Higher education in France

Higher education in France

TWO SYSTEMS

Higher education covers all studies after the baccalauréat (‘A’ level equivalent). Two systems exist side by side:
· An open system in the universities. Most students study under this system. All baccalauréat holders have the right to enter this system without any prior selection procedure. The universities offer an extremely wide range of studies;
· A selective system with a limited number of places. Admission is by competitive examination, entrance examination or application form, with an interview where appropriate. This is the system in use in the grandes écoles (top graduate schools such as the Ecole Nationale d’Administration – French Senior Civil Service School – Ecole Nationale Supérieure – national post-graduate school – and the top engineering and business schools), the instituts universitaires de technologie (IUTs – university institutes of technology) and the instituts universitaires professionnalisés (IUPs – university institutes of professional education). These establishments train mainly public-sector and private-sector senior and middle managers.

STRUCTURING STUDIES

In 1999, the education ministers of 29 European countries met in Bologna to set a series of goals to harmonise the architecture of the European higher education system with a view to smoothing out the differences between the national systems and lifting the ensuing obstacles to student mobility. For the last few years, France has therefore been modernising its system to facilitate gradual careers guidance and further international student mobility by applying the three main principles of the European framework:

· The three-level BMD system: Bachelors (three years of studies)/Masters/Doctorates. France has two types of master’s degrees: a “professional master’s” and a “research master’s” designed for students who wish to go on to a doctorate.

· A European Credit Transfer System (ECTS): a credit corresponding to the student workload required to successfully complete a course module. These credits can be accumulated and transferred.

· An organisation into six-month periods and teaching units (modules).

THE CURRENT PRIORITIES

In 2006, the government made graduate employment a priority. The equal opportunities act of 31 March 2006 created a work placement charter signed by the government and both sides of industry to secure work placements by making them part of a knowledge-building pathway. This charter provides three guarantees: compulsory trainee management, a standard agreement binding on the three signatories, and assessment and monitoring systems.

A national debate on higher education and employment was launched on 25 April 2006 (see the press release) focusing on three issues:
· Guidance, information and employment;
· Making studies more work-orientated under the BMD system;
· Apprenticeships and the development of combined work/training schemes. (See the website address in the To Find out more section).

As part of this debate, a national commission chaired by Patrick Hetzel, Chief Administrative Officer of the Limoges Education Authority, submitted its final report on 24 October 2006.

SOME FIGURES*

At the start of the 2006 higher education year, France had 2.287 million enrolled students including 1.357 million in the universities, 113,500 in the university institutes of technology and 76,000 on preparatory courses for the top graduate schools. The teaching staff totalled 89,000 (all positions together). In 2004, the proportion of foreign students stood at 11.3% (as opposed to 7% in 1998).

University student numbers remained virtually stable compared with the previous year. 2005-2006 posted a keen interest in the medical professions (medicine, pharmaceutics and ondotology) with a 6% rise in student numbers across all degree courses. Humanities and social sciences attracted the highest number of students.

The number of students on preparatory courses for the top graduate schools has been on the increase for several years, posting 76,000 in 2006 compared with 74,790 in 2005, with 47,369 on scientific courses.

In 2004, the government allocated €9.09 billion of its budget to higher education. *Source: National Education Ministry

To find out more

LEGISLATION

French Education Code (Volumes VI, VII, VIII, IX – Title V)
- http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/RechercheSimplePartieCode?commun=CEDUCAcode=CEDUCATL.rcv

WEBSITES

French Ministry for National Education, Higher Education and Research
- http://www.education.gouv.fr/

French Ministry in charge of Higher Education and Research
- http://www.recherche.gouv.fr/

The student gateway
- http://www.etudiant.gouv.fr/

The University-Employment debate website
- http://www.debat-universite-emploi.education.fr/

DOCUMENTATION

L’enseignement supérieur en France (Higher education in France):
- French Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Studying in France section: French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/services-formulaires_831/espaceetudiants_12793/index.html

Studying in France: French Embassy to Canada
- http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=340

Mieux comprendre la réforme LMD (Understanding the BMD reform): University of Avignon
- http://www.univ-avignon.fr/actu/actu_lmd.html

L’harmonisation de l’enseignement supérieur et le rapprochement universitéemploi (Harmonising higher education and building a bridge between university and employment): French Prime Minister’s website

REPORTS

Information report on the state of play in the universities (in French)/Jacques Valade, on behalf of the Cultural Affairs Commission, Senate – Information Report No. 160, January 2004.
- http://www.senat.fr/rap/r03-160/r03-160.html

PUBLICATIONS

Les nouveautés de la rentrée universitaire 2006 (What’s new in the 2006 university year?)/French National Education Ministry – Newsletter, 5 October 2006.
- ftp://trf.education.gouv.fr/pub/edutel/flash/lettre_flash_40.pdf

Le système éducatif (The education system)/B. Toulemonde. – La Documentation française, “Les Notices” collection, 2006 (see, in particular, Notice 14 on Higher Education).

Les étudiants inscrits dans les 83 universités publiques françaises en 2005 (Students enrolled in the 83 French state universities in 2005)/ French National Education Ministry. – Information Memo, 24 August 2006.
- ftp://trf.education.gouv.fr/pub/edutel/dpd/ni/ni2006/ni0624.pdf

Les étudiants en classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles : année 2005-2006 (Students on preparatory courses for the top graduate schools: 2005-2006)/French National Education Ministry. – Newsletter, 23 August 2006.
- ftp://trf.education.gouv.fr/pub/edutel/dpd/ni/ni2006/ni0623.pdf

Repères et références statistiques sur les enseignements, la formation et la recherche (Facts and figures on education, training and research)/French National Education Ministry, August 2006
- http://www-education-gouv-fr.aw.atosorigin.com/pid316/reperes-et-referencesstatistiques. html

L’école nationale en chiffres (Figures on national education)/French National Education Ministry, January 2005
- ftp://trf.education.gouv.fr/pub/edutel/dpd/gchiffres_e2005/chiffre.pdf

Les établissements d’enseignement supérieur: structure et fonctionnement (Higher education establishments: structure and operation)/French Ministry for National Education, Higher Education and Research, May 2002.
- http://www.sigu7.jussieu.fr/DPATED2/sf1.html

© Ministère des Affaires étrangères / French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2006