A unique programme on African and development studies awarded by the University of Bayreuth and the University of Bordeaux-Montaigne

We met with Marion Fourgeaud, who recently graduated from the double Master’s degree offered by the University of Bayreuth and the University of Bordeaux-Montaigne. She told us more about her experience in this programme.

Hello Marion! Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your education path?

“International”, in general, was a driver for the choice of my studies: I did a European bachelor in political sciences in Lille, during which I spent time in Beirut at an American university. Africa, in particular, is where my interest lies: beyond the two years I spent in Senegal when I was in high school, I chose internships related to this continent, first in journalism in Dakar, then in a non-profit organisation supporting projects in Africa. I wanted to pursue this path by applying for a Master’s programme addressing African issues. That’s how I came to Bordeaux for this programme.

I graduated last year and I am now working in an association where I am in charge of managing the relations with donors.

Why was this programme the right choice for you? Which opportunities did you get from it?

As I said, I wanted to enter a Master’s programme whose focus was set on Africa. In France, you don’t have so many choices, which makes the application process selective. At the end, you are in a small cohort of students and it is easier to learn and to exchange ideas with your peers and professors.

The programme stands out from the other programmes by offering a one-semester mobility phase and thus awarding a joint degree from the University of Bordeaux-Montaigne and the University of Bayreuth.

With regards to one’s career development, the programme offers nice opportunities to work in the field. I did a first internship in LAM[1]-lab, where I worked on the mapping of African diaspora. Then, we went as a group to Kenya to better connect what we learned in our studies to the realities of the field, and also to get in touch with institutions working in the solidarity sector. That’s a real chance to have such an opportunity! A mobility phase in Africa can be expensive, but the financial support from the universities made it possible.

Students can be affiliated with the students’ association AMIDAF, which enables them to work on side-projects but still related to Africa: podcasts, festivals, culture events, etc. I was really active in that and could gain further experience. Moreover, the association gathers alumni too, and that’s a good way of finding an internship while you’re enrolled in the programme.

Generally speaking, my time as a “French and German” student was a good one because I met great people there and I could benefit from quality courses. The programme encourages open-mindedness. It also prepares one for professional opportunities in the non-profit sector, and that’s exactly what I wanted to do.

Let’s get back to your mobility phase in Bayreuth. What kind of experience was it for you?

It was nice because it was actually my first experience abroad within Europe!

Being mobile in Europe has a financial advantage: you can benefit from Erasmus funding. I would strongly recommend the future students to get in touch with the International Office to find out how this works and get information about the process so that you can prepare your application for the funding in time. The support I got from the International Office was really appreciated.

The language barrier was never a problem even if I didn’t speak German when I arrived in Bayreuth: the courses for our programme were in English, and the campus of Bayreuth is very international, so you can easily communicate in English with other students.

What about some of the cultural differences you observed?

One of the most striking experiences was during the courses, when I could observe the dynamics between professors and students. It is not a top-down approach like in France. Students are expected to participate actively in the exchange of ideas with their professors, to give their views on a subject. It is something I was not prepared for!

In terms of daily life, it was surprising to see that cigarettes are sold in supermarkets or that the price of a beer is lower than for a bottle of water! Speaking of which, if you order water in Germany, you will get sparkling water, and not still mineral water like in France. Last but not least, avoid asking for a pitcher of water: very common in France, clearly not in Germany!

Do you recommend Bayreuth as a good place to study?

Absolutely! Especially if you want to focus your studies on Africa. The University of Bayreuth is famous for that and has great research facilities in this field, with great professors. You can also learn different African languages, like Swahili, Arabic, Bambara or Hausa.

The quality of life in Bayreuth is very good too: many cultural activities and festivals, many green spaces, affordable cost of living, etc. I could for instance visit the opera or the Iwalewahaus, an exhibition and research centre on African arts. The geographical situation of Bayreuth is really nice as you can travel easily to other Bavarian cities or to Prague, which is only four hours away from Bayreuth by bus.

Thank you, Marion, for sharing your experience with us!

[1] Les Afriques dans le Monde