Omar SHAHEEN, a graduate of the POLIS program, originally from Jeddah

Of Syrian origin and having grown up in Saudi Arabia, Omar Shaheen was 18 years old when he enrolled at Sciences Po Grenoble - UGA in 2021. Before that, his daily life was quite different: as a soccer player at Al-Ittihad FC’ Education , he was part of the world of Saudi professional sports. After earning his high school diploma, he chose Grenoble and joined the POLIS program.

Designed for international students, POLIS allows students to pursue a political science program in English while gradually learning French. For Omar, who didn’t speak French when he arrived, this is a major challenge. After a first year he describes as “particularly tough,” he went to study in Brussels during his sophomore year to accelerate his language learning.

Upon his return to Sciences Po Grenoble - UGA, he achieved the C1 level and then became more involved in campus life, particularly through events organized by the Arab World Association and Domaine des Idées. And soccer is never far away: he joined Loko Boca and participated in the JISPO in 2023–2024 (inter-Sc Po sports competitions), “one of the most memorable experiences” of his junior year.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Omar chose the master’s program in “Changes and Integrations in the Middle East,” which included a semester abroad at the Central University of Tunis. Now nearing the end of his graduate studies, he is writing his thesis on conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean and their effects on the regional economy.

Five years after arriving, he reflects on how far he’s come: “I never would have thought I’d be able to earn a master’s degree, especially in French.” And he looks back on his time at Sciences Po Grenoble – UGA as a particularly fulfilling student life, filled with academics, student organizations, sports, and international experiences.

His full interview:

“My name is Omar Shaheen. I am of Syrian origin. I have lived my entire life in Saudi Arabia. Before enrolling at Sciences Po Grenoble, I was a professional soccer player in Saudi Arabia, at Al-Ittihad FC’ Education .

After graduating from high school in the summer of 2021, I decided to enroll at Sciences Po Grenoble because my brother was attending Grenoble École de Management. I enrolled at Sciences Po Grenoble when I was 18 and applied from Saudi Arabia to the POLIS program, which is designed for students who want to attend Sciences Po Grenoble and learn French while taking classes in English.

My life at Sciences Po Grenoble was very active and very social right from the start. My first year at Sciences Po Grenoble was particularly tough because I didn’t speak French at the time. So, I decided to spend my second year in Brussels, in
Belgium, to improve my French.

When I returned for my junior year at Sciences Po Grenoble, I was fortunate enough to earn the C1-level certificate in French and to socialize a bit more with the other students at the IEP, as well as to join a few student organizations. I got involved in events organized by a few clubs, such as the Association du Monde Arabe and the Domaine des Idées. I wasn’t a key player in these clubs, but I really enjoyed participating in the events and seminars organized by students like me.

I also had the opportunity to join the soccer team, Loko Boca, and to play for JISPOS in 2023–2024. It was a truly enriching experience and one of the most memorable parts of my third year at Sciences Po Grenoble.

Two years ago, I completed my bachelor’s degree and my undergraduate studies at Sciences Po Grenoble and enrolled in the master’s program on Change and Integration in the Middle East (MMO). During my first semester in the MMO program, I participated in a semester-long exchange program in Tunisia at the Central University of Tunis.

So I have now reached the end of my graduate studies. I am writing my master's thesis on conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean and their impact on the regional economy.

My personal and professional goal since arriving in France has been to complete the POLIS program in its entirety. The main purpose of this program was to train international students through a bachelor’s degree in political science taught in English, so that they could learn French during their three years of study and transition into a master’s program taught in French, as well as integrate into the social life at Sciences Po Grenoble.

By doing this, I was able to go from learning French from scratch to reaching a C2 level in three years, which allowed me to earn a master's degree taught entirely in French.

I’d like to share a few thoughts with the community about what motivates me most at Sciences Po Grenoble: after five years here in Grenoble at Sciences Po, I really appreciate the flexible yet demanding system that the POLIS program and Sciences Po Grenoble offer their
students.

Perhaps my words will be biased in favor of the Grenoble Institute of Political Studies, but I’ve heard many accounts from students who didn’t complete their bachelor’s degree at Sciences Po Grenoble but who joined Sciences Po Grenoble for their master’s program or during their Erasmus exchange. They told me that life in Grenoble as a student at Sciences Po Grenoble was a dream and that their lives were filled with extracurricular and club activities—both professional and personal—thanks to the programs organized by Sciences Po Grenoble.

"I will always be grateful to Sciences Po Grenoble and the POLIS program, because five years ago, I never would have thought I’d be able to earn a master’s degree, especially in French."