Tag Archive for: Student Life

We hope to see many of you at the Cin’Ethique screenings, where films are shown in the stunning anatomy lecture hall of Montpellier’s old medical school, and we invite you to join the panel discussions that follow.

"Save the date"!!

Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Thursday, February8, 2024
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

The 800th-anniversary student cap, donated by the medical students, will be displayed in the lobby of the Arnaud de Villeneuve Health Campus. The unveiling ceremony will take place on November 6, 2023. This intangible cultural heritage is being passed down; student tradition has never been more alive than at the world’s oldest medical school still in operation.

The World University Games are an international collegiate sports competition in which elite student-athletes compete. They are organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) every two years.

This season, the games will be held in Chengdu, China, and will bring together 6,000 elite student-athletes from 120 countries competing in 18 different sports, from July 28 to August 8. 

The Faculty is proud to announce that one of its medical students, Romain Didelot, has been selected for the French national track and field team! We sat down with him:

Can you tell us about your background, both academically and athletically?

“I started track and field at age 7, always with the same club in Montpellier, and my passion for the sport has never left me. Track and field—and my decision to specialize in the long jump—has been a part of my personal life and has instilled in me discipline, a love of hard work, and the drive to push myself to new heights. After high school years marked by several national titles, as soon as I passed the entrance exam for my first year of medical school in Montpellier, I returned to the Philippidès Stadium, and since then, I’ve been doing my best to balance my medical studies with elite-level sports. This requires daily organizational efforts to juggle classes, internships, studying, training, and competitions.”

What does this selection mean to you? 

“This selection for the World University Games is the culmination of a busy but successful year. Academically, I’m entering my fifth year of medical school and am thus continuing to pursue my main goal. On the athletic front, the results have also been impressive: French University Indoor Long Jump Champion (Eaubonne, Jan. 2023) and French University Outdoor Vice-Champion (Salon-de-Provence, May 2023), FFA French Senior Indoor Champion (Miramas, Feb. 2023), and bronze medalist at the FFA French Elite Indoor Championships (Clermont-Ferrand, Feb. 2023).” 

Would you like to add anything? 

“I am particularly happy and honored to have been selected, and proud to represent the Montpellier School of Medicine and the University of Montpellier. I am also very proud to represent my city there, since I was born in Montpellier and have always lived there. And, by a twist of fate, I will be competing in Chengdu, one of Montpellier’s sister cities!”

This summer, the Montpellier Health Tutoring Association (ATSM) published a guide for international students. Available via a link provided at the bottom of this article, the guide covers many key points about settling in France, as well as plenty of advice that can be helpful when pursuing a degree in the health sciences.

Moving to a foreign country is never easy, especially when you’re unfamiliar with the various procedures and the assistance available to you. This guide is therefore intended to provide information to help international students get off to a good start this year.

Furthermore, since health-related programs are particularly demanding, it goes without saying that a comfortable living environment makes life easier for anyone pursuing these fields, especially since many of our health-related students in Montpellier have completed part of their high school or college education outside of France.

While the International Student Guide is intended to be comprehensive, the Vice President for Health, Social Affairs, and Student Support (VP SSA) at ATSM is available to answer any questions regarding the guide via email at: vpssa.atsm@gmail.com

This guide consists of several sections:

  • administrative procedures,
  • everyday life, particularly in Montpellier,
  • The First Year in Health: Testimonials and Contact Information for International Student Organizations.

The ATSM has made this guide available via the following Google Drive link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QXf8MjVjjReJHWh94jjCszPElRBwk4Pe?usp=sharing

MAP Project

Students from the Montpellier Artistic Project (MAP) invite you to join them in analyzing a scene from Godard’s film *Contempt* during the special exhibition by artist Sylvain Fraysse at the Historic Building of the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine. We met with them to discuss this unique project.

How did this project come about?

The“Camille” project was launched in 2022, born out of a desire among members of the Montpellier Artistic Project to introduce students at the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine to new forms of art. The 2021–2022 MAP board therefore reached out to the Regional Contemporary Art Fund (FRAC) with the aim of creating a joint project, and this led to a collaboration with visual artist Sylvain Fraysse and Céline Mélissent, who oversees public engagement and the promotion of the collection at the FRAC.

 

What does this artistic experience entail for visitors?

The exhibition is a sensory experience of light and sound centered on Jean-Luc Godard’s film *Contempt *. The artist uses the Dissection Room in the Historic Building of the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine to “dissect” a scene from the film. In this iconic scene, the director lists the parts of Camille’s body—one of the main characters, played by Brigitte Bardot—in the manner of a dissection. Sylvain Fraysse recreates the scene’s color filters using gelatin sheets on the windows of the dissection room and also cuts the film’s original soundtrack into 24 frequencies. In this way, he dissects the very essence of the scene.

 

What exactly is MAP?

The "Montpellier Artistic Project" is a non-profit organization established in August 2020 by three medical students who wanted to organize artistic activities within the faculty.
Over the past three years, the MAP board has expanded, and we now offer a variety of workshops and activities across our four divisions: Applied Arts, Public Speaking, Literary Arts, and Culinary Arts. To this end, we provide materials and introductory sessions for various artistic practices, and we also organize art contests on our social media platforms, as well as a public speaking contest each semester.
You can find us through our mascot, a chameleon named Léon Art, on Facebook, as well as on our Instagram account.

 

Why is this project so important to you?

It is important to us because it allows us to bring the Faculty’s historic building to life by opening a room that has never before been open to the public, and thus gives the association a boost by taking us out of our usual workshops. We have learned a great deal from this project and hope that students and visitors will enjoy it. Furthermore, we are very proud to be part of Montpellier’s bid for the 2028 Capital of Culture and to be able to contribute to the city’s cultural life. It is a vibrant experience that brings students together.

 

What kind of support have you been able to gather?

We had the opportunity to work with Sylvain Fraysse and the FRAC through Céline Mélissent, who served as our primary point of contact during the development of this project. The project was selected to be part of Montpellier’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028, which allowed us to receive financial support for the production of the exhibition. The TaM supported us by allowing us to install posters at certain tram and bus stops throughout the metropolitan area to promote the exhibition.
We also received support from the University of Montpellier (UM) through the Student Initiative Solidarity Fund (FSDIE) and the UM Arts and Culture Department, notably Eléonore Szturemski, as well as from the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine. We would like to extend a special thank you to Dean Isabelle Laffont and Professor Gérald Chanques for their support and logistical assistance.

 

Practical information about the exhibition

Historic Building of the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine
2 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine
34000 Montpellier

 

Exhibition open to the public from March 22 to April 18:
  • Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Students can visit the exhibits during these open house days on a drop-in basis.

On Tuesdays, guided tours will be led by students in the Master’s program in Cultural Mediation at the Faculty of Education in Montpellier.
  • Tuesday, March 28, and April 4 and 11 at 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, April 18, at 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Additional mediation sessions offered by association members will be announced at a later date on the event’s Facebook page.

The DVC (Campus Life Office) regularly issues calls for proposals under the “ALIVE” program to improve student life on the campuses of the University of Montpellier. These projects, developed in collaboration with students from each campus, give rise to innovative initiatives funded by the CVEC. In 2020, the Faculty responded to the call, leading to the creation of a secure bike shelter on the Arnaud de Villeneuve campus.

What are we talking about?

Alive consists of calls for proposals issued each year by the DVC (Campus Life Office) with clearly defined guidelines:

“ “As part of the rollout of the CVEC*, the University of Montpellier has decided to launch the ALIVE call for projects, titled ‘Improving Student Living Spaces,’ aimed at academic departments, schools, and institutes. The call for projects is intended for the creation or renovation of spaces dedicated to student life on UM campuses, excluding academic facilities.”

The objectives of these calls for proposals are therefore to:

  • Improving the environment for new students and student life
  • Promoting a better sense of community among students.

 

The 2020–2021 Project: A Secure Bike Shelter for the ADV Campus

In 2020, the Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the then-Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Florian Mary, decided to consult with fellow students and respond to the ALIVE call for proposals. This consultation revealed a need for a secure bike shelter. Construction began in January 2022 and was completed at the start of this academic year.

The bike shelter is now operational, with card-based access for 150 students on the ADV Campus. These students voluntarily signed up in September in response to an email invitation from the faculty administration. In January 2023, the number of access permits will be increased if it is determined that the shelter is underutilized.

This bike rack is a real benefit for our students, who can combine efficiency with environmental friendliness by choosing to bike to school. The secure design of the rack significantly reduces theft!

 

* Law No. 2018-166 on Student Guidance and Success, dated March 8, 2018, known as the ORE Law, established a student and campus life contribution (CVEC), which, pursuant to Article L. 841-5.-I of the Education Code, to “promote the reception and social, health, cultural, and athletic support of students and to strengthen prevention and health education initiatives carried out for their benefit.”

For the 19thth edition of “Rendez-vous aux Jardins,” gardeners and botanists welcome you from across Europe to explore the theme “Gardens in the Face of Climate Change.” The event, organized by the Ministry of Culture, will take place from Friday, June 3, to Sunday, June 5, 2022. And here’s some good news: the Jardin Des Plantes in Montpellier will be participating for two days.

 

 What exactly is “Rendez-vous aux jardins”?

 Starting Friday, June 3, nearly 2,200 gardens will open their gates, offering moments of joy and discovery. It’s an opportunity to share with family and friends through a wide range of activities. Throughout the weekend, visitors will be able to interact with experts on nature conservation measures, with the goal of raising awareness about the protection of biodiversity, which is essential to the well-being of all living things. Furthermore, in recent years, thanks to successful European cooperation, many countries have joined the initiative, including Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Italy, Poland, and France. This is an opportunity to discover splendid gardens, including the Jardin des Plantes at the Montpellier Faculty of Medicine.

 

And what's the situation like at the Jardin des Plantes?

The Jardin des Plantes at the Montpellier Faculty of Medicine is opening its doors this year for its 19th annual event. In groups of 25, you’ll explore the garden’s iconic sites through 14 guided tours, focusing on recurring themes such as “Bees and Humans in 2022,” “Herbs and the Five Senses Plots,” or general tours. All passionate about botany, our five gardener-botanists—who will don the role of guides for the duration of the weekend—will present how plants are adapting to climate change in their respective areas. The goal of these two days is to foster interaction between our gardeners-botanists and the general public, as well as to raise awareness among young people and adults alike about preserving and promoting the Faculty’s Jardin des Plantes. An iconic site in Montpellier, come discover it with fresh eyes. We look forward to seeing many of you there! 

 

2022 Tour Schedule for "RDV aux Jardins"

All tours depart from the municipal guards' station on Boulevard Henri IV.

The maximum number of people per visit is limited to 25.

  • Fri, June 3 – 1:00 p.m.

    Bees and Humans in 2022

    by Jeff Fauveau and the APIS SCHOLA association

  • General Tour of the Garden

    by Emmanuel Spicq

    Fri, June 3 – 1:30 p.m.

  • Fri, June 3 – 2:00 p.m.

    To be or not to be in an English garden—that is the question?

    by Ludovic Rioux and Jean-Louis Talavera

  • The Collections of the Jardin des Plantes

    by Didier Morisot

    Fri, June 3 – 2:30 p.m.

  • Fri, June 3 – 3:00 p.m.

    Plant strategies and adaptations to climate change

    by Denis Nespoulous

  • Herbs and the Five Senses Square

    by Jean-Louis Talavera

    Fri, June 3 – 4:00 p.m.

  • Sat, June 4 – 1:30 p.m.

    To be or not to be in an English garden—that is the question?

    by Ludovic Rioux and Jean-Louis Talavera

  • A Walk Through History and Ecology

    by Denis Nespoulous

    Saturday, June 4 – 2:00 p.m.

  • Sat, June 4 – 2:15 p.m.

    Bees and Humans in 2022

    by Jeff Fauveau and the APIS SCHOLA association

  • Martins Greenhouse and its collection of succulents

    by Emmanuel SPICQ

    Saturday, June 4 – 2:30 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 4 – 3:00 p.m.

    Herbs and the Five Senses Square

    by Jean-Louis Talavera

  • Plant strategies and adaptations to climate change

    by Denis Nespoulous

    Saturday, June 4 – 3:30 p.m.

  • Sat, June 4 – 4:00 p.m.

    Bees and Humans in 2022

    by Jeff Fauveau and the APIS SCHOLA association

  • General Tour of the Garden

    by Emmanuel Spicq

    Sat, June 4 – 4:30 p.m.

 

 

What is Karab’s? It’s a pocket guide listing local spots and tips around town for both local and international students. Created by students fromthe ACM student union, their project was launched on April 27, 2022, after three years of hard work and dedication.

3 great reasons to get the Karab’s!

 

  • 1 - A PRACTICAL GUIDE BASED ON ITS SIZE AND FORMAT

    Choosing Karab’s means choosing convenience! About the size of a paperback, this little guide will easily slip into your bag so you can take it with you everywhere you go in the streets of Montpellier.

    Convenient in both size and format! Karab’s is divided into six chapters to guide you through your daily student life: eating, studying, getting some fresh air, going out, cultural activities, and drinking (in moderation, let’s not forget…!). The guide is clear and easy to understand; it features photos of various locations (handy for newcomers to Montpellier!) along with information such as hours, prices, locations, and much more…

  • 2 - A MUST-HAVE FOR EXPLORING NEW PLACES

    Whether you’re a local student or an international student, Le Karab’s is a quick and easy way to find great spots or discover new ones, whether in downtown Montpellier or the surrounding area! From upscale restaurants in Montpellier to budget-friendly bars, you’ll find all kinds of places listed here.

  • 3 - SUPPORT A STUDENT INITIATIVE

    After three years of hard work, the students ofACM Corpo have finally seen their project come to fruition! By purchasing this guide, you’re also supporting their work.

    Whether you’re on the lookout for great deals or just curious, this guide is for you! The best part? Karab’s is 100% free and available at the Medical Student Union in Montpellier, so go grab a copy!

 

Karab’s is making headlines in the local press!

And since such a wonderful initiative was bound to catch the attention of the local press, Karab’s has already been featured twice! Coming soon to Radio Campus Montpellier and Fun Radio, this little guide has a bright future ahead of it!