Mutual Learning in Prison Education

During the 6-week session, AUP Summer School is offering a special course on prison education to advanced undergraduate students (juniors and above) interested in law, social work, social psychology, and education, as well as all those from various disciplines who are interested in civic engagement, dialogue, and justice.

This innovative class brings AUP students into a shared educational and creative space with people detained at La Santé prison in Paris. After introductory classes at AUP,ten AUP students will spend the semester sharing readings,discussions, and creative activities with an equal number of detainees. In each class session at the prison, AUP participants (“outside students”) and people detained at La Santé (“inside students”) will participate in ice breakers and read short texts in English and French together as a group.

This class emerges from a collaboration between AUP and the cultural activities department of the Centre Pénitentiaire Paris La Santé, a newly renovated remand prison in the 14th district of Paris. Detained participants, who primarily speak French (but also other languages), will learn alongside AUP participants, who primarily speak English (but also other languages). A creative, inclusive, and experimental multilingual environment is maintained in the classroom.

Learn more about a past iteration of this course.

Additional Application Requirements

Students can participate with a low-intermediate conversational French level (B1 or higher). Interested students will need to complete a secondary application for faculty approval in addition to the application for AUP Summer School. For more information, email admissionsaup.edu.

Dates

June 3, 2025-July 16, 2025