BANGOR – Aiming to prepare citizens for active participation in the global community, a University of Maine System delegation plans to travel to France this month to sign agreements with four higher education institutions as part of a new initiative that will enable more faculty and students to live and study abroad.

Project Maine France aims to support the academic relationships that the university system already has with French universities and also to establish new programs, said coordinator Sue Huseman, senior adviser to UMS Chancellor Joseph Westphal.

“There will be more opportunities, more flexibility, better access and a broader range of disciplines involved” so every student and faculty member will be able to participate in an international program, said Huseman.

She will travel to France along with Chancellor Westphal, UMS Vice Chancellor Elsa Nunez, UM Provost John Mahon, University of Maine at Farmington Provost Allen Berger, University of Maine at Fort Kent President Richard Cost and University of Southern Maine President Richard Pattenaude.

During their two week visit, Maine’s higher education officials will meet with representatives from four institutions in the Loire Valley and Brittany regions of the country and sign agreements for two-week and semester-long programs as well as for internships.

The schools belong to a network in the west of France that includes nine public undergraduate and graduate institutions with 9,000 to 40,000 students.

Thanks to another new partnership through Project Maine France, business students will be able to study in France for a semester, complete a French master’s degree in international business, and even participate in an internship at a French business.

Also as part of the new international initiative, UMS students and faculty from teacher preparation programs can participate in collaborations and exchanges with their French counterparts.

In addition, faculty exchanges for collaborative research in marine science and other fields will be developed. Next May, the plan is to organize a study tour where UMS faculty will partner with French faculty members who have the same teaching responsibilities and research interests, Huseman said.

The educators’ visit is concurrent with Gov. John Baldacci’s trade mission to France, she pointed out. “It’s all about the same thing – building relationships with France that help advance Maine’s economy.” The governor will accompany the UMS group to LeMans for the signing of the Maine France partnership, Huseman said.

UMFK President Cost said he plans to point out his campus’ unique demographics.

If students and faculty from France “would feel more comfortable in a true bilingual community – where they can do banking and grocery shopping in French – then here we are,” he said.

Cost also plans to accompany Gov. Baldacci’s delegation to a museum that focuses on the Acadian experience and said he aims to “tie our Acadian archives into that facility.”