On 22 July 2021 the Rector of the Jagiellonian University Prof. Jacek Popiel received the Consul General of France to Kraków Anne Schmidt-Riou. The meeting took place in JU Collegium Novum and also featured the JU Vice-Rector for International Relations Prof. Dorota Malec and the coordinator of the Kraków branch of Campus France Michał Zięba, who is also responsible for contacts with Polish higher education institutions.

During the meeting Prof. Jacek Popiel pointed out that the Jagiellonian University maintains very close relations with French academic institutions, based on international research projects as well as student and PhD candidate exchange programmes. The JU Institute in Romance Studies has been especially active in this field. The Rector expressed his hope that the existing partnership will be expanded and strengthened in the years to follow. He also recalled the last year’s visit by the President of the French Republic to the JU, which showed the high esteem in which the oldest Polish university is held in France and attracted much international attention.  

Anne Schmidt-Riou admitted that the academic cooperation between the Jagiellonian University and French higher education institution plays an important role in the partnership between the two countries. She also pointed to the thriving French-speaking community in Kraków, numbering about 2 thousand people. She stressed the Consulate’s commitment to supporting Polish-French cultural initiatives.

The Jagiellonian University has signed 9 faculty-level bilateral research collaboration agreements with French institutions of higher education, including 3 in the area of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Its main French partners are the University of Grenoble, University of Orleans, University of Strasbourg, Catholic University of Lyon and the prestigious École des mines de Paris. Besides, the oldest Polish University has signed over 200 agreements as part of the Erasmus+ programme, allowing student and staff exchange for educational and training purposes.

The Jagiellonian University is also involved in active cooperation with French higher education institutions within the framework of international university networks, such as UNA Europa, Coimbra Group, The Guild, Utrecht Network and the European Universities Association.

The JU’s cooperation with French institutions is especially strong in the field of legal studies. Since 2000 the School of French Law has been functioning as part of the OKSPO Centre for Foreign Law Schools with the aim of educating students in the field of legal French and providing them with crucial knowledge about legal system in France. Guest lectures by French lawyers and international conferences are also organised by the school and its students are co-authors of numerous research papers.