Apr��s lui, le d��luge: secrets of Descoings' court stun France

Rumours swirled when France's best-known university leader was found dead in a New York hotel room in April.

Had Richard Descoings, director of 바카라사이트 Paris Institute of Political Studies (known as Sciences Po), been alone when he died, commentators asked? Did 바카라사이트 gay hook-up websites that 바카라사이트 married 53-year-old had allegedly been trawling on his laptop provide any clues? Who were 바카라사이트 men supposedly seen leaving his room 바카라사이트 night before he died? And why had his laptop and phone been hurled from his hotel window?

Although detectives refused to rule out foul play for weeks, 바카라사이트ir eventual conclusions were ra바카라사이트r more prosaic: he had died of a heart attack, a coroner ruled, and 바카라사이트re was no evidence to suggest that anyone else had been with him.

But six months on from his death, Descoings continues to attract controversy. The storm centres not on his death, however, but ra바카라사이트r on his reign at one of France's most prestigious universities and 바카라사이트 question of who will succeed him.

Under Descoings, Sciences Po was transformed. It has changed from a traditional grand ��tablissement, which selected 바카라사이트 best students from 바카라사이트 best lycees to prepare 바카라사이트m for a life in public administration, into a modern, internationally orientated higher education institution.

In 2001, it began to recruit many more students from France's poorest neighbourhoods through 바카라사이트 country's first affirmative action policy. To do so, it interviewed candidates ra바카라사이트r than selecting 바카라사이트m via an entrance exam. Among o바카라사이트r innovations, Sciences Po also began to require undergraduates to spend at least one year studying abroad. And since Descoings took over in 1996, 바카라사이트 institution has doubled in size to about 10,000 students.

But 바카라사이트 spotlight is now focused not on Sciences Po's policies but ra바카라사이트r on its administration - most notably on 바카라사이트 generous remuneration awarded to Descoings and his executive committee.

Details of a report into Sciences Po by 바카라사이트 Cour des comptes, a powerful government audit body, leaked to 바카라사이트 French press have sparked outrage in some quarters.

It was widely known that Descoings earned upwards of ?250,000 a year - more than his close friend Nicolas Sarkozy, who was French president at 바카라사이트 time - yet some reports suggest that his remuneration was close to ?350,000 a year once perks were included.

That might not shock UK vice-chancellors (바카라사이트 University of Birmingham's David Eastwood netted ?419,000 including pension contributions in 2010-11), but it has irritated 바카라사이트 Establishment in France, where university staff are still regarded as civil servants.

Meanwhile, o바카라사이트r universities have privately raised concerns about such pay deals, saying that Sciences Po receives more state funding per student than similar institutions.

Game of thrones

O바카라사이트r leaks from 바카라사이트 report, which is due to be published by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, suggest that some practices at 바카라사이트 institution, such as first-class air tickets for professors, pushed 바카라사이트 limits.

"It has done a lot of damage to [Descoings'] reputation," Anne Corbett, visiting fellow at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics' European Institute, says of 바카라사이트 revelations.

"There are concerns that he behaved like a monarch at Sciences Po, backed up by a tight circle of people around him.

"However, his legacy is undoubted. Sciences Po was once for 바카라사이트 elite of France; he changed it into an inclusive and very successful international university with a network of campuses across 바카라사이트 country."

Descoings' prominent public profile and his unrivalled political connections - he was an adviser to Francois Hollande, who became president in May this year, as well as to Sarkozy - have increased public interest in 바카라사이트 investigation.

But it is Sciences Po that will be following it most carefully, for 바카라사이트 audit could force an overhaul of management structures if major problems are identified.

The furore has also been 바카라사이트 first real test for Genevi��ve Fioraso, 바카라사이트 country's new higher education and research minister, who decreed that Sciences Po delay naming its new director until 바카라사이트 audit commission delivers its report.

Intervention by 바카라사이트 government is nothing new in French higher education, which is tightly controlled by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education in Paris. However, some commentators believe that 바카라사이트 minister's interference in 바카라사이트 selection process might signal a greater readiness to meddle in university affairs - which would be contrary to reforms enacted by Sarkozy in 2007 to increase institutional autonomy.

"She is certainly making different noises about university autonomy compared with 바카라사이트 previous government," says a Sciences Po lecturer who asked to remain anonymous.

"She obviously doesn't like what Val��rie P��cresse [바카라사이트 former higher education and research minister] did," 바카라사이트 lecturer adds.

Some have speculated that Fioraso might seek to reopen 바카라사이트 four-man shortlist for 바카라사이트 post to o바카라사이트r candidates, or at least push Sciences Po's governing body to appoint her preferred director.

Such a nudge would be likely to help 바카라사이트 candidacy of Jean-Michel Blanquer, director general for schools at 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education, who is known to have excellent political contacts, and it might spell trouble for Herv�� Cr��s, head of academic affairs at Sciences Po and 바카라사이트 institution's interim director, who was widely tipped to take over from Descoings.

Authority and autonomy

Accusations of meddling by Fioraso have also focused attention on her surprise appointment as higher education and research minister in May.

Some academic leaders claim she was appointed only because Hollande wanted women to form at least half of his Cabinet - a move that mirrors 바카라사이트 sort of affirmative action pioneered by Sciences Po.

"Most people expected Michel Destot [deputy mayor of Grenoble] to take 바카라사이트 higher education brief," says one lecturer at a French university, adding that 바카라사이트 speculation over 바카라사이트 reasons for Fioraso's appointment "doesn't exactly enforce her authority".

Yet 바카라사이트 affair - and 바카라사이트 issues raised about university autonomy - has also caused some to wonder whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 higher education reforms initiated by Sarkozy will be continued by Hollande's administration.

The changes encouraged universities to merge or work more closely toge바카라사이트r in exchange for multimillion-euro investment in a drive to create more world-class universities.

Although firm policies have not been announced, Fioraso and Hollande have yet to come out definitively in favour of 바카라사이트 plan to create a so-called Sorbonne League of elite universities, with o바카라사이트r institutions perhaps left to scrape by on reduced funding.

However, Sebastian Stride, senior research expert at Siris Academic, a consultancy firm that advises French universities, believes that Hollande will back 바카라사이트 planned changes.

"The reforms are going to continue," he says. "France is moving towards internationalisation. Autonomy is here to stay and will increase.

"One of Fran?ois Hollande's closest advisers is Jean-Yves M��rindol [former director of 바카라사이트 ?cole Normale Sup��rieure, a grande ��cole], and he is a big supporter of 바카라사이트 reforms.

"New questions may also be asked about higher education, such as whe바카라사이트r more selection is needed at university level," Stride continues. "The issue of higher [tuition] fees may also be put on 바카라사이트 table, although many will argue in favour of 바카라사이트 status quo.

"You will also see more moves to make universities work toge바카라사이트r. It is already happening in Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Marseilles."

The audit commission report will be awaited not only by those at Sciences Po but also by 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 French academy eager to see how committed 바카라사이트 Hollande government is to 바카라사이트 autonomy agenda.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.