The academic partnership between Ivory Coast and France has reached a new stage. This Friday, March 6, 2026, in Abidjan-Plateau, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Adama Diawara , unveiled the outlines of the ADESTRI project.

Supported by the third Debt Reduction and Development Contract ( C2D 3 ), this initiative provides for an investment of 3.2 billion FCFA to finance the mobility of 416 students and researchers to France.

This announcement follows a strategic working session between the Minister and the Consul General of France, Philippe Collin .

A massive investment in knowledge since 2013

Minister Diawara took the opportunity to present a positive assessment of financial cooperation:

1. 86.7 billion FCFA : This is the total amount injected into Ivorian higher education through the three phases of the C2D since 2013.
2. 6.4 billion FCFA : The portion specifically dedicated to international mobility, half of which (3.2 billion) is reserved for the new ADESTRI program which begins this year.

The three pillars of ADESTRI mobility

The program does not simply send students abroad; it targets three specific profiles to maximize its impact on the Ivorian education system:

1. Research for students (Master's and Doctoral): Short research stays (one week to one month) in French partner universities.
2. Professional development for teacher-researchers: One to two month internships to consolidate scientific and pedagogical skills.
3. Long pedagogical immersion: Stays of three to five months in laboratories to absorb French teaching methods (lectures, tutorials, practical work) in order to replicate them locally.

"The goal is to improve the quality of teaching in our own universities through this sharing of expertise," stressed Adama Diawara.

Easing visa procedures to support the momentum

For his part, the Consul General of France, Philippe Collin, welcomed the "very fruitful" exchanges and reiterated France's commitment to simplifying administrative procedures.

The momentum is already strong: in 2025, more than 3,800 student visas were issued to Ivorian nationals, representing an increase of 13% in one year.

"For the Consulate General, the aim is to facilitate the issuance of visas to the beneficiaries of the ADESTRI project. We will support this ramp-up," he assured, thus confirming France's desire to remain a preferred destination for the Ivorian academic elite.