The HEC Paris International Society - connecting cultures and creating a community
Arriving in a country for the first time is exciting, but it can also be daunting. As well as starting a new academic journey, international students must adapt to a different culture, develop new networks, and navigate the practical realities of living in France.
At HEC Paris, the role of the International Society is to make that transition easier. Through social events, cultural experiences, practical support, and meaningful connections, the student association helps international students feel welcome from the moment they set foot on campus. Their mission is to ensure that students coming from all over the world quickly find a sense of belonging and feel at home within the HEC Paris community.
Building bridges and opening new horizons
“Our main objective is to make international students feel welcome on campus,” explains Céleste Plaine, President of the International Society.
To achieve that goal, the association organizes activities, programs, parties, and visits that introduce students to one another and to French culture. At the same time, it encourages interaction between international and French students, creating connections that might not always develop naturally.
While students can meet during classes, at the gym, or at weekly campus gatherings, social circles can sometimes remain separate. Many campus associations are primarily made up of French students who followed the preparatory-class route, while international students may gravitate toward communities linked to their own countries.
The International Society creates a space where these worlds can meet. By bringing together students from different cultures and backgrounds, it helps build connections that might not otherwise happen.
Organized by students, for students
The association has around 20 active members and is led by an eight-person board. Alongside the president and treasurer, the board includes vice presidents in charge of events and association life, as well as students responsible for communications and event organization.
As president, Céleste provides direction, generates ideas, and coordinates the team. Treasurer Tim de Buttet manages the association’s finances, ensuring that activities can be delivered throughout the year with the support of funding provided by the HEC Paris administration.
One distinctive feature of the International Society is that its members are French students in their second year at HEC Paris. The reasoning is straightforward – they already know the campus, the culture, and the practicalities of life in France and are well placed to help international students find their bearings.
“We’re their best link to the French side of the campus and to French culture,” affirms Céleste. “We really want to share what we know with them and make them feel welcome.”
From Welcome Week to cultural adventures
The International Society’s work begins before most students even arrive on campus. At the beginning of August, the team sends international students a handbook containing practical information and guidance on key administrative questions. They are also invited to register for Welcome Week, one of the association’s flagship initiatives.
Organized at the end of August, Welcome Week is designed to help students meet one another from day one. Activities include speed friending sessions, volleyball, a visit to Paris, a Bateaux Mouches cruise along the Seine, and a scavenger hunt through the city. The week concludes with a party that brings together both international and French students.
Throughout the year, the association continues to organize events that encourage students to connect in informal and fun settings. Popular activities include karaoke nights, social gatherings, cultural visits, and larger excursions such as trips to the Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar or a fun-filled day at Parc Astérix.
The format may change, but the objective remains the same. As Tim explains, “As long as they feel engaged and they are together, that’s our main objective.”
The Buddy Program – creating meaningful connections
One of the association’s most important recent initiatives is the Buddy Program, which connects international students with French students at the beginning of the academic year.
Both groups complete a detailed questionnaire covering subjects such as languages spoken, hobbies, interests, and previous experience in France. The International Society then uses this information to identify the most compatible matches.
Over 100 French students from Tim and Céleste’s year volunteered to become buddies, demonstrating a genuine willingness to help international students integrate into campus life.
For Céleste, the Buddy Program’s success is reflected in the stories she hears from participants. A friend told her about meeting her buddies at a restaurant in Paris, spending hours talking together, and making plans to meet again. These simple moments of connection, friendship, and cultural exchange are exactly what the program was designed to create.
A place to meet, explore, and belong
International Society events are deliberately informal. Students attend because they want to meet other people, which makes it easier to begin conversations and build connections.
The activity itself may be karaoke, a visit, or a party, but it also provides a natural reason for people to interact. Tim describes it as “networking in an informal way.” The event is just the starting point, and the real value lies in the conversations and relationships that develop around it.
Students also have access to practical support outside organized activities. The team regularly answers questions by email and helps international students find information throughout the year. Members encourage students not only to attend events but also to approach them directly on campus whenever they need help or advice.
“All the members of the International Society decided to join for a reason,” Tim states. “We want to interact as much as possible with international students.
Sustaining engagement throughout the year
The association’s main priority this year is to maintain the enthusiasm generated during Welcome Week and keep students engaged throughout the academic year. The team hopes to organize events more regularly, ideally every two or three weeks, creating more opportunities for students to meet and stay involved in campus life. Planning ahead will be essential, particularly in terms of budgets and ensuring that the new activities they would like to offer are feasible to organize.
Recruitment will be another major priority this year. Many French students leave for international exchanges during the second semester, giving the current team a limited window in which to recruit and prepare the next generation of members who will carry the association’s mission forward.
Making HEC Paris feel like home
The International Society’s impact cannot be measured solely by the number of events it organizes. Its real success lies in the connections it helps create. For Tim, seeing students who first met during Welcome Week hanging out together on campus is the clearest sign that the association is fulfilling its purpose.
This daily commitment to making students feel welcome, building bridges between cultures, and encouraging friendships helps to create a community where international students truly feel they belong.
*This article is based on an interview with Céleste Plaine (President) and Tim de Buttet (Treasurer) of the HEC International Society.