Created in 1990, the Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger (AEFE) is a national public establishment under the authority of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE). The main objective of the AEFE, the MEAE's educational operator, is to support, promote and develop a school network that is unique in the world. By the start of the 2022 school year, it will comprise 567 schools in 138 countries, educating French children and children of all nationalities who are destined to become enlightened citizens.

Tasks conferred by law

In accordance with the French Education Code (article L452-2), the purpose of the Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger (AEFE) is, taking into account the capacity of the establishments :

• To provide public service education for French children living outside France;
• To help strengthen cooperative relations between French and foreign education systems for the benefit of French and foreign pupils;
• To contribute to the promotion of the French language and culture, in particular by welcoming foreign pupils;
• To help the families of French and foreign pupils to meet the costs of nursery, primary, secondary and higher education, while ensuring that school fees remain stable;
• To grant scholarships to children of French nationality attending French schools and educational establishments abroad, the list of which is set by joint order of the Minister for Education, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Cooperation;
• Ensure compliance with the principles of inclusive schooling for pupils with special educational needs;
• To contribute as a matter of priority to the training of staff working or intending to work in French educational establishments abroad, as well as staff working in foreign education systems as part of the educational cooperation mission defined in 2°, within the framework of training programmes provided, unless there are duly justified exceptions, in the French language or on the subject of French;
• To advise promoters of initiatives to set up a French educational establishment on how to carry out their accreditation project;
• To examine applications for state guarantees to finance the acquisition, construction and fitting-out of educational premises;
• To be a laboratory for educational innovation for the national education system, particularly in the field of language teaching.

Steering

The Agency coordinates the French overseas education network (EFE), which is made up of schools approved by the French Ministry of Education. It structures this network into sixteen zones where resources are pooled, with a regional training institute (IRF) in each zone.

It oversees the use of the human and financial resources provided by the State for the operation of the French educational establishments abroadThe aim is to double the number of students enrolled in the French education network abroad between 2018 and 2030.

It recruits, remunerates and supports permanent staff from the French Ministry of Education (around 6,500 people) whom it assigns to the establishments it manages directly (68) or which are associated with it under an agreement (162). It does not assign staff to partner establishments (336), but includes these establishments in the network's operations, mainly through staff training schemes. In fact, the AEFE conducts a ambitious training policy for the benefit of all staff throughout the network, in particular staff under local contracts recruited directly by the schools.

It implements a teaching policy for the schools in the network that combines respect for the curricula in force in France and the values underpinning the French education system, multilingual education and openness to the language and culture of the host country. It develops common systems, based on humanist and inclusive principles, which reinforce the strengths of French education in an international context.

Support

The Agency proposes unifying projects and events to schools in the network. It relays and supports educational projects initiated by these schools. It allocates resources to the pooling zones, enabling the schools to receive operating, investment, equipment and teaching support grants. It provides French families with help with schooling in the form of school grants. It grants Excellence-Major scholarships to the brightest foreign students wishing to pursue higher education in France.

Established in 138 countries, the network of 567 schools coordinated by the AEFE is an undeniable asset for French companies operating internationally and for developing France's appeal.
By developing and strengthening educational diplomacy, the network of French educational establishments abroad supports French cultural and economic diplomacy.

Council

The Agency provides engineering services in the fields of education, school and career guidance, real estate, human resources, management and governance, security and communication. It can provide providing expertise to project developers who want to develop teaching in line with the French educational model.