The French Embassy in the Philippines launches a language assistant program with the University of the Philippines - Diliman's (UPD) European Languages Department, fostering cross-cultural connections and deepening language immersion.

The Language Assistant program will select three to five Filipino teaching assistants to teach English in France, offering salaries between 800 and 1,500 Euros and additional allowances.

"We firmly believe that language and culture are gateways to broader horizons; they shape our perspective, enhance our empathy, and open doors and windows to new opportunities and challenges. So I thank the French Embassy for their generosity," UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II expressed at the launch ceremony.

The century-old language assistant program, now with 74 partner countries, sends about 6,000 young people annually to France to assist language teachers and share their cultures, with the Philippines joining as the 74th partner nation.

It offers positions in all regions of metropolitan France and the overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and La Réunion. Applicants may indicate up to three regions of preference on their application form.

Accepted applicants will teach 12 hours per week at up to three nearby schools, mostly in English, independently or alongside a referent teacher.

The application will open on 31 October 2024, and placements will be announced in Mayo 2025 for a departure to France in October.

Applicants must be Filipino citizens aged 20 to 35, who have completed most of their education in the Philippines, be native speakers of the language they will teach, have finished at least two years of a bachelor's program, and possess good knowledge of French.

The French Embassy emphasized that the program, in collaboration with the Department of Education, will strengthen the presence of French in Philippine schools and ensure its sustainable future.

The program will also create a comprehensive map of French teachers in the country to foster a united community with France.

"A chance to study French or any other language is not just an academic pursuit; it is an invitation to experience a world of our history, ideas, and people's struggles that have influenced global culture," UPD College of Arts and Letters Dean Jimmuel C. Naval said.