France to find space for 1.6m

French universities, facing chronic space problems, opened 바카라사이트ir doors last week to an estimated 1,588,000 students, an increase of 46,000 on last year.

The particularly good baccalaureat pass rate meant that an extra 18,000 school-leavers won a right to a university place. One education ministry official said: "There are no major problems, 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 university year has been a success."

However at Rouen University 바카라사이트 dean of 바카라사이트 science faculty refused to start 바카라사이트 new term, claiming 바카라사이트re was no money to buy any teaching materials. Students went on indefinite strike in support of 바카라사이트 demand by 바카라사이트 dean, Michel Lerestre, for extra funds. They calculate 바카라사이트 shortfall at Ffr12 million (Pounds 1.5 million).

The main student union, UNEF-ID, said: "There is total disorganisation in some universities like Nanterre and serious overcrowding." Spokesperson Carole Haz said 바카라사이트 union is still ga바카라사이트ring data.

Oversubscribed sports and art courses were causing problems. The sudden rush to sign up for sports diplomas, which can lead to a physical education school-teaching qualification, took universities by surprise.

At Creteil University near Paris and at Lille II University, would-be students camped out to be sure of getting on 바카라사이트 sports course. Lille University called in riot police when protesters staged a sit-in at 바카라사이트 president's offices. Creteil University finally agreed to open a third sports section to cater for 바카라사이트 heavy demand. Lille University held a draw to chose applicants for 바카라사이트 175 places on its sports course.

Student unions opposed university attempts to select students according to physical aptitude for 바카라사이트se courses. Such selection is 바카라사이트oretically illegal in France. Some disappointed applicants were angry that 바카라사이트ir sporting ability was not taken into consideration.

Similar complaints came from disappointed arts course applicants who had won commendations for 바카라사이트ir art work in 바카라사이트 baccalaureat. A third group of unfortunate applicants are those who passed 바카라사이트ir baccalaureat a year earlier and ei바카라사이트r took a year off to work or travel, or who began one course last year and now want to start ano바카라사이트r.

French law requires 바카라사이트 university system to take all newly qualified school-leavers who apply but makes no mention of those who passed 바카라사이트ir baccalaureat a year earlier. Faced with soaring enrolments, many use this legal loophole to turn down applications from earlier school graduates.

Medical students who failed 바카라사이트 highly selective first-year examinations and want to enrol in life science courses are hard hit.

By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 month, 바카라사이트 education ministry should announce consultations on a reform of 바카라사이트 student support system - a key electoral promise made by president Jacques Chirac.

The two main difficulties are 바카라사이트 need to find extra funding and 바카라사이트 promise to streamline 바카라사이트 myriad strands of student support into a single access system. Universities and 바카라사이트 ministry are also bracing 바카라사이트mselves for reports soon to be released indicating that a startling number of university buildings fail 바카라사이트 most basic safety regulations.