LILLE Programs

The ESP program is a wonderful place to meet students from all around the world and build lasting friendships.
We organize a variety of events to help students connect and create meaningful shared experiences. One of these was a special networking evening, hosted with the help of JOST. The event took place in a brand-new creative space designed to foster connection. Students enjoyed the chance to chat, play fun games, and share a buffet-style meal inspired by flavors from across the globe 🌍

A big thank you to .lille for organizing this memorable event, and to everyone who joined us!

This year, Université Catholique de Lille is celebrating its 150th anniversary – and on this special occasion, our ESP students had the chance to leave their mark in its history!



The University invited everyone to take part in a unique collaborative construction: the 150th Anniversary Agora. In ancient Greece, the agora was an open space for meeting, sharing, and connecting – and just like that, the Agora Pavilion will become a sustainable and inclusive gathering place on campus for the months to come.



Our students placed their bricks as part of this symbolic project – building something lasting, together with the university and the wider community

ESP1 2024: field trip to Brussels! 🇧🇪

We headed to the Belgian capital with our 142 international students - a city famous for its chocolates, beer, fries, and waffles! But the discoveries started with an exploration of the Parlamentarium, the visitors centre of the European Parliament. Some students had the chance for an additional EU-related visit, while others toured the city with our amazing guide, Garrett.

We hope everyone enjoyed the day.

Stay tuned for more adventures! 📸

🌍 𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐎 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐖𝐈 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞! 🌍

This September, 139 WWI memorial sites were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, several of which have long played a part in the European Summer Program, and are now integral to the LILLE Winter Program too.

We regularly lead students on visits to sites such as:

- the Canadian monument and restored trenches in 𝐕𝐢𝐦𝐲 along with the French national cemetery at nearby Notre Dame de Lorette,
- the Australian monuments at 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬,
- but most especially 𝐓𝐲𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 (the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world) and the 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬 (for the Last Post ceremony, played every night since 1928).

Several students have even found the final resting places of their relatives who fought and died there, making the experience even more personal. But we think that such visits are important for everyone, as they aim to help understand the impact of war and aspire 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞. 🕊