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CESI Strengthens Its Presence in West Africa at the “Study in France” Fair in Senegal

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As part of its internationalization strategy and its commitment to developing sustainable academic partnerships in Africa, CESI participated in the Study in France Fair (SEF Senegal), held in Dakar on December 12 and 13, 2025. This major higher education guidance event provided a strategic opportunity to strengthen the school’s visibility among prospective Senegalese students and their families.

CESI was represented by Cécile Bastide, Candidate Relations and International Services Officer, and Sana Jelassi, Lecturer and Academic Program Manager in Embedded Systems at the Nanterre campus. Together, they presented CESI’s engineering programs as well as the support schemes available to international students.

A Fair Dedicated to Guidance and Higher Education

The SEF Senegal Fair stands out for its intentionally smaller format compared with other international higher education fairs, fostering in-depth and high-quality exchanges. Bringing together around fifteen institutions, including only four engineering schools, the event offered CESI enhanced visibility among a targeted audience.

More than 3000 visitors from public and elite private high schools, universities, and French institutions based in Senegal attended the event.


A Sustainable Partnership Supporting Student Mobility

CESI’s participation in the fair builds on a long-standing academic partnership with the Institution Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc (ISJA) in Dakar. This partnership enables students, predominantly Senegalese, to complete their two-year integrated preparatory program directly in Dakar before continuing their studies in France within CESI’s engineering cycle.

This model addresses several key challenges:

  • a gradual transition toward international mobility,
  • greater family acceptance, as students remain in their home country for two additional years,
  • improved economic accessibility, with training costs lower in Dakar than in France.

After completing the preparatory cycle in Dakar, students join CESI’s Grande École Program with full-time student status. The most popular pathways include digital sciences (embedded systems, IoT, networks and cybersecurity, data science, and artificial intelligence), as well as generalist programs in civil engineering or industry and services..

An International Approach Adapted to Local Contexts

In a predominantly French-speaking Senegalese context, CESI naturally prioritizes the promotion of French-taught programs, in line with the expectations of partner institutions and families.

Participation in the SEF Senegal Fair illustrates CESI’s commitment to responsible, inclusive, and sustainable internationalization, based on local partnerships, academic excellence, and support for international talent.

Through initiatives such as this, CESI reaffirms its ambition to train engineers capable of thriving in multicultural environments and addressing the global challenges of tomorrow.