Document
The Advisory Council supports the certification procedure, suggesting any modifications of tools, procedures and processes that might be deemed appropriate to the Interministerial Committee. The council meets as and when needed and at least once a year.
Its composition
Chaired by the Delegate General to the French Language and Languages of France, at the Ministry for Culture, the Advisory Council comprises the following:
- the Director General of International Cooperation and Development at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs or their representative;
- the Director General of Higher Education and professional integration at the Ministry for Higher Education, Research and innovation or their representative;
- twelve figures chosen based on their professional and scientific expertise, notably in the fields of teaching French as a foreign language and training system auditing.
The following sit on the council:
- the President of the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres);
- the President of the Commission des titres d'ingénieurs (Engineering Qualifications Committee, CTI);
- the Managing Directors of Campus France and Atout France;
- the President of the Alliance Française Foundation;
- the Presidents of the ADCUEFE, Groupement FLE and SOUFFLE professional groups;
- the Secretary General of the Fédération internationale des professeurs de français (International Federation of French Language Teachers, FIPF) ;
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Mr Thierry Pelletier, in charge of the EDUFORM accreditation, ministry of national education and youth ;
- Mrs Hannelore Guerrand, auditor Qualité FLE.
A list of these twelve figures was published in official bulletin BO n°38 on 15 October 2015.
The French tourism development agency Atout France works to maintain France's competitiveness as a destination, using its various areas of expertise to help professionals in the tourism industry with a view to help them to develop their activity and promote what France has to offer in the international market. From observation and monitoring to developmental engineering and assistance and even marketing promotion and support, Atout France provides a variety of services for its 1,100 partners, professionals in both the public and private sectors, with the aim of strengthening the tourism industry, as France's largest economic sector. The Atout France agency is also responsible for providing information for tourists wishing to learn French at a centre that guarantees a certain quality of teaching and hosting services.
Reporting to the Ministries for Foreign Affairs and Higher Education and Research, Campus France aims primarily to promote French higher education abroad, host foreign students in France and manage students that have been awarded grants and scholarships by the French and foreign governments. Campus France is aware of the importance of practising the French language in order to get the most out of a study exchange and is committed to promoting French as a foreign language (FFL) centres by organising tours to foreign countries and by encouraging students to combine the study programme they are following in France with FFL classes if need be. Many students learn French every year when they come to study in France.
The Engineering Qualifications Committee (CTI)
The CTI is an independent body that has been responsible under French law since 1934 for assessing all engineer training programmes, improving training quality and promoting the status and the role of the engineer both in France and abroad. The CTI is one of the most experienced accreditation agencies in the world when it comes to engineer training. The CTI makes decisions regarding the accreditation of both private and consular establishments and submits opinions to the ministries responsible for public institutions. The CTI has been in continuous operation since 1934 with the scope of its activities increasing over the years, including the evaluation of state schools (1984), the introduction of periodic accreditation (1996), the consideration of the European Higher Education Area (2001) and the development of various European and international initiatives (the law allows the CTI to assess engineer training programmes abroad).
FIPF Fédération internationale des professeurs de français (International Federation of French Teachers)
The FIPF is recognised as playing a major role in promoting and disseminating the French language around the world with the primary aim of improving and developing the teaching and learning thereof. Supported by its members, which include 180 professional associations and 6 national federations, its opinions are actively promoted by its 80,000 volunteer members in 140 countries. The Federation promotes a sense of community life and engagement and calls upon its members to make their voices heard by national and international political authorities with a view to being involved in the development of linguistic, educational and basic and ongoing training policies. The FIPF has been represented by its Secretary General since the certification's Advisory Council was set up.
High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres)
The Hcéres is an independent administrative authority that operates in accordance with the best international practices. With regards to evaluation criteria, it bases its actions on the principles of objectivity, transparency and equal treatment of the organisations examined, and with regards to the choice of individuals responsible for performing the evaluation, on the principles of scientific expertise at the highest international level, neutrality, and balance in the representation of issues and opinions. It ensures that any conflict of interests is avoided when it comes to the composition of the committees of experts responsible for performing evaluations. It can either perform evaluations directly or ensure the quality of evaluations performed by other bodies by validating the procedures followed. It enables the organisations and establishments that it evaluates directly to present, at their request, observations both throughout and at the end of the evaluation procedure.