The New French Policy The New French Policy for Higher Education for Higher Education

and Researchand ResearchProfesseur Bernard Belloc,Professeur Bernard Belloc,

Conseiller pour Conseiller pour l’enseignement supérieur et la l’enseignement supérieur et la

recherche au Cabinet du recherche au Cabinet du Président de la RépubliquePrésident de la République

UNICA, Paris 7 novembre 2009UNICA, Paris 7 novembre 2009

1- Why a new policy?1- Why a new policy?

2-The reform: a brief description2-The reform: a brief description

3-Some remarks on « How to 3-Some remarks on « How to develop strategy and shape develop strategy and shape policies »policies »

Why a new policy?Why a new policy?

• What we say very oftenWhat we say very often– A success: the massification, 5 more A success: the massification, 5 more

students during the last 20 years;students during the last 20 years;– Erasmus programs: France is one of Erasmus programs: France is one of

the main destination for european the main destination for european students;students;

Why a new Policy?Why a new Policy?

• We sayWe say

– Prestigious «grandes écoles »;Prestigious «grandes écoles »;– A high level basic research: recent A high level basic research: recent

Nobel prizes, Fields medals, Abel Nobel prizes, Fields medals, Abel prizes, Turing prize, second country prizes, Turing prize, second country for the grants given by the ERC; for the grants given by the ERC;

– CNRS first scientific institution in CNRS first scientific institution in Europe.Europe.

ButBut

• Only 25% of the students obtain their Only 25% of the students obtain their degrees normally( just in time), degrees normally( just in time), between 15 and 30 % do not obtain between 15 and 30 % do not obtain no degree at all; no degree at all;

• the proportion of 18-24 y.o. people the proportion of 18-24 y.o. people enrolled in higher education is lower enrolled in higher education is lower in France, compared to many in France, compared to many developped countries (USA and developped countries (USA and Canada for example);Canada for example);

• In France a rate of unemployment In France a rate of unemployment very high for the young people;very high for the young people;

ButBut

• « grandes écoles » are very « grandes écoles » are very confidential : 5% of the students, 7% confidential : 5% of the students, 7% with business schools students;with business schools students;

• Students of the « grandes écoles » Students of the « grandes écoles » mainly coming from the upper classes mainly coming from the upper classes of the society;of the society;

• « grandes écoles » are very « grandes écoles » are very heterogeneous in quality, and have a heterogeneous in quality, and have a weak visibility from abroad; weak visibility from abroad;

ButBut

• A lack of research activities in the A lack of research activities in the « grandes écoles »;« grandes écoles »;

• Research under the responsability of Research under the responsability of too centralized scientific institutions, too centralized scientific institutions, outside the universities;outside the universities;

• In France low attractivity for the In France low attractivity for the academic positions in general.academic positions in general.

ButBut

●● applied research less important in applied research less important in France compared to some comparable France compared to some comparable countries (patents/ hab = 69 in countries (patents/ hab = 69 in Germany, 36 in France);Germany, 36 in France);

• Research investments insufficiently Research investments insufficiently efficient in France (France versus UK: efficient in France (France versus UK: more researchers/hab., % of GNP for more researchers/hab., % of GNP for the research higher, but the share of the research higher, but the share of the french scientific publications in the french scientific publications in the world is lower than the same for the world is lower than the same for british publications).british publications).

The new policyThe new policy

• Complete autonomy for the universities;Complete autonomy for the universities;

• More competition between the academic More competition between the academic institutions;institutions;

• Diversification of the landscape;Diversification of the landscape;

• More research inside the universities;More research inside the universities;

• To open the universities toward the To open the universities toward the society in general and to develop more society in general and to develop more links with private partners in particular.links with private partners in particular.

The tools of the reformThe tools of the reform

• A new legal framework, with more A new legal framework, with more freedom, the « loi LRU » (August freedom, the « loi LRU » (August 2007): reinforcement of the 2007): reinforcement of the management, complete autonomy for management, complete autonomy for the budget, buildings and the land, the budget, buildings and the land, possibility to create foundations possibility to create foundations besides each university;besides each university;

• More freedom and flexibility in the More freedom and flexibility in the recruitment and the management of recruitment and the management of the human ressources;the human ressources;

• Evaluation and financial incentives for Evaluation and financial incentives for academics.academics.

Funding the reformFunding the reform

• The global national budget for the The global national budget for the universities: + 50% from 2007 by universities: + 50% from 2007 by 2012 (1 billion euros more each year in 2012 (1 billion euros more each year in the global budget of the French State);the global budget of the French State);

• Opération Campus: 5 billions euros for Opération Campus: 5 billions euros for renovating 10 major Campus;renovating 10 major Campus;

• We have the project to invest several We have the project to invest several billions euros into academic billions euros into academic foundations.foundations.

Funding the reformFunding the reform

• Research, by 2012:Research, by 2012:– 4 billions euros more, allocated 4 billions euros more, allocated

through competitive calls via the through competitive calls via the new agency, « agence nationale de new agency, « agence nationale de la recherche »;la recherche »;

– We expect 15 billions euros more, We expect 15 billions euros more, from private funding, through fiscal from private funding, through fiscal incentives.incentives.

How to develop strategy How to develop strategy and shape policies?and shape policies?

• Open the debate inside the academics, Open the debate inside the academics, but firstly with the partners but firstly with the partners (stockholders);(stockholders);

• Show why the national organization to Show why the national organization to day is failing for solving the problems of day is failing for solving the problems of the society and for giving the right the society and for giving the right answers to the questions of the society answers to the questions of the society (not only the problems of the academic (not only the problems of the academic communauty);communauty);

How to develop strategy How to develop strategy and shape policies?and shape policies?

• The reform of Higher education and The reform of Higher education and Research systems is not firstly for the Research systems is not firstly for the teachers and the students, but for the teachers and the students, but for the global society;global society;

• A good principle: funding and money A good principle: funding and money are not an objective. They are are not an objective. They are elements of a policy, and the elements of a policy, and the consequences of good projects;consequences of good projects;

How to develop strategy How to develop strategy and shape policies?and shape policies?

• The examples from foreign countries The examples from foreign countries are interesting because they give are interesting because they give different solutions to the same different solutions to the same problems;problems;

• But impossibility to translate But impossibility to translate precisely foreign experiences in precisely foreign experiences in different national contexts;different national contexts;

How to develop strategy How to develop strategy and shape policies?and shape policies?

• The organization of Higher Education The organization of Higher Education systems depends upon national systems depends upon national cultures and histories;cultures and histories;

• Give some examples of national good Give some examples of national good practices and success stories: they practices and success stories: they are always linked to general good are always linked to general good principles, used abroad!principles, used abroad!

Thanks for your Thanks for your attentionattention