questions. It feels like they are making their own choice, out of their interest. I love this aspect because they know what they want to study and what kind of person they want to become in the future.”
Becky Wu
Senior Recruitment Officer – EHL
“I would recommend students to trust themselves, and to make their research. I think students have the extraordinary opportunity to get a real knowledge of the possibilities thanks to today’s Education Fair. This type of fair doesn’t really have an equivalent in France.
We know that the quality of a decision depends on the quality of the information received, and the information offered here is wonderful. We count today as many institutions represented as the number of students in Grade 12, it’s fantastic.
I have been representing preparatory classes at education fairs in France and abroad for over ten years, and I must say that this one is very well organised.
We are the biggest high school with preparatory classes in France, and one of the most opened when it comes to foreign students. We count 1400 students in our school and recruit 720 students each year. Having a diverse approach on the world truly enriches our classes. This year, we are happy to count 29 nationalities among our students.
I was headmaster for the AEFE network for ten years, I know the value of the network’s students, and over the years, we have been able to test the quality of these students. That is why we are happy to come here and promote our school.”
François Beckrich
Principal – Lycée du Parc
“I think there are three key things that make McGill unique. First, students are immersed in culture, McGill is an anglophone university, Montreal is a bilingual city in a French province. Historically, McGill was established in 1821, while Canada was a country established in 1867, so we’re older than Canada! (Laughs) Opportunities at McGill, around the world, are great. I was speaking to a former McGill student in Wisconsin, US, who was studying at McGill in Montreal, and who spent the summer in London, UK, doing an internship she found at McGill.
Looking at the environment where you will be studying is very important. I fell in love with McGill when I visited the campus. I always tell students to go on social media and look at what students say about the university. It’s great to have these real testimonies online. Most students at McGill have a good experience. The environment you are in makes a big difference in the way you will study.
McGill is the most internationally diverse student body among Canadian universities. We have students from over 150 different countries. 30% of our student body are international students, and the learning experience at McGill is done on a global perspective. Some of the LFS students are already born with or evolve within a global experience.
At McGill, everyone belongs. In Canada and at McGill, people don’t care about your accent as long as you can communicate with them. You’d be in a classroom sitting next to people you may be taught to hate in your hometown, but that you learn to know better, become friends with and understand.
I think this global experience is great for the students who may think they don’t belong anywhere. McGillians are global citizens, we count over 180 countries within our alumni community, to compare with the UN which includes 193 state members. Being a McGillian is being a global citizen.”
Jason Gagnon
Recruitment and Admissions Officer – McGill
“Knowing your personal interests is important. Rubika is a school specialised in three fields: digital design, animation, and video games. We have three distinct studios on campus. We wish to train students who have passions, so we can nurture them and support them throughout their studies at Rubika.
Having a very detailed portfolio is not mandatory, but basic knowledge of certain softwares can help. If students have personal creations they wish to share, it is of course welcomed but we do not require American-style portfolios.
It is not logical to ask a high school student to have proficiency in all aspects. Often when we receive this type of portfolio, we know the student was helped to reach this kind of result, and it is not what we look for. Personal expression is crucial.
It is the first time we are represented in Shanghai and we are very happy to be supported by the CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry). We participated in education fairs organised by Campus France in the past and we wish to attract a young and diverse community because our school gets richer thanks to different talents.”
Clara Hu
Franco-Chinese Institutional Coordination Manager
Exclusive Rubika Representative in China