A Unique Academic Bridge Between the Université and the German Central Bank
Thanks to a partnership with the Bundesbank, students from Toulon immerse themselves in the heart of European finance.
Since 2023, the Université de Toulon has gained a major asset in the competitive landscape of regional higher education through an exceptional partnership with the Bundesbank University. Each year, this Franco-German program allows about twenty students from the master's degree in Monnaie, Banque, Finance, Assurance (MBFA) to participate in a month of intensive exchanges, split between the German campus of Hachenburg and the one in Toulon.
An initiative that positions the institution of Var as a unique player in training future executives of European finance.
This rapprochement is the result of a vision carried by Olivier Radelet, a former executive of the Banque Centrale Européenne (BCE) and founder of the non-profit association Vivecora. Aware of the potential of the university of Var, he leveraged his experience to create an unprecedented synergy.
“Dès le début de mon installation dans le Var, j’ai constaté que l’Université de Toulon était très en pointe en macroéconomie et souhaitait s’internationaliser. Je me suis alors investi pour développer un partenariat avec l’Allemagne mettant à profit mon expérience professionnelle et mes contacts”
With his association, which works for the financial education of young people through innovative pedagogical tools, this partnership became a reality, illustrating a desire to de-compartmentalize the academic and professional worlds.
A complementary and demanding immersion
The program is based on the complementarity of the two training courses. The university of the Bundesbank, located in a castle north of Francfort, is the only one in Europe to specifically train future experts in monetary policy and banking supervision for the central bank.
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For their part, the students of Toulon are more oriented towards careers in the sectors of private finance, banking, and insurance.
For a month, both class cohorts live and work together, entirely in English. The classes, conferences, and meetings with central bank professionals address highly topical subjects such as inflation, currency fluctuations, or the digital transition. Last year, the digital euro project was at the heart of the debates, allowing the exploration of sovereignty and innovation challenges for Europe.
“J’ai rapidement trouvé mes marques. Parler anglais du matin au soir m’a fait progresser, et j’ai d’écouvert une autre façon d’aborder les questions financières”
This experience transcends the purely academic framework, fostering lasting personal connections. Flavie, another participant, mentions Ramona, a German student with whom she has remained in contact.
“Pour moi, cet échange a été super car je me suis fait plein d’amis et je garde de très bons souvenirs de Toulon”
When pedagogy becomes audiovisual
One of the highlights of the stay in Toulon is the creation of concrete content. In the studios of Telomedia, the audiovisual platform of the Université de Toulon, French and German students collaborate to produce a series of educational videos. The goal is to popularize complex financial concepts for a young audience.
“Expliquer l’euro numérique a été une super expérience et puis c’est clair, j’ai adoré Toulon !”
These productions, shared on social media, then serve as awareness-raising materials and embody the practical and collaborative spirit of the program.
For the participants, this program is a real stepping stone. It strengthens not only their language and technical skills, but also their confidence and autonomy. Several of them are now considering international careers, such as Amin, who landed a prestigious internship at the Banque Centrale Européenne in Francfort following the exchange.
“Ce partenariat permet aux étudiants de vivre concrètement l’Europe financière et bancaire et, au-delà des cours, de développer des contacts et de nouvelles compétences”
“la coopération européenne constitue une précieuse source d’inspiration. Elle permet de découvrir différentes façons de penser et de travailler, tout en renforçant ce qui fait l’essence de l’Europe : le dialogue, la diversité et la solidarité mutuelle”
By being the only French university to offer this exchange, the Université de Toulon enhances its attractiveness and demonstrates its capacity to offer concrete pathways of excellence, training a new generation of citizens and experts ready to meet the continent's economic challenges.
Article from the print edition of La Gazette du Var