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Welcome Week 2026: A week to get your CESI adventure in France off to a good start

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From August 31 to September 4, 2026, CESI École d’Ingénieurs welcomed its new international students to the iX Campus in Saint-Germain-en-Laye for its first Welcome Week, marked by a spirit of camaraderie, cultural exchange, discovery, and internationalization.

Over the course of five days, about ten students from more than ten countries and several continents shared a common experience before heading to their respective campuses in Lille, Nanterre, Toulouse, La Rochelle, Nancy, and Nice.

This orientation session was designed to provide students with the tools they need to successfully settle into life in France, help them discover their new academic and cultural environment, and, above all, foster a sense of belonging to the CESI community from the moment they arrive.

A Week dedicated to welcome and integration

Conceived as a key welcoming event, Welcome Week aimed to support students as they took their first steps in France: housing, transportation, healthcare, insurance, administrative procedures, as well as an introduction to French culture and their new academic environment.

Beyond these practical aspects, the goal was to foster an initial sense of community among students who, just a few days earlier, did not yet know one another. Workshops, tours, group activities, and opportunities for interaction allowed them to get to know one another, share their experiences, and gradually build connections.

“The goal of this Welcome Week is to bring together students from our various programs—exchange students, engineering students, and master’s students,” explains Stefan Seiler, Director of International Development at CESI École d’Ingénieurs.

The goal of this Welcome Week is to bring together students from our various programs—exchange students, engineering students, and master’s students

explains Stefan Seiler, Director of International Development at CESI École d’Ingénieurs.

This diversity was one of the week’s greatest assets. From the very first activities, students were encouraged to interact, collaborate, and discover other cultures, all while beginning to build their own CESI experience. At the end of the week, the students returned to their respective campuses.

Discover CESI École d’Ingénieurs, its educational approach, and France

Welcome Week offered a program combining academic orientation, cultural exploration, administrative support, and immersion in the CESI and professional ecosystems.

From the very first day, an intercultural “break the ice” workshop allowed students to get to know one another, identify their skills, and reflect on the skills they hoped to develop throughout their academic journey.

This activity really helped reduce anxiety on the first day. They didn’t know what to expect, and this workshop gave them the tools to understand how the week would unfold.

notes Laura-Juliana Mendoza Romero, International Mobility Coordinator at CESI École d’Ingénieurs.

The students also learned about CESI École d’Ingénieurs’ pedagogical model, particularly the PBL (Problem-Based Learning) method, an approach central to their future academic life. Over the course of three half-days, they familiarized themselves with this active learning approach and began to envision their future learning environment.

An introductory course in French as a foreign language was also offered to provide students with some basic language skills to make their daily lives and integration easier.

An Immersion in the Heart of French Culture and Society

Exploring France also played a significant role in the program.

The visit to the Palace of Versailles was a particular highlight of the week, offering students the opportunity to get off campus, explore an iconic site of French heritage, and gain a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the country where they will now be studying.

This visit allowed them to get off campus, immerse themselves in the country, and understand the history that has shaped modern-day France. It was one of the most popular activities at the end of the week.

notes Laura-Juliana.


The week also kicked off with an introduction to the French professional and entrepreneurial world, featuring a day dedicated to the deep tech ecosystem. Presentations by startups, meetings with entrepreneurs, a tour of a submarine engine manufacturing plant, and a workshop on data analysis allowed students to explore different professional environments and begin envisioning their futures.

Encounters That Build Connections

Welcome Week wasn’t limited to educational activities and cultural discoveries. It was also a week full of opportunities to meet new people.

Social gatherings, games, and team-building activities allowed students to get to know one another better, as well as to build connections with CESI staff and members of the Student Union.

The two international admissions officers, Sabine FREFIELD (Rouen) and Anaïs Mucke (Lille), played a key role in welcoming and supporting students throughout the week. The Student Union (BDE) was also introduced to the students to help them discover the richness of student life and club activities at CESI, as well as the many opportunities to get involved on campus.

A shared experience that sets the tone for the CESI adventure

Team-building activities helped sustain this collective momentum. During a challenge to build a structure together in just five minutes, the students had to learn to communicate, organize themselves, and draw on their complementary strengths.

These moments, which were both fun and educational, helped reveal each person’s personality and talents while strengthening the group’s cohesion.

Over the course of the five days, the students discovered much more than just a school and an academic program: they began to build their network, understand their new environment, and find their place within the CESI community.

This first Welcome Week is a wonderful illustration of the “Welcome to France” spirit championed by CESI École d’Ingénieurs : welcoming, supporting, building connections, and providing every international student with the best possible conditions to begin their journey.