HOUSTON – Rice University is going international to expand global education and research opportunities for its students and staff.
It’s their first international campus and it’s opening this summer in Paris -- just in time for the 2024 Summer Olympic.
The campus is called the Rice Global Center, and it will operate out of a historic 16th-century building known as the Hotel de La Faye in the Le Marais neighborhood.
The center will host student programs, independent researchers, international conferences and serve as a satellite and hub for European research activity.
Caroline Levander, Rice Vice President of Global Center, said this is an extraordinary opportunity.
“Having an international campus is key for all of our goals and missions over the next 10, 15, 100 years and that’s because we live in an era that’s global,” Levander said “Our students need to have an international experience as part of their undergraduate education.”
The Rice Global Center will have six classroom spaces that can seat about 125 students. They have courses in architecture, the wine industry, art history, global economics, urban sustainability and one very timely program, tied to the Olympic games.
“Sports management, for example, has a really fascinating course that leverages the dynamic sports industry in Paris. And the course this summer is occurring during the Olympics so they will be understanding a world event on the ground right with it,” Levander said.
Sylvia Dee, Rice University assistant professor of science and engineering, will teach climate change and winemaking in Paris.
“I had this idea for teaching a class that would teach ideas around climate solutions and I was trying to think of a good industry that would pair well with Paris. Of course, wine came up. So, I got together with several colleagues, and we wrote this proposal to teach the class centered on environmental solutions with wine as a case study.
Professor Gokce Gunel teaches urban sustainability at the Paris Global Center. He said he enjoys the classroom without walls teaching when they go on their field trips.
“It’s an environmental studies class, but our readings and our excursions make the class very interdisciplinary. So we’re both trying to understand the history of Paris and its evolution as a city, and also trying to sort of map the ways in which the city is becoming more climate-change ready in the contemporary era,” Gunel said.
Rice students seem to enjoy that method of learning as well.
“I think that the Paris Center itself is a really good complement to all of the excursions that we’re able to take part in throughout the course. So by being able to go off and explore like X museum and Y highline excursion visit, then come to Z home base at the Global Paris Center. It’s a really great way to be able to come together in a classroom after we’re pretty decentralized exploring a lot of the different landmarks and sites around,” Caroline Mazur-Sarocka said.
“It’s like Paris is the classroom and we’re not just in the global center. It’s really nice to just go everywhere, explore the city and learn things like you never would have otherwise,” said Roxanna Mendez, a senior at Rice University.
Financial aid will be provided through the university. The students are hoping to share their experiences to help grow the programs in Paris.
“I would definitely encourage anyone who has the time to sign up and take a course here. I think you will not get experience like it anywhere else, honestly. Being able to just be interactive and just not just learn about things, but physically go and see them and Paris is a beautiful city. It’s very safe and there’s a lot to do. And just like being able to engage in so much at the same time, I think it’s really incredible,” E’kiijah Turner said.
“I would say definitely do it. It’s so doable. Their financial aid program’s also really good. So I would say definitely do it. It’s such a great opportunity. It’s three weeks of your summer and you get to spend it in France,” Sejal Gupta said.
Rice University is still accepting applications for their summer programs.