Welcome Days: more international students join the university community
From 19th to 23rd January, the International Relations Department (DRI) of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University coordinated a new edition of the Welcome Days to support the arrival of more than 320 incoming international exchange students. Featuring information sessions, French language classes, and friendly social events, this orientation week allowed newcomers to take their first steps into the university community.
A crucial week for getting oriented
Throughout the week, international students took part in various welcome activities designed to ease their arrival and support their integration into Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University.
On 21st January, the main welcome meeting held at the Centre Panthéon was one of the key events of the orientation week. On this occasion, students were officially welcomed by the President of the university, Christine Neau-Leduc, who stated: “You come from very different regions across the globe, and this is a real asset. We are very proud that you have chosen our university for this mobility experience, whatever your fields of study.” Vice-President for International Relations, Rémi Bazillier, and Vice-President for Europe, Fabienne Peraldi Leneuf, were also present to welcome students from more than thirty countries.
This information session gave participants the opportunity to learn about how the university operates, the resources and services available to them, and the key contacts they can rely on. The meeting also highlighted the university’s vibrant cultural and sports life, as well as the various initiatives supporting international students, such as the ISAP1 association and the Buddy System mentoring platform. At the end of the session, students received a welcome kit containing all the practical and useful information needed to begin their stay smoothly.
Opportunities to create new connections
The following day, nearly 150 students attended the welcome reception held at the Barge du Crous de Paris. This friendly gathering provided an opportunity to continue intercultural exchanges and to begin building connections among the incoming mobility students.
Bri, a student from Howard University in the United States, and Vera, from Universität Bayreuth in Germany, met during the French as a Foreign Language (FLE) classes offered throughout the week by the Department of Languages to enhance cultural and language immersion for exchange students. Bri, who studies political science, shared: “It’s my first time in Europe, and I’m looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone. I’m excited to be here and to meet students from different countries and cultures.” Vera, who came to study cinema, added: “Even though Germany is very close, it’s totally different here, and that’s what I’m excited about.”
Alongside these key events, several departments and study programmes also organised their own welcome sessions, providing personalised support to address academic questions and discipline-specific needs.
Since the beginning of the 2025-2026 academic year, more than 800 international students from over forty countries have been welcomed to Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne as part of the university's cooperation agreements. One third of them come from countries outside Europe. This commitment to welcoming international students is fully in line with the university’s efforts to provide an appropriate and supportive environment, consistent with the “Bienvenue en France” certification, for which it was awarded a third star less than a year ago.
▶ Read the 2025-2026 International Student Welcome Guide (PDF – 7 MB)
