University in France

In France , the Université S are public corporations of higher education and research. Administratively, the universities are public corporations in scientific, cultural and professional matter (EPCSCP), as defined by the Loi Savary, now integrated in the Code of education. The French universities passed to the Réforme LMD, except for the formations of health. The Law on the autonomy of the universities, voted in 2007, introduced a reform into their operation.

In France, certain fields of studies post-vat are taught apart from the universities: universities, sections of high-level technicien…

History

The first French universities are created with the Moyen-âge, the date traditionally given of creation of the Université of Paris being 1200. In 1789, France account 22 universities, which are removed by the national Convention in September 1793.

created in 1808 the imperial University with faculties in the main cities. The modern universities are created in 1893 by the meeting of the “bodies of faculties” present in these cities.

Following the student movements of May 1968, the statute and the organization of the universities are strongly modified and of many universities are created.

The French universities are from now on committed in the Réforme LMD and, for some, in the constitution of poles of research and higher education.

Missions

The universities take part in the public service of the higher education, whose six missions are thus defined by:

initial training and continues
the scientific research and technique as well as the diffusion and the valorization of its
results the orientation and
professional insertion the diffusion of the culture and the scientific information and technical
the participation in the construction of the European Espace of higher education and of research
the international cooperation

More half of the French students is registered in a university.

Delivered diplomas

The universities enjoy a pedagogical autonomy: they produce and propose the models of their diplomas (with the reform LMD, this proposal includes the heading of the diploma and its general structure) to the Ministère of Higher education and Research. If the ministry accepts the proposal, the diplomas are entitled to be delivered by the university, with the quality of national diploma. They are the following diplomas:

License after three years of studies * Master (not to be confused with the mastères which is not national diplomas), two years of studies after the License * Doctorate in theory three years of studies after Master * University degree of technology (HAD) after two years of studies * Diplomas for the occupation of engineers in theory three years of studies after the admission generally on contest * First cycles of the medical studies and odontological (the second cycles are subjected to the ministry by UFR directly)
etc

The universities can also deliver diplomas of university (OF) or inter-academics (DIU) which is not subjected to an enabling of the ministry and thus do not have the quality of national diplomas. There are some on all the levels of studies but these diplomas interest mainly the continuing education and the additional training of certain professions like the professions of health.

The mention (passable, rather well, well or very well) is not a component of the national diploma, which confers the same rights, within the meaning of, with all its holders, whatever the mention whose this diploma is matched. Thus, the ministry is not obliged to enact a regulation harmonizing the conditions of attribution of these mentions.

Seek

The research is the second great mission of the universities. This one is ensured by the teacher-researchers, possibly of the enquiring holders and other categories of personnel. Initiation with research is ensured within the “masters research” and of the medical and pharmaceutical formations. The Doctorant S take part in the university research.

Research is carried out within the doctoral schools which often gather several laboratories. Those can be either specific to the university, or commun runs with another university, or related to others civil public agencies of research within mixed units of research or federative institutes of research.

Organization and operation

The universities include/understand components of teaching and research, schools doctoral and research laboratories (see higher) , central services and services common.

Components

General information

The university is divided into component : units of formation and research (UFR), institutes, schools,… The UFR are created by the board of directors. The institutes and schools are created by decree of the minister in charge for higher education after consultation of the National council of higher education and research. The components establish their statutes which are approved by the board of directors of the university.

According to the old provisions, the components are create by decision of the minister in charge for the universities on the proposal of the boards of directors of the universities which approve the internal statutes of them. But sometimes, like in the case of the Schools and Institutes, the decision concerns the minister by decree, even the government by decree.

The UFR - sometimes still called “faculties” - do not have legal and budgetary autonomy but a simple autonomy of internal organization within the university. The internal Institutes and Schools enjoy however a more thorough autonomy, medical and odontological UFR of a relative autonomy.

The components generally indicate councils elected by the personnel and users and supplemented by qualified personalities. The councils elect with the head of the UFR a director (who carries sometimes the title of “Senior” according to the former practice of “Faculties”).

The heading of the components is very variable. UFR can have departments, structures administrative and teaching internal with the UFR, although those are not mentioned by the law. For example: department of History of the art of a historical UFR of sciences, department of Biology of a UFR of applied sciences or department of first cycle etc

Various types

the units of formation and research (UFR) gather rather general trainings leading to the license, the master and the doctorate. The entry can be done starting from the baccalaureat, the admission can be selective as from the second year of master. The UFR organize also the courses of magistère which recruit in a selective way after two years of higher learning and lead to the license then with the master. The UFR also propose preparations with the contests of aggregation and preparations with the contests of the CAPES in partnership with the IUFM.

The biomedical UFR have another operating process and of selection of the students.

the Academic institutes of technology (IUT) recruit, in a selective way, on the level of the baccalaureat, they train high-level techniciens and lead to the University degree of technology. The graduates can return in the working life or poursuivrent studies in IUP, school of engineer, business school, or other.

the professionnalized academic institutes (IUP) recruit, in a selective way, after two years of higher learning (DEUG, HAD, BTS), they lead to a license IUP then with a professional master.

the schools or internal institutes of engineers at the universities recruit, in a selective way, on the level of the baccalaureat (ex: Polytech network) or, more rarely on contest after two or three years of preparatory classes.

the legal institutes of studies (IEJ) have the roles to prepare with the examination of entry to a Regional center of lawyer professional training (CRFPA) and with the entrance examination to the National school of the magistrature (ENM). They recruit among the Masters in right.

the institutes of preparation to the general administration (IPAG) prepare the students with the contest of access to the three public office and many public agencies or parapublic. They also prepare with national diplomas in public administration (license and master) and with certificates. The level of recruitment varies according to the formation or the preparation considered.

the Instituts of administration of the companies (IAE) propose trainings in management and administration of the companies on the L3 level of the license (occupational license) and on the level master (research or professional).

the academic institutes of training of the Masters (IUFM) are, under the terms of the law Fillon, integrated into the universities. They prepare the students with the contests of teaching and train the trainee teachers.

Of others internal institutes exists in bond for example with the preparation of the old controls of the professionals type.

Common central services and services

The central services are placed under the authority of the president and the councils. Each university determines its organization in this respect. The central services have the role of ensuring the good performance of the university. It can be a question:

of the service of the human resources;
of the service in charge of finances and the government contracts;
of the service charged with the average materials;
of the services of the schooling;
etc

The common services are thus named because they are famous commun runs with the various components. The law envisages four common services but the universities are free, if necessary, to create others of them:

a service for the libraries and information centers called common service of documentation (SCD) (See College library) ;
a service for the development of continuing education;
a service for the orientation of the students and their professional insertion;
a Service of industrial activities and commercial (SAIC).

Several universities can create common services between them for these activities.

Operation

The universities have according to the code of education an autonomous operation and are controls by a democracy interns desired and organized by the laws of 1968 (known as law Edgar Faure), of 1984 (known as Loi Savary) and of 2007 (known as Loi on the autonomy of the universities). The first translation of this internal democracy is statutory freedom to organize their operation subject to the observation of the laws and decrees which govern them.

Three councils

The teacher-researchers, the students and the remainder of the personnel are represented within three university councils known as “central councils” which are the board of directors, the scientific advice and the council of the studies and the university life.

The President of the university

The President of the university is elected by the elected members of the board of directors, for a four years mandate (renewable immediately once). The President represents the university, chairs the councils and pilot the establishment; he has the executive power essentially. He surrounds himself by a “office” which is charged, according to the terms of the law, “to assist it”. Its composition is with variable configuration according to the statutes adopted by the universities which organize of it very freely the composition and operation. It can be made up vice-presidents of the councils, operations managers, etc These people, mainly teacher-researchers, are according to the cases elected by the councils on a proposal from the President or by spontaneous candidature, on list or in an individual way… Their mandate can coincide with that of the President or with that of the councils. The office includes/understands obligatorily a Vice-président studying resulting from the Council of the studies and the university life. The general secretary and other administrative persons in charge (accountant for example) are often integrated in the office or can be invited to sit there in an advisory capacity.

According to the old still valid provisions in a transitory way, the President of the university is elected by the members of the three councils joined together in assembly (body sometimes called “congress”), for a five years mandate (which is not renewable immediately). The office includes/understands a Vice-président studied provided that the status envisage it. The other provisions indicated above applied already.

The general secretary

The general secretary is named by the ministry for Higher education, on a proposal from the President of the University, and takes care of the good management of the establishment. The President can ask that it be put an end to his functions.

The vice-chancellor of academy

The Recteur of academy is also chancellor of the universities of his academy: he exerts a control of legality on their acts with the manner of the Prefect on those of the local government agencies. He receives the official reports of the meetings of the Boards of directors of the universities of his academy as well as the budgetary acts which are transmitted to him and for which he has particular prerogatives. In the event of failure, of serious error or severe disorders of the operation of a university, the Vice-chancellor-chancellor can appoint a provisional administrator.

Financing

August 1st France spends on average 6.800 euros per student against 9.000 euros on average in the countries of OECD. In 2005, the Minister of education main road spent 7210 euros per student in university (except IUT) against 13560 euros per student in Preparatory classes at the universities.

The public finance of the universities is done via the total Dotation of operation (DGF), the Contrat of projects State-area (CPER) and the four-year Contrat.

The universities because of under chronic financing are strongly encouraged has to develop their own resources via several axes such as a rise of the registration fee, an offensive policy as regards collection of the Taxe of training (the university being in competition with other establishments, in particular other universities to collect the greatest possible share of this tax) or the sale of goods and service (via for example SAIC).

See too

References

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