“2013 was not a  vintage year, but France held its own as a destination for learning French and schools hope to reap the benefits in 2014,” Andrew Kinselle, Assistant Secretary of Groupement FLE, told The PIE News.

Groupement FLE members account for around 34,000 students learning French in France per year and generate a combined turnover of around €50 million in lessons, accommodation and activities, the membership organisation estimates.

The group is hoping to work together with Student Marketing to organise trade missions to either Turkey or Russia in autumn of this year

At the group’s annual general meeting last month, attendees learned how they can benefit from a network of institutional bodies worldwide including Campus France, Institut Français, the CIEP and the n+i network, a consortium of over 60 French engineering schools.

Members also attended workshops focusing on how to create a marketing budget and promotional tactics to attract more agents as well as students.

At the end of last year the group collaborated with professional organisations Alliance Française and Souffle to form Le Conférence. By uniting under one body, the organisations hope to gain leverage when negotiating with public authorities as well as be a unified voice in promoting centres teaching French to social and economic partners.

After the AGM, members are optimistic that the newly formed Le Conférence will help solidify their presence in the French market.

“Given the high esteem in which the representatives of these three organisations are held, it is now a sounding board for most matters relating to the teaching of French as a foreign language,” commented Kinselle.

After a presentation from Samuel Vetrak, CEO of Student Marketing, Kinselle confirmed that the group is hoping to work together with the consultancy company to organise trade missions to either Turkey or Russia in autumn of this year.

In addition to its marketing efforts, the association plans to engage all employees at member centres by introducing a career development day for support staff that runs along side its annual Pedagogy Workshop to be held this November in Tours.

Of the 120 centres teaching French as a foreign language in France, the association represents 35 privately-owned language schools and French teaching department at universities.