Université Paris Cité and RFI Collaborate on “Cultural Shifts” to Explore Interculturality
Paris, March 25, 2026 – Université Paris Cité and Radio France Internationale (RFI) have announced the launch of a new chronicle titled “Cultural Shifts” (Décalages culturels). This initiative, supported by the university’s Pedagogical Innovation Pole, aims to explore the nuances of interculturality through a series of testimonials and expert analyses. The collaboration highlights the cultural richness of the academic world and offers the public insights into diverse intercultural experiences.
Exploring Interculturality Through Testimonies and Analysis
Each 5 to 7-minute episode of “Cultural Shifts” begins with a personal account from a student, faculty member, or administrative staff of Université Paris Cité, sharing a cultural discrepancy they have encountered. This personal narrative is then contextualized and explained by an intercultural specialist. Each episode delves into a specific theme, such as communication codes, time management, or attitudes towards hierarchy. The series seeks to help listeners overcome misunderstandings stemming from cultural differences and demonstrate how unique situations can be valuable learning opportunities.
The partnership between RFI and Université Paris Cité underscores the university’s commitment to international openness and its welcoming policy for international students and researchers. Université Paris Cité boasts a network of 268 partner institutions across 35 countries and welcomed nearly 10,000 international students and 108 visiting researchers in the 2024-2025 academic year. Beyond humorous anecdotes and misunderstandings, “Cultural Shifts” aims to explain the meaning and value of these cross-cultural exchanges.
A Pedagogical Partnership with Future Educational Resources
Following their broadcast in French on RFI, these chronicles will be made available as podcasts on the “Le français facile avec RFI” website. Some of these digital resources will be accompanied by pedagogical materials developed by Université Paris Cité’s Pedagogical Innovation Pole. This offers a simple, flexible, and engaging way to learn languages through an alternative approach.
This partnership was funded as part of the Stand-Up project, under the “campus internationalization” action, which seeks to improve the reception and integration of international students and research faculty.
The first episodes of “Cultural Shifts” feature Armando, a student from Benin, and Juliano, a student from Brazil, sharing their experiences.
Contact Information:
- Pedagogical Innovation Pole: [email protected]
- Université Paris Cité Press: [email protected]
- RFI Press: [email protected]
