The French Section of the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K), in collaboration with the TU-K French Club - a Famille Française, recently hosted Kenya's Defence Forces School of Education and Languages (DEFSEL) for an enriching educational visit centred on French language learning, professional communication, cultural exchange and employability.
The visit brought together 27 students from the Defence Forces School of Education and Languages (DEFSEL), accompanied by six French-language instructors, and students from the Technical University of Kenya, accompanied by three instructors. The encounter provided a unique opportunity for the two groups of learners to interact, practise French and share their experiences through a range of engaging and creative activities.
The visit provided a practical demonstration of the growing importance of French as a language of opportunity, professional mobility and employability.
The 27 DEFSEL students are learning French with a strong professional orientation, recognising the importance of the language in their professional and international engagements. Their visit to TU-K created an opportunity for them to interact with students who are also developing their French-language competencies for academic and professional purposes.
At TU-K, students engage with French through different pathways. Some study French as a specialisation unit within their academic programmes, while others who do not have French as part of their programmes participate in the TU-K French Club – La Famille Française. Through the Club, students from different disciplines have the opportunity to develop their French communication skills and connect the language to their respective areas of specialisation.
The underlying philosophy is simple but powerful: French should not be learned in isolation from a learner’s professional identity. Rather, it should become an additional competence that strengthens the learner’s professional profile.
The visit was marked by a vibrant programme of joint French-language activities involving both DEFSEL and TU-K students. The participants engaged in French skits, comedy, poetry and other interactive activities, creating an atmosphere of learning, creativity and camaraderie.
The performances provided students with opportunities to use French naturally and confidently. Through drama and comedy, they demonstrated their ability to communicate, express ideas and emotions, entertain and interact in French. Poetry created another avenue for creativity and appreciation of the richness of the French language.
The activities were much more than entertainment. They constituted authentic learning experiences in which students listened to one another, acquired new expressions, exchanged ideas and gained confidence in communicating in French.
For both groups, the day demonstrated that language learning can be enriched through collaboration, creativity and meaningful interaction beyond the conventional classroom.
At TU-K, one of the key objectives of promoting French is to connect language learning to employability and professional development.
The Employability Corner at the TU-K French Resource Centre provides a platform through which students are encouraged to explore how French can complement their professional qualifications and create opportunities in Kenya, Africa and the wider Francophone world.
This vision is particularly important in a university such as TU-K, where students are trained in a wide range of professional and technical disciplines. Whether studying Information Science, Hospitality and Tourism, Business, Engineering, Communication, International Relations or other specialised fields, students can use French as an additional professional competence.
The message is clear: French does not replace a student’s profession; it strengthens it.
A student who combines a professional qualification with French-language competence can position themselves for opportunities involving Francophone clients, organisations, institutions and international partners. French can facilitate professional networking, mobility, international cooperation and access to a wider employment environment.
The interaction between DEFSEL and TU-K students also highlighted the importance of French for Specific Purposes (Français sur objectifs spécifiques – FOS) and professionally oriented language learning.
For the DEFSEL students, French has a direct professional dimension. At TU-K, students are encouraged to explore how French can complement their various areas of specialisation and future careers.
The encounter therefore raises an important question in contemporary language education: rather than asking only “How can we teach students French?”, educators should also ask, “How can we teach students French that they can use in their professional lives?”
This professionally oriented approach is central to the vision of French-language education at TU-K.
The visit was also a celebration of friendship, collaboration and shared learning. The interaction between the DEFSEL students, their six instructors, TU-K instructors and students created an environment in which participants could learn from one another while strengthening their appreciation of the French language.
The encounter demonstrated that French can serve as a bridge between education, professional communities and institutions. It can create opportunities for dialogue, networking and collaboration while bringing together learners with different backgrounds but a common interest in the language.
For the students, the experience was a reminder that learning French is not simply about mastering vocabulary and grammar. It is about communicating, connecting, discovering and creating opportunities.
The successful educational visit by DEFSEL to TU-K represented an important step towards strengthening collaboration around French-language education, professional development and cultural exchange.
The visit by the 27 DEFSEL students and their six instructors was therefore much more than an educational tour. It was a celebration of what French can make possible when learners are given opportunities to communicate, collaborate and learn from one another.
As the participants discovered during this memorable encounter, French is not merely a language to be studied. It is a language to be lived, practised and used to create opportunities.