On Campus Initiatives

One of CIFS’ main strengths lies in its organizational flexibility; nowhere is this more apparent than in the diversity of our engagement in the UW campus community. As an administrative body, CIFS coordinates both the Sciences Po Exchange Program, which offers study, research, and teaching abroad opportunities to undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty alike, as well as the French Business Internship Program, which affords qualified undergraduates professional experience and UW credit working as interns in French businesses.

As an interdisciplinary area studies center, CIFS has developed the NGO Speaker Series, which invites representatives of francophone non-government organizations to speak about global issues, meet with students and faculty, and establish working relationships between academia and civil society. Additionally, CIFS serves as an intermediary in the development of the Medical School Collaboration between the UW Medical School and the Laboratory for Molecular Genetics in Brest, France. Finally, as a promoter of French language and culture, CIFS periodically donates French DVDs to the Learning Support Services media lab, which, in turn, are used in language and civilization courses by the Department of French & Italian.

Medical School Collaboration

Under the leadership of Dean Philip Farrell and Professor Claude Férec, this program aims to develop a collaborative exchange of faculty and medical students between the UW-Madison Medical School and the Laboratory for Molecular Genetics at Brest. CIFS is serving as a facilitator in the exchange, which endeavors to combine the UW-M's vast Cystic Fibrosis database with Brest's innovative CF research and analysi

CIFS’ Non-Government Organization Speaker Series:

To inaugurate the series, CIFS invited two large international NGOs to send representatives to UW-Madison in the spring of 2003. The first speaker was Mr. Philippe Massé, a research consultant at Oxfam-Québec, who specializes in national communication networks, and the effective use of Internet Technology in maximizing human development projects in Africa. In his first talk, Massé examined Oxfam-Québec’s role as a partner in the international civil society community, and the specific nature of their activism in francophone locales. His second talk, presented the major initiatives around which Oxfam structures its activism, and detailed the link between new technologies and world development. He discussed the subtleties of working in developing countries, and the potential for university/NGO partnerships.

In April, CIFS welcomed Mr. François Rubio, who spoke on behalf of Médecins du Monde. Mr. Rubio is Legal Director for MdM and an authority in nonprofit law. In his first talk, Rubio introduced the numerous programs spearheaded by MdM, and addressed the ethical and legal concerns that shape the operation and administration of an international humanitarian organization. In his second talk, “Existe-t-il une exception des ONG françaises,” Mr. Rubio turned a critical gaze towards the “French” NGO, which has developed more recently than similar organizations elsewhere in the world. He discussed the relationship between this organizational jeunesse, and the strong French tendency towards work involving medical and emergency relief, thus situating the “French” NGO within the broader international community of civil society organizations. Mr. Rubio’s visit was rounded out by a series of successful discussions with faculty, students, and regional NGO representatives.

During the summer months, CIFS will be planning the visits of two new NGO speakers this fall; specific details to come!

Non-Government Organization (NGO) Speaker Series

The Center for Interdisciplinary French Studies is pleased to announce its NGO Speaker Series, a new program launched in the spring of 2003. CIFS has a particular interest in organizations that are based in francophone countries or whose transnational operations demonstrate deep involvement in francophone countries and regions. Invited speakers give two talks UW-Madison: one is in French and concentrates on issues relating to the organization’s work in French-speaking regions, concerns that may also be relevant in a larger or global context. The other talk is in English and targets a broader audience interested in social, economic, health, humanitarian and environmental issues. Speakers again discuss the programs and mission of their organization, as well as the education and training that the organization perceives as being the most essential for the effective realization of its objectives. Now more than ever, NGOs play a valuable role in the world’s social and economic affairs, operating within both the public and private sectors. This series is only the first step in the process of building and reinforcing connections between the university and NGOs that serve French and francophone communities around the globe.

Participants in the series are:
François Rubio – Legal Director for Médecins du Monde in Paris, France
Philippe Massé – Consultant for Oxfam-Québec, Canada

Detailed summary of the spring 2003 NGO Speaker Series

Please view Events for a complete list of current and upcoming speakers

French DVD Donations

In the spring of 2003, CIFS donated several French language films to the language lab of the College of Letters & Sciences (LSS Lab) for use in coursework, as well as language and cultural acquisition. THe language lab boasts an impressive collection of international cinema; therefore, CIFS' new initiative aims to maintain the contemporary appeal of this collection through the regular donation of current and influential French films.

Films donated to date:

D’ailleurs, Derrida (Derrida’s Elsewhere), dir. Safaa Fathy (VHS)
Le Battement d’ailes du papillon (Happenstance), dir. Laurent Firode (DVD)
Un Crime au Paradis, dir. Jean Becker (DVD)
La Tour Montparnasse Infernale (Don’t Die Too Hard), dir. Charles Nemes (VHS)
La Ville est Tranquille, dir. Robert Guédiquian (VHS)
La Parenthèse enchantée, dir. Michel Spinosa (VHS)
Cet amour-là, dir. Alain Sarde (DVD)

Center for Interdisciplinary French Studies at UW-Madison Current Events: French Filmmaker Pierre Sauvage to Give Talk on the Holocaust, 4/15 CLICK FOR FULL DETAILS
home about CIFS calendar work & study in France campus initiatives outreach multimedia past events contacts links	On Campus Initiatives One of CIFS’ main strengths lies in its organizational flexibility; nowhere is this more apparent than in the diversity of our engagement in the UW campus community. As an administrative body, CIFS coordinates both the Sciences Po Exchange Program, which offers study, research, and teaching abroad opportunities to undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty alike, as well as the French Business Internship Program, which affords qualified undergraduates professional experience and UW credit working as interns in French businesses. As an interdisciplinary area studies center, CIFS has developed the NGO Speaker Series, which invites representatives of francophone non-government organizations to speak about global issues, meet with students and faculty, and establish working relationships between academia and civil society. Additionally, CIFS serves as an intermediary in the development of the Medical School Collaboration between the UW Medical School and the Laboratory for Molecular Genetics in Brest, France. Finally, as a promoter of French language and culture, CIFS periodically donates French DVDs to the Learning Support Services media lab, which, in turn, are used in language and civilization courses by the Department of French & Italian. Medical School Collaboration Under the leadership of Dean Philip Farrell and Professor Claude Férec, this program aims to develop a collaborative exchange of faculty and medical students between the UW-Madison Medical School and the Laboratory for Molecular Genetics at Brest. CIFS is serving as a facilitator in the exchange, which endeavors to combine the UW-M's vast Cystic Fibrosis database with Brest's innovative CF research and analysi CIFS’ Non-Government Organization Speaker Series: To inaugurate the series, CIFS invited two large international NGOs to send representatives to UW-Madison in the spring of 2003. The first speaker was Mr. Philippe Massé, a research consultant at Oxfam-Québec, who specializes in national communication networks, and the effective use of Internet Technology in maximizing human development projects in Africa. In his first talk, Massé examined Oxfam-Québec’s role as a partner in the international civil society community, and the specific nature of their activism in francophone locales. His second talk, presented the major initiatives around which Oxfam structures its activism, and detailed the link between new technologies and world development. He discussed the subtleties of working in developing countries, and the potential for university/NGO partnerships. In April, CIFS welcomed Mr. François Rubio, who spoke on behalf of Médecins du Monde. Mr. Rubio is Legal Director for MdM and an authority in nonprofit law. In his first talk, Rubio introduced the numerous programs spearheaded by MdM, and addressed the ethical and legal concerns that shape the operation and administration of an international humanitarian organization. In his second talk, “Existe-t-il une exception des ONG françaises,” Mr. Rubio turned a critical gaze towards the “French” NGO, which has developed more recently than similar organizations elsewhere in the world. He discussed the relationship between this organizational jeunesse, and the strong French tendency towards work involving medical and emergency relief, thus situating the “French” NGO within the broader international community of civil society organizations. Mr. Rubio’s visit was rounded out by a series of successful discussions with faculty, students, and regional NGO representatives. During the summer months, CIFS will be planning the visits of two new NGO speakers this fall; specific details to come! Non-Government Organization (NGO) Speaker Series The Center for Interdisciplinary French Studies is pleased to announce its NGO Speaker Series, a new program launched in the spring of 2003. CIFS has a particular interest in organizations that are based in francophone countries or whose transnational operations demonstrate deep involvement in francophone countries and regions. Invited speakers give two talks UW-Madison: one is in French and concentrates on issues relating to the organization’s work in French-speaking regions, concerns that may also be relevant in a larger or global context. The other talk is in English and targets a broader audience interested in social, economic, health, humanitarian and environmental issues. Speakers again discuss the programs and mission of their organization, as well as the education and training that the organization perceives as being the most essential for the effective realization of its objectives. Now more than ever, NGOs play a valuable role in the world’s social and economic affairs, operating within both the public and private sectors. This series is only the first step in the process of building and reinforcing connections between the university and NGOs that serve French and francophone communities around the globe. Participants in the series are: François Rubio – Legal Director for Médecins du Monde in Paris, France Philippe Massé – Consultant for Oxfam-Québec, Canada Detailed summary of the spring 2003 NGO Speaker Series Please view Events for a complete list of current and upcoming speakers French DVD Donations In the spring of 2003, CIFS donated several French language films to the language lab of the College of Letters & Sciences (LSS Lab) for use in coursework, as well as language and cultural acquisition. THe language lab boasts an impressive collection of international cinema; therefore, CIFS' new initiative aims to maintain the contemporary appeal of this collection through the regular donation of current and influential French films. Films donated to date: D’ailleurs, Derrida (Derrida’s Elsewhere), dir. Safaa Fathy (VHS) Le Battement d’ailes du papillon (Happenstance), dir. Laurent Firode (DVD) Un Crime au Paradis, dir. Jean Becker (DVD) La Tour Montparnasse Infernale (Don’t Die Too Hard), dir. Charles Nemes (VHS) La Ville est Tranquille, dir. Robert Guédiquian (VHS) La Parenthèse enchantée, dir. Michel Spinosa (VHS) Cet amour-là, dir. Alain Sarde (DVD) Complete list of French language films available through LSS.

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Center for Interdisciplinary French Studies at UW-Madison

Current Events: French Filmmaker Pierre Sauvage to Give Talk on the Holocaust, 4/15