STUDENT REPORT FROM REIMS MANAGEMENT SCHOOL
Name of University:
Exchange Period:
Reims Management School (RMS)
17th of September to 20th of December 2012
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RMS
Reims Management School is a business school in the city of Reims in the ChampagneArdenne region of France. The school is a grande école and has three international
accreditations. It has two campuses, which are both situated about ten minutes by tram from
the city center. Both have a good standard with cafeterias that serve big and cheap lunches.
The library, which is located at campus 1, is open from 9AM to 7PM and closed during the
weekends. Also, you need to carry cash to pay for food, drinks, and copies at school as they
do not accept credit cards at the school.
The number of student enrolled is 4400 and this year it was 140 exchange students. The
exchange students followed a program called Sup de Co, and we could choose courses in both
French and English. We had all of our classes mostly with other exchange students, which
made it easy to get to know the other international students and learn about different cultures.
It was about 30 students in each class, which created a good and comfortable environment.
During the semester we also had the opportunity to participate in a French language course
once a week.
Exchange Students 2012
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THE CITY OF REIMS
Reims is the “capital” of the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, which is the area where
champagne is produced. It is located 130 kilometers northeast of Paris and is only a 45-minute
train (TGV) ride away from the capital of France. Reims has a population of about 200 000,
and is a small, beautiful and charming city. Among other things, you can find the spectacular
Cathedrale Notre-Dame where all the French kings have been crowned through history.
People in general speak little or no English in Reims, but if you learn a few words in French
you will be okay. An exchange to RMS is therefore a good way to practice and learn the
French language. The champagne culture dominates the area, and all the major champagne
houses have their offices and champagne cellars in the city. During our stay in Reims we got
to visit Pommery, Mumm, Veuve Clicquot and Moët. Moët is located in Epernay, which is
only 20 minutes away from Reims by train. The cellars are open for visitors to see and also to
taste the champagne of the different producers.
Cathedrale Notre-Dame
Place d’Erlon
Pommery Champagne
Eating and drinking out is quite cheap, and you can have a lot of nice meals without spending
too much. There are a lot of restaurants and bars in the center of Reims (Place d’Erlon), and
the street is often crowded with young people during the night. There are also a lot of bakeries
and chocolate shops around the city.
Reims center consists of one main street with a lot of restaurants and bars, and smaller streets
around with shops. There is a nice selection of clothing shops, among others H&M, Zara,
Galeries Lafayette, and other known French stores. There is also an IKEA in Reims. From the
end of November and until Christmas, there is a lovely Christmas market in the main street
where you can buy gifts, chocolate, and warm red wine.
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SCHOOL
The semester is divided into four different sessions and each lasts for three weeks. Some of
the courses often last for a shorter period, and then you have a vacation before the next
session starts.
The first two days of school in September were introduction days where we got a lot of
practical information, met the other students, and had a visit to the champagne cellars of
Pommery. We also got help to create a French bank account if that is desired.
The courses are taught in either French or English, but we all only chose courses in English
during our semester. The courses are more practical and applied than the courses at BI and we
found this to be a positive and fun way of teaching. The teachers are very friendly and
helpful, and good at explaining the theories and giving examples from real life. Following is a
list over all the courses we chose.
International Business
Duration: 2 weeks (6 ECTS)
Evaluation Method
- Several group presentations
- Written individual assignment
- Class participation
Our Opinion
- A lot of work and time-consuming
- Strict, but good teacher
- Interesting and instructive
Market Place Simulation
Duration: 1 week (3ECTS)
Evaluation Method
- Simulation
- Several group presentations
- Written group assignment
- Class participation
Our opinion
- Interesting and engaging
- Lot of group work
- Nice teacher
- No homework
Managing Innovation
Duration: 2 weeks (6 ECTS)
Evaluation Method
- Several group presentations
- Written individual assignment
- Class participation
- Summaries of articles
Our Opinion
- Interesting
- Varied teaching methods
- A lot of work
- Strict, but good teacher
Global marketing
Duration: 1 week (3 ECTS)
Evaluation Method
- Class participation
- Individual assignment
- Group presentations
- Final project or Exam
Our opinion
- Engaging professor
- Many interesting cases
- Active class, lot of class
participation
- Interesting and useful
class
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Entrepreneurship
Duration: 2 weeks (6 ECTS)
Evaluation Method
- Class participation
- Individual assignment
- Case presentation
- Two exams/tests
Our opinion
- Engaging and kind professor
- Organized course
- Not overwhelming work amount
- Interesting and useful class
Marketing B2B
with three guest teachers
Duration: 3 weeks (6ETCS)
Evaluation Method
- Presentations and group
work
- 3 hour exam
Our opinion
- Various and interesting
topics
- Could have been better
organized
- A very practical course
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
We received a lot of information from the international office at RMS before we arrived in
Reims, and also we chose the courses we wanted very early in advance. This made it possible
to plan our journey, vacations, and visits from Norway in good time before we left. We did
not need a visa or any other documents to live and study in France.
When it comes to housing, we could apply for student housing near the campus before the
summer. Sandra and Veronica chose this option and the student campus is located two
minutes from the school, and 10 minutes by tram from the city center. The building is brand
new and you get your own apartment with a kitchen and bathroom. It is a very social place to
live and close to the school. The apartments cost 372 euros per month. Sandra and Veronica
would highly recommend this to others.
The others chose to find an apartment on their own in the city center and stayed at an
apartment in the city center called Résidence Hôtelière de Champ de Mars. This was in
walking distance to restaurants, shopping, bars, and the train station. It takes 10 minutes by
tram to the school, but the trams are very frequent and leave every three minutes. We had
apartments with our own bedroom and bathroom, and kitchen. The apartment costs 600 euros
per person per month. There are cheaper alternatives as well, but they were not available
when we were there. Therefore, it is recommended to contact the place early in order to make
the reservation before it is taken. The receptionist is very helpful and speaks very good
English. His contact email is contact-reims@residences-apparthotel.com. The apartment
building is located close to a large Carrefour market with a huge selection of food.
OTHER EXPERIENCES FROM OUR EXCHANGE TO REIMS
During the semester in Reims we had several vacations between the different courses. We
often travelled to Paris or got visits from friends and family. Sandra and Veronica also visited
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Barcelona and Prague in between the courses. The school also arranged trip to Lille, the
Christmas fair in Strasbourg and to Disneyland in Paris.
In Reims you will get to experience a lot of the French culture, you have the opportunity to
travel, have interesting courses, and a lot of fun.
Feel free to contact us through international office if you have any questions.
International Students 2012
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