Students studying French at Georgia Tech now have another reason to be proud of their hard work. The French program in the School of Modern Languages has been designated a member of the Centers of Excellence University Network by Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education.  

This prestigious recognition places Georgia Tech’s French program among 28 elite programs in the U.S., including those at Brown, Cornell, Harvard, and MIT. It highlights the program’s distinctive approach to French and Francophone studies, which bridges language, literature, culture, technology, and sustainability. 

“We are dedicated to offering Georgia Tech students outstanding instruction and opportunities in French and Francophone studies,” said Stéphanie Boulard, professor and director of the French Program at Georgia Tech who applied for the designation with Villa Albertine. “The Centers of Excellence Network opens up exciting new opportunities for our students.” 

Through this new partnership, students can look forward to expanded exchange programs, collaborative projects with French universities, and access to research and cultural events organized by Villa Albertine. “We are eager to collaborate with other Centers of Excellence across the country,” added Boulard, “and to build connections that will enrich our students’ global education.”  

Villa Albertine, a division of the French Embassy in the U.S., is dedicated to promoting and supporting French and Francophone studies on American campuses through a multidisciplinary lens that embraces the social sciences, humanities, and arts. With cultural offices in cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, Villa Albertine supports transatlantic research, artistic residencies, and public dialogues that foster cultural exchange and intellectual collaboration. 

Villa Albertine’s Centers of Excellence in the United States partner with higher education institutions in France to support joint research, student mobility, and visiting faculty exchanges, as well as seminars, lectures, and festivals. As a new member of this network, Georgia Tech’s French Program will expand its international partnerships and offer students new pathways to engage with French and Francophone culture through study abroad, research, and creative collaboration. 

“This designation reflects the incredible energy of our students and faculty,” said Boulard. “It shows that learning French at Georgia Tech is not only about language, it’s about building bridges between cultures, disciplines, and ideas.”