For 25 years, students from Germany and France have been able to study the French-German Social Sciences study program together and graduate in two countries at the same time. This is made possible by cooperative partnership that has been established between the University of Stuttgart and Sciences Po Bordeaux, one of the Grands Ecoles in France.
On May 28, more than 100 invited graduates and students celebrated the study program's 25th anniversary, together with the program directors. The ceremony, organized by the alumni association FIFAlumni e.V. and the Institute of Social Sciences, was primarily intended to provide an opportunity for exchange between students at different stages of their degree course. Interculturality, diversity and exchange have always been essential to the program and this focus is also confirmed by the participants: "For me, the course means encountering lots of different people", explains Louis-Baptiste, former student from the 20th year.
For Regis, who studied on the program in its second year, the course stands for an "ouverture sur le monde" but also for "la confrontation de plusieurs mondes" - for cosmopolitanism on the one hand and encounters between different worlds on the other. These worlds include the two university systems and different ways of thinking. "Students learn to adapt to each other's contexts and requirements, as well as to the different working methods and ways of thinking," explains Regis. "This can also be a big help in your future career, in a field that often moves far beyond national borders." This internationality is also reflected in the chosen careers of the graduates, which include everything from European politics to journalism and public relations to research and development cooperation.
At this event, almost everyone agrees that the international study groups are a further benefit of the study program. This bilingual study program is characterized by Franco-German cooperation: Students from the University of Stuttgart and Sciences Po Bordeaux complete their studies together in a group of 24 German and French students. They must support each other and learn intercultural skills. Once they have completed the five-year study program, students are awarded degrees from the University of Stuttgart and Sciences Po Bordeaux. During this time, they not only learn about two academic systems with different focuses, but also about two very different higher education systems.
Just two weeks ago, the new study places for the 25th class were allocated at the two universities in Stuttgart and Bordeaux. FIFA 25 (Filière Intégrée Franco-Allemand) begins in September at the partner university Sciences Po Bordeaux. The study program director in Stuttgart, Angelika Vetter, is already looking forward to the students who will come to Stuttgart next year: "Each new group of students brings something special - young people who we can give a lot to so that they can later help shape the future of our societies."
The cooperation between Sciences Po Bordeaux and the University of Stuttgart is also supported by the Franco-German University (DFH), which regularly evaluates the quality of the program and provides financial support, including a monthly mobility allowance of €300 for students during the study abroad phases. The most recent positive evaluation by the DFH took place in April 2022 and resulted in continued funding for the next four years.