November 20, 2025, French Lecture Hall, room 701, Faculty of Letters, History, Philosophy and Theology
On November 20, 2025, the French Lectorate of the West University of Timișoara reaffirmed its role as a dynamic meeting space for young people passionate about the French language, hosting the event "Une première escale en français à l'université". Coordinated by lect. univ. dr. Ioana Marcu and funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, the project addressed students from two partner high schools: grade XI D from the "Preparandia-Dimitrie Țichindeal" National College in Arad, accompanied by prof. Claudia Dragoș, and students from grades XI A, XI D, XII A and XII D from the "Jean Louis Calderon" Theoretical High School in Timișoara, alongside prof. Laura Iobb.
The welcoming speech from the leadership of the Faculty of Letters, History, Philosophy and Theology was delivered by lect. dr. Gabriela Șandor, Director of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, who recalled the importance of dialogue between the pre-university and university environments, while emphasizing the crucial role that foreign languages play in the education of young people.
Next, representatives of the LIFT-UVT French Department, lect. univ. dr. Ioana Marcu and asst. univ. drd. Claudiu Gherasim, presented the Faculty's educational offer, the admission procedure, the extracurricular activities and the development opportunities that LIFT-UVT constantly makes available to students. The students also learned details about the international French language competition "La Pléiade", an opportunity that the department proposes every year to celebrate the French language and culture, but also to encourage the involvement and affirmation of high school students passionate about the French-speaking space.
The presentation was enriched by the interventions of students Andreea Crăciun and Daria Roman (1st year LL), Elena Cazacu and Roxana Carșai (3rd year LL) and Bianca Bădescu (2nd year, Master Romance Studies). They shared authentic experiences about student life, courses, group dynamics and open relationships with professors, thus offering students a sincere and motivating perspective on the university journey.
One of the most anticipated moments of the day was undoubtedly the interactive French language workshop proposed by the French lecturer Paul Fabrègue. Through dynamic and collaborative activities, the students "traveled" through the French and Francophone space, (re)discovering elements of culture, geography and history. The workshop stimulated dialogue in French, creating a relaxed setting in which the students were able to test their linguistic skills and cultural curiosity.
After the lunch break, the activity moved to the French Institute of Timișoara. Here, the students, accompanied by lecturer Paul Fabrègue, asst. Claudiu Gherasim, master's student Bianca Bădescu and student Roxana Carșai, discovered educational resources, cultural projects and practical activities dedicated to Francophiles from Timișoara. The day ended with a short guided tour of the city center, offered by Bianca Bădescu: an opportunity to put the information discussed in a cultural context and to see Timișoara through the eyes of a student passionate about Francophonie.
Throughout the day, we were joined by Mr. Miloudi Mounir, a lecturer at El-Oued University in Algeria, who contributed to the intercultural atmosphere of the meeting through his Francophone perspective.
We thank our colleagues from the "Preparandia-Dimitrie Țichindeal" National College in Arad and the "Jean Louis Calderon" Theoretical High School in Timișoara for their collaboration and involvement, as well as all the students who, through interest and enthusiasm, transformed this meeting into a true "first stop" in the world of university Francophonie.
See you next time !
