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Artois University has a student population of almost 11,100 students within its five campuses: Arras, Béthune, Douai, Lens, and Liévin. It is a member of the Research and Higher Education Consortium of Lille - Nord de France. Artois University is spread over several medium-sized towns of the Nord-Pas de Calais region. It is composed of 8 Faculties, 2 University Institutes of Technology (IUTs), a Further Education Department, and 15 Research Centres. Since its beginnings in 1992, Artois University has established itself as a significant contributor to social mobility and has fostered a welcoming and stimulating environment favorable to study and culture. The University of Artois is a modern and dynamic institution that is in perfect harmony with the educational system. It offers innovative teaching and combines the acquisition of knowledge with vocational skills. Artois University is a multidisciplinary university offering a wide range of courses - from 2-year undergraduate degrees to doctorate level - in line with the European undergraduate and postgraduate system 'LMD'). In addition to traditional undergraduate degrees, Artois University offers block-release study for young people who wish to gain work experience while following a university course, further education programs for adults who wish to return to their studies and distance learning provision. Research carried out at Artois University is also multidisciplinary. The research units at the university cover academic fields in the human sciences (arts, languages, history, and geography) social sciences (economics, law, and education) experimental sciences (civil engineering, electrical engineering, and automation) and pure sciences (mathematics, informatics, and general sciences). Courses in French as a foreign language are available at no charge on the Arras campus, provided by the International Relations Office and the Faculty of Letters and Arts, for international students on an exchange program. The classes consist of grammar, culture studies, and conversation and last an hour and a half, twice a week. The courses represent 30 hours of attendance per semester (including initial testing sixteen and a half hours of classes and final examinations). A minimum mark of 10/20 has to be achieved in order to be awarded 3 ECTS. Participation in French as a Foreign Language courses is possible only for one semester (and validation of only 3 ECTS) - except in the case of failure in the final semester examinations, in which case authorization to attend a further semester will be granted. To improve your French, or indeed learn another foreign language, while at Artois University, you are free to use the Language Resource Centre (CRL) and participate in oral practice workshops. There are also thematic workshops where a specific country - its language and culture - can be studied. The Centre of Research and Higher Education at Lille University organizes several sessions of language tests: Tests de Connaissance du Français (TCF) Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française (DELF) and Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF). These examinations are open to everyone who does not have French nationality and wishes to obtain a certificate attesting to their proficiency in the French language, either for personal or professional reasons. The Confucius Institute of Artois was officially opened on 23rd October 2008, at Artois University, Arras, in conjunction with the Hanban (the Chinese Language and Cultural Office of China's Ministry of Education) and Nanjing University, China. It has enjoyed the support of the Nord-Pas de Calais Regional Council, the General Council of the Nord-Pas de Calais, the City of Arras and its Urban Community and the Education Department of the Chinese Embassy. Since its inauguration, the Confucius Institute of Artois has continued to develop in the north of France. For its fourth anniversary, there is a varied program of activities and events. The Confucius Institute of Artois puts great effort into promoting Chinese language and culture through numerous conferences, workshops, and academic courses. It aims to create a forum for transcultural dialogue open to all who wish to discover one of the oldest and richest civilizations in the world. It is genuinely a collective and cultural adventure. View full university