French as a stepping stone

Zukunftsmesse West: Education and career paths in French-speaking countries

28.09.2026|10:13 Uhr

Opening of the ‘Future Fair’ at the Grifflenberg campus

The ‘Zukunftsmesse West’ was opened by: Prof. Dr Peter Gust, vice-rector for Third Mission and International Affairs at the University of Wuppertal (left), Prof. Dr Andrea von Hülsen-Esch, vice-president of the Franco-German University (DFH), Xavier Fournier, Consul General of France in North Rhine-Westphalia, based in Düsseldorf (right), and the university lion.

Following the debut of the ‘Zukunftsmesse’ last year as the ‘Zukunftsmesse Nord’ at the University of Bremen, this new exhibition format centred on the Francophonie has now also been successfully launched in western Germany: On 22 and 23 September 2026, at the University of Wuppertal, over 50 stands run by universities, higher education institutions, cultural institutes and associations invited school pupils and interested members of the public to discover the wide range of opportunities for integrating French into their education and working lives. Whether it was Romance studies or bilingual degree programmes, a voluntary social year in a French-speaking country, work placements, exchange programmes or French companies and institutions in Germany – the ‘Zukunftsmesse West’ impressively demonstrated that those who learn French gain far more than just a language.

French: a language with great career prospects

More than 800 pupils from Year 9 onwards, university students and other interested parties took the opportunity to find out more, seek advice and be inspired at the Bergische University’s main Grifflenberg campus. The organisers and exhibitors were delighted by the visitors’ interest. This is because the French language offers enormous potential for young people’s career paths: “French is the official language in 29 countries around the world and is spoken by around 320 million people globally. France is one of Germany’s most important economic partners. It is the second-largest market for German goods globally and the most important market within the EU. At the same time, there is extensive mutual direct investment and a strong presence of German and French companies in both markets. Furthermore: ‘The EU and Canada – where French is the first official language of more than 20 per cent of the population – are currently discussing closer cooperation,’ said Prof. Dr Peter Gust, vice-rector for Third Mission and International Affairs at the University of Wuppertal, in his welcoming address. Prof. Dr Andrea von Hülsen-Esch, Vice-President of the Franco-German University (DFH), and Xavier Fournier, Consul General of France in North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf, also emphasised the importance of French for future educational pathways at the opening of the Zukunftsmesse West.

The Zukunftsmesse West looked beyond France to the entire Francophone world. In addition to Canada, this includes Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the French-speaking countries of Africa. Depending on the field of study or profession, French can be a necessary prerequisite or an important language of communication. At the same time, the Franco-German partnership is exceptional in its depth and diversity: “Hardly any two countries are linked by so many shared universities, institutions, exchange programmes and funding opportunities. For students in particular, this means that spending time in the other country is now much more accessible than many realise – financially, organisationally and also in terms of language. Anyone who discovers France as a place to study or work will find a comprehensive support network. A period abroad therefore need not be a privilege reserved for the few, but can become a realistic and affordable experience for many students,” says Andrea Bieck, Head of the International Office at the university of Wuppertal.

 

French: More than just a school subject

At 50 exhibition stands, visitors had the opportunity on both days of the fair to speak directly with universities, Franco-German institutions and other organisations. The focus was on very specific questions: Which degree programmes lead to international careers? What opportunities does studying in France or another French-speaking country offer? How can you fund work placements, a gap year or a period abroad? And in which professional fields is knowledge of French currently in particularly high demand?

The fair was complemented by talks, presentations and short training sessions. On the first day of the fair, the programme included, amongst other things, a round-table discussion entitled ‘French – a springboard for the future?!’. The initiator of the Zukunftsmesse West, Grégoire Fischer, Chair of the Association of French Teachers (VdF), is well aware that French is not an easy language to learn. In his appeal to the school groups present, he emphasised: “Don’t let pronunciation and grammar put you off. Take the plunge and go abroad to make personal connections. Feeling a language and experiencing it first-hand is something quite different from simply learning it in the classroom. It’s not just about a certificate, better career prospects or an entry on your CV. It’s about getting to know people, discovering different ways of life and truly experiencing a language. These experiences stay with you – and they change the way you see the world.”

 

Studying French at the University of Wuppertal

The University of Wuppertal (BUW) offers the Bachelor’s degree programme in Applied Cultural and Economic Studies: German–French and the Master’s degree programme in Applied German–French Studies: Culture, Economy, Sustainability. Both are binational degree programmes run in cooperation with the Université de Franche-Comté in Besançon. Graduates of these programmes receive a double degree: a German Bachelor’s/Master’s degree and a French Licence or Master’s degree in Langues, Littératures et Civilisations Étrangères et Régionales (LLCER). In addition, a diploma from the Franco-German University (DFH) is awarded, which enjoys international recognition. Students receive a DFH scholarship for their period of study abroad.

French can also be studied as a combined subject alongside other subjects, including with a view to teacher training.

Through its extensive network of partner institutions – including in Paris, Lille, Poitiers, Grenoble, Toulouse, Nice and Wuppertal’s twin town, Saint-Étienne – the BUW enables its students to undertake study-related stays abroad in France.

 

Background: Zukunftsmesse West
The Zukunftsmesse is organised by the Association of French Teachers (VdF), the Franco-German University (DFH), the Institut français in Germany / the French Embassy in Berlin and the Association of Franco-German Societies for Europe (VDFG). The Zukunftsmesse West is supported by the ‘Europa-Schecks’ state initiative of the Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media, and Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia.

 

Background: Franco-German University

The Franco-German University (Deutsch-Französische Hochschule, DFH) is a university network founded in 1997 by Germany and France with the mission of initiating, evaluating and providing financial support for Franco-German degree programmes. A wide variety of disciplines are represented, ranging from engineering, the humanities and social sciences, through the natural sciences, law and economics, to teacher training.
The programmes are offered by a network of 210 universities, universities of applied sciences and Grandes Écoles in just under 140 towns and cities across Germany, France and third countries. Currently, almost 6,000 students are taking part in the collaborative programmes supported by the DFH. There is no comparable binational project anywhere in the world.

 

Further information on French study opportunities

Zukunftsmesse West

Xavier Fournier, French Consul-General in North Rhine-Westphalia, based in Düsseldorf, at the opening of the ‘Zukunftsmesse West’

Pupils at the opening of the ‘Zukunftsmesse West’ fair

Andrea von Hülsen-Esch, Vice-President of the Franco-German University (DFH), at the opening of the ‘Zukunftsmesse West’

Round table at the opening of the Zukunftsmesse West (from left to right): Grégoire Fischer (Federal Chair of the Association of French Teachers), Maximilian Königs (freelance communications consultant and events manager; former advisor to the DFH), Paul Matheß (Alumni Association of the German-French Master’s Programme in Law at the University of Cologne), Volker Stehmann (Head of Permits and Environmental Protection, RWE Generation SE), Anne Mathieu (CEO, eurobahn), Sylvain Micard (Head of the Education and Language Cooperation Unit, French Embassy / Institut français), Prof. Dr Andrea von Hülsen-Esch (Vice-President of the Franco-German University), Annette Gerlach (presenter, Arte)

Advice on French degree programmes at the Zukunftsmesse West careers fair