The prospects of moving to another country may seem daunting and the Covid-19 pandemic has added additional layers of complexity to international travel. Our students’ health and mental wellbeing, as well as maintaining the quality of our teaching, have remained our top priority, as outlined in this message from our Dean for Europe, Jeremy Carrette. Thanks to our intimate class sizes of the Paris School of Arts and Culture, we have been in the fortunate position of being able to continue delivering in-person teaching. We were very pleased to welcome students from around the world this past year, including students in enrolled on our programmes with a term in Paris. This is what brought Master’s in Film student Callum B. to Paris in January 2021. Read about Callum’s experience in Paris below.

“Studying with Kent in Paris truly was transformative moment in my life. The experiences I had during this time were incredible considering the ongoing pandemic. The staff at the university fully supported the students and provided a unique experience for us considering the situation. Above this, they were always available for a chat and were willing to help at any given moment. The staff truly adapted perfectly to the challenges they faced to give students the best experience possible, both in and out of the classroom.

“Despite many things being closed during my time in the city, I still have come away feeling more than satisfied with my experience. I was able to fully immerse myself in the Parisian lifestyle and enjoy many of the famous happenings that Paris has to offer. Additionally, through the course, I made fantastic friends and met people who I will treasure for the rest of my life.

“As the city begins to open again, I can only imagine how great it will be for future students coming to Reid Hall, who will have an incredible time on campus as well as creating new friendships and exploring this beautiful city.

“The university allowed me to have an opportunity that I will never forget and one that has opened my eyes to new possibilities in the future such as potentially returning to Paris to live.” — Callum B.

Since Callum’s departure at the end of our spring 2021 term, France has eased most Covid-19 restrictions, and a sense of vibrancy has returned to the city. You can read about current Covid-related restrictions in place on the French Government’s dedicated English-language website: https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19.

Learn more about studying at Kent in Paris here.

Welcome to Paris!

As we move into the summer months, we look forward to welcoming students in September and to a new academic year with face-to-face teaching in one of the world’s richest cultural capitals, Paris.

The global pandemic has made clear just how important creative practices and engagement, artistic values and critical thinking are. In challenging times, we need skills and ideas for effective solutions to world problems and the Paris School of Arts and Culture has a rich range of programmes to elevate our contributions to, and experience of, the new worlds we face.

Covid-19 has changed our worlds, but it has also meant we have found new safe and flexible ways to live. Our aim is always to teach in-person where possible and our safety measures make this possible.

We believe in the importance of delivering our educational experience in-person because it builds a community of learners, but this is always supported by virtual supports and we use the richness of digital input in a changing and networked world to enhance the in-person and when necessary. Whether in-person or online, our expertise remains one to transform your future and to create new opportunities.

Our unique size and context allow us to deliver as much in-person teaching as possible, with new rules and guidance for our Covid-19 safety. It is our aim to offer safe in-person teaching, dynamic online interaction and allowing you to make the most of the opportunities Paris has to offer in a world adapting to new times.

The health and safety of our students and staff is the highest priority. We follow University of Kent and all French government regulations to ensure the Paris School of Arts and Culture is safe; we have put in place new health and safety measures to ensure we can support our educational vision.

The world is now more adapted to Covid-19 measures and before returning or arriving it is important you are aware of our Covid Code of Conduct and follow its guidance, which makes our education possible. We will provide an additional briefing on the COVID-19 Code of Conduct to new students as part of Welcome Week beginning 20 September 2021.

The world is different, but the academic work, the opportunities for learning and the intellectual engagements will be as deep and as rich as our international reputation for scholarship and teaching has always been over the years. We have worked hard to maintain the close-knit Paris School community and we are delighted with the spirit that students have approached this new world – with enthusiasm to study, resilience in adjusting and engaging in hard-work to build new careers.

We look forward to you joining us to build your new worlds of possibilities, living safely, exploring new ideas and finding solutions to the challenges.

I look forward to welcoming you all to the University of Kent Paris School.

Jeremy Carrette
Dean for Europe

In a live interview with CBS News on Sunday, 18 April 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron gave encouraging prospects for a return to travel between France and the US as early as the beginning of May.

In the English-language interview on the show “Face the Nation”, Macron stated that restrictions will be gradually lifted from the beginning of May for Americans who have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine or can show proof a negative PCR test. He said that this was already in discussion between Paris and Washington, whose officials are finalising the details of what would be a sort of digital health travel pass. He outlined that this is possible due to France’s increased level of vaccination.

The interview, which you can view above, also touched on joint efforts between the US and Europe to help the vaccination effort in developing countries, meeting the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement, the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and racism and social inequality in France and the US.

Further details about the travel pass and a timeline will hopefully be announced shortly. Since the outbreak of the pandemic travel for holders of a student visa has been maintained. Therefore, students who pursue one of our Master’s Programmes in Paris have been allowed to travel to France and stay for the validity of their visa.

In the first months of the pandemic, the French government automatically extended long-stay student visas by six months to ensure that students were not stranded without a valid residence permit. This proactive measure would likely be repeated if a similar situation were to arise in the future, a move which should help prospective students feel more confident about making plans to study in Paris. Further information about how we’ve adapted in regards to Covid safety and regulations at our Paris School has been outlined in this Spring term teaching update.

Despite the facility of student visas, the opening of the borders is still welcome news for those wishing to have fluid travel to and from the US (and other countries to be announced) as well as those hoping to visit their family members or friends studying in Paris, safely and within the official Covid regulations.