The program is bilingual; students complete their first year of study at the IUT and the second at Hochschule Offenburg. Therefore, they study the technical content in French and German. For many, the transition from France to Germany after the first year of study creates an obstacle, especially for those whose mother tongue is French. They not only have to adapt to a different teaching and learning culture, but also confront a different language of instruction. While good German skills are a requirement for admission, still students attend only French classes in France during the first year of their studies, often leading to a decline of existing but not yet established foreign-language competence.  

To alleviate this challenge, the Franco-German University (FGU) has pledged further funding for French-speaking students' language-learning support. With a total of 12,000 EUR, the DFH will fund a well-developed project for the support and further training of language competences over the next three years, including the following new features for the EI-3nat program:

During the first year at IUT, at least one lab course will be taught in German.
In the second semester, course offerings are supplemented by an intensive language course at Offenburg University for three days in April. Additionally, the French-speaking students will participate in the four-week summer language course at Offenburg, which offers different levels and offers students a perfect preparation for study at the German university. The summer language course also includes a number of cultural and social activities to promote contacts between students, university staff and local citizens in Germany.



The Franco-German University (FGU) is not a university in the true sense of the word, but an umbrella organization which promotes the development and quality of Franco-German academic cooperation. The member institutions receive infrastructure funds, which serve to foster and expand cooperation between the universities. A scientific advisory board assesses the quality of the programs - including Offenburg's trinational EI-3nat degree program - at regular intervals before deciding on further support. Students also directly benefit from the membership through a monthly mobility allowance during their required semesters abroad at partner universities.

For more information, go to www.dfh-ufa.org/english/