The Recteur of the Academy of Caen (highest Education Head in Normandy), Denis Rolland, visited Jersey on 3 October, accompanied by Marc Millet, Regional Councilor of Normandy and Chairman of the Training Committee, and Christine Le Bacheley, Vice-President of the Departmental Council of La Manche in charge of Education. The delegation was welcomed by Deputy Rod Bryans, Minister of Education of Jersey and Deputy Paul Le Pelley, Minister of Education of Guernsey.

The day began with a primary and secondary schools visit to better understand the Jersey school system. A working meeting was held in the afternoon, which enabled to present the Norman delegation the pilot project of a bilingual class in French in two primary schools in Jersey. It is in this context that it has been proposed and approved that two teachers from La Manche would come to Jersey in November to conduct workshops in French to the pupils of the pilot class, with their Jersey counterparts. An opportunity for these French teachers to also improve their language skills in English.

The discussions also made enabled to go though the numerous initiatives undertaken on both sides of the sea to promote the mobility of school children and the learning of another language.

A framework agreement is expected to emerge in 2018, listing the many possible initiatives and projects proposed to schools by the Rectorat and the Education ministries.

This first visit of the Recteur to the Channel Islands was considered very fruitful.

A Channel-islands delegation comprising the director of digital strategy of Jersey and the Head of Information Assurance at the States of Guernsey have been to Rennes on 20 July for a fact finding visit on cyber security.

Brittany being a leading region in the sector, various meetings were held thanks to BDI (Bretagne’s economic development agency). Channel Islands delegates were able to present the island’s digital strategies, learn more on the Cyber Excellence cluster and the ANSSI (French national body for Cyber defense aspects) and met a sample of starts ups, demonstrating the expertise in the region and dynamic in the development of this specific field.

It was on 17 July that a new meeting was held between the Ministry of Environment of Jersey and the Regional Headquarter for Food, Agriculture and Forestry in Normandy (representing the Ministry in the region). Another meeting was held with the Environment department of the Departmental council of La Manche.

The discussions, established for many years, focused on the threat of the Asian hornet, established in Normandy, and having recently arrived in the Channel Islands.

The Minister for Education of the Government of Jersey visited Caen University on 13 July ahead of a draft agreement between the Education Department and the University of Caen. An Education spokeswoman who spent a couple of weeks in Caen as part of a “summer French courses scheme” said “we’re hopeful the first students from Jersey could go there to study from September 2018”. In France students do not pay for their university tuition and Jersey students who attain the required grades at A Level would only need to pay an insurance and enrolment fee to undertake a course at the university”. The University of Caen is just a few miles away from Jersey and also offers English support classes and a concentrated one-year French language diploma course which students can take before going on to do a full degree at the university.

‘Art’chaeology’ is a creative archaeological residency project which explored links between artistic and archaeological research that has seen two artists from Normandy and Jersey spend time developing work in both jurisdictions. In July 2015, the four artists (Matt Falle, Karen Le Roy Harris, Amélie Delaunay and Fleur Helluin) spent 5 days as part of an active team on an archaeological site in Vieux La Romaine near Caen, where they interacted with archaeologists, were shown key findings and artefacts, and had access to sources of information in archives and libraries. Later that month, the artists completed their Jersey residency under the guidance of Jersey Heritage’s Curator of Archaeology, Olga Finch, as well as Dr Matt Pope and his team. The artists were given access to many of Jersey’s significant archaeological sites including Les Varines, La Hougue Bie, La Cotte and Neolithic dolmens.

The concept of the project was to explore and celebrate archaeology by introducing contemporary artists to archaeological sites, leading to a travelling exhibition of work in each territory. As well as the research element of the project, it also offered an opportunity for the artists to explore each other’s home and get to know one another and their respective practice.

Since summer 2015, the four artists have been producing pieces of work (at home) in response to the sites and the discoveries they made. An exciting mix of mediums has been presented at the ‘Art’Chaeology’ exhibition, which includes installation, print, ceramic work, painting, sketching and sculpture. This travelling exhibition started in Jersey in September 2016 and has been travelling to Caen for two weeks in July 2017.

The launch of the exhibition in Caen was hosted by Anne-Marie Cousin, Vice-President of the Regional Council of Normandy and Deputy Rod Bryans, Minister for Education at the Government of Jersey on 12 July 2017.

‘Art’chaeology’ was developed by Les Ateliers Intermédiaires and Jersey Arts Trust, with support of the Normandy Regional Council, the Institut Français and the States of Jersey. It also received support of the Calvados Department Council, Vieux la Romaine’s museum and archaeological sites, the Maison de la Normandie, and the experts and archaeological sites of Jersey Heritage.

Le French Festival used to take place 30 years ago. This year, Jersey and France decided to renew the concept of this event during a week of cultural activity celebrating Jersey’s links with France.

The new initiative is a collaboration between the Alliance Française de Jersey, the Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche, the French Consul and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, each offering a range of different events in a week spanning Bastille Day from 7 to 16 July 2017.

Many activities are planned to please everyone, a pétanque tournament and a sailing race for the ones who love sport, film screening for children but also for the whole family with “La Grande Vadrouille” and Carmen Opera thanks to the cooperation with the Opera of Rennes, a historic tour of La Hougue Bie, and a guided tour on Victor Hugo, contemporary art exhibitions, a Norman market for food lovers, music tales and a great ceremony for Bastille Day on the 14^th of July.

The Communication Officer of the Education Department, in charge of the development of educational links with France has visited the international section of a Primary School in Caen on 3 July 2017. The objective of the fact finding visit was to experience the French model and drag inspiration to develop a similar and adapted model to Jersey. The officer met with Rectorat officers (French Education Ministry in regions) as well as the English teacher and Headmaster of the primary school Henri Brunet. She could consult curriculum as well as school books and the digital system in place which allows teachers to communicate with parents. Special thanks to Henri Brunet school and the Rectorat of Normandy for arranging this very constructive visit.

On 12 June, Guernsey and Jersey have signed a cooperation agreement with the department of Ille et Vilaine in Brittany to promote greater partnership working between the jurisdictions. This was the first annual summit in La Gouesnière (near Saint-Malo) gathering the three jurisdictions, as Jersey first signed a partnership with the French department in 2008. This year, Guernsey has joined the partnership for the first time and the three jurisdictions engaged to work collaboratively for the forthcoming three years on projects of mutual interest.

Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, member of the Policy & Resources Committee with responsibility for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, Minister for External Relations of the Government of Jersey, and Jean-Luc Chenut, President of the Conseil Départemental of Ille-et-Vilaine, jointly chaired the summit where various subjects were discussed. These included educational links; youth mobility; sports exchanges; cultural initiatives; construction; and digital opportunities.

“It was both an honour for me and a significant step forward for us to sign the cooperation agreement along with Jersey and the authorities of Ille et Vilaine.” Jonathan Le tocq declared.

President of the Conseil Départemental of Ille-et-Vilaine, Jean-Luc Chenut said:

“In a context where temptations to withdraw from society are asserting everywhere in Europe and in the world, it seems essential to me that the Department of Ille et Vilaine firmly reaffirms its commitment to the international cooperation”

As far as the Government of Jersey and the States of Guernsey are concerned, this desire for openness is also part of a close relationship, integrating the maritime and coastal specificities of our territories.