Admission to the Ordre des Palmes Académiques is one of the highest honours in France for services to education. Yoan Vilain, Presidential Representative for International and European Affairs at HU, was honoured with this knighthood. The Order of Merit was presented on 17 June in the presence of the Cultural Attaché of the French Embassy, the HU President and the President of the Franco-German University in the Senate Hall of the HU.
By accepting him into the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, the French Republic is recognising Vilain's many years of commitment not only to Franco-German relations, but also to European relations in the context of higher education. This commitment has been a common thread throughout Vilain's career from the very beginning: from his binational doctorate and subsequent work as an associated researcher at the Centre Marc Bloch to his role as academic director of the integrated Master's programme of the European Law School of the Faculty of Law of the HU in cooperation with the Universities of Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas, King's College London, la Sapienza Università di Roma and the University of Amsterdam.
"The award of the Palmes Académiques to Yoan Vilain is a special tribute to his commitment to academic cooperation in Europe. I am delighted that it also recognises his many years of commitment to Franco-German relations at Humboldt-Universit?t and congratulate him warmly," said HU President Julia von Blumenthal on receiving the award.
Strong commitment to international programmes
Vilain continues his commitment as Presidential Representative for International and European Affairs. Under his leadership and with funding from the European Commission, the HU is driving innovation and further development in the European higher education sector in the Circle U. university alliance with eight partner universities. In addition, the International Department headed by Vilain realises the International Parliamentary Scholarship and the Franco-German Parliamentary Scholarship in cooperation with the German Bundestag. Since 2020, Vilain has also been teaching at the renowned French university Sciences Po in Paris and Strasbourg.
The Ordre des Palmes Académiques was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808. The appointment is made by the national Ministry of Education and Youth.