Le Café des Langues: Promoting International Mobility and Cultural Exchange

The Language Café is a recurring event held every fortnight, offering a unique opportunity for Pôle Leonard de Vinci students, members of the ESN DeVinci association, and international students to get together in a friendly and relaxed setting to practise various foreign languages.

The main aim of the Language Café is in line with ESN DeVinci’s mission to promote international mobility and cultural exchange and to raise the profile of international students within the campus and the community..

Learn about French culture and discover other cultures

Each edition of this event, which attracts many participants each time, features a different theme, with specific activities carefully organised to correspond to that themee.

The event also aims to encourage the integration of international students into campus life. Depending on the theme of each edition, the objectives may vary better to match the needs and interests of the participants.

Encouraging interaction between international students and locals

The ESN DeVinci Association has eight board members and more than 80 active volunteers and welcomes more than 400 international students every semester.

They are responsible for welcoming and integrating international students at the Pôle Leonard de Vinci and organising the Language Café. The association works closely with the International Relations Department and endeavours to organise cultural and festive events for international students.

The participants in this event are varied, ranging from international students to local students. For international students, the Language Café is an opportunity to have a good time, exchange experiences linked to their mobility, and feel welcomed in a friendly environment, which is sometimes rare for some.

For local students, it’s a chance to meet international students and discuss international issues, whether or not they’ve already had the opportunity to go abroad and practise their English.

The main aim of the Language Café is to encourage conversation in English, but it is also open to other languages, providing an opportunity to explore different cultures

A variety of themes at the Language Café

As well as gifts, drinks and food, the Café des Langues programme included a variety of themes, such as “Tartes Françaises”, which aimed to introduce people to some of France’s culinary traditions.

Participants brought their best homemade tarts, and a general knowledge quiz was organised. Another edition, “Buddies Night”, aimed to encourage meetings between mentors and mentees registered on the Buddy System platform and featured discussions and karaoke

In addition, “Erasmus Days” aimed to promote Erasmus exchanges through various activities such as a collaborative map, a cultural quiz, an international word game and “speed language dating”. The next edition will focus on debate, eloquence, and French expressions.

Learn more about the exchange programmes at EMLV