On 9 and 10 April 2026, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra will host the international seminar “Francophonies: des archipels-monde connectés” at its Ciutadella campus (Room 24.009), an event that focuses on the role of the French language in the contemporary world.

The event will take place both in person at UPF and online, and is organized by the Connected Community FrancophonieS et rapport au reste du monde of the EUTOPIA Alliance, in which Hélène Rufat, a professor at UPF, is a partner. The aim of the initiative is to highlight the diversity of research related to Francophonies and to encourage reflection on identity-related, social, political, and cultural issues in 21st-century Europe.

The seminar is primarily aimed at faculty and researchers, but it is also open to students and to anyone interested, both in person and online.

Two main thematic strands

The event is structured around two main lines:

• Literature in the French language
• The teaching of Francophone language and culture

Through presentations, debates, and workshops, the seminar will explore how French acts as a language of connection between diverse cultures and territories, beyond national borders.

Programme highlights

On Thursday, 9 April, the seminar will open with a keynote lecture by emeritus professor Sylvie Brodziak, focusing on the evolution of Francophone literature from the postcolonial to the decolonial. The day will continue with sessions devoted to littératures-mondes, including contributions on exile, memory, and ecology, as well as a round table on connected academic communities.

On Friday, 10 April, the literary sessions will resume, followed by a series of workshops and discussions on didactics, addressing topics such as the use of digital tools in teaching, linguistic diversity, and the decolonization of curricula in teaching French as a foreign language.

You can find the full programme at this link. If you would like to take part, simply register using this form.

Don’t miss this opportunity!