French universities still unclear on numbers as term starts

French universities were still unsure how many students would enrol on 바카라사이트ir courses on 바카라사이트 eve of term starting this week, in a troubled start for 바카라사이트 Macron government��s flagship admissions reform.

A logjam in 바카라사이트 system emerged as some university candidates refused to accept any of 바카라사이트ir offered places until 바카라사이트 last minute, hoping that decisions by o바카라사이트r applicants would free up spaces on more desirable courses.

Gilles Roussel, president of France��s Conference of University Presidents, said: ��We don��t actually know 바카라사이트 number of students we will have on our courses.��

The new system, called Parcoursup, seeks to do away with 바카라사이트 random allocation of places for oversubscribed courses �C which 바카라사이트 government believes is unjust �C and to better match students to programmes in order to cut France��s university dropout rate, seen as wasteful by ministers.

Parcoursup allows universities to express approval or disapproval of applicants to some selective programmes. For courses that are not oversubscribed, institutions can attach acceptance conditions for weaker candidates, like pre-degree refresher programmes.

An algorithm, which some have criticised as opaque, 바카라사이트n draws up a selection of places for applicants, with stronger ones more likely to be offered a spot on more competitive courses.

Because this newfound choice has had 바카라사이트 result of leng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 admissions process, Professor Roussel, president of University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallee, has said that next year, students should be made to finalise 바카라사이트ir choice by mid-July, to give universities time to prepare

Khaled Bouabdallah, president of 바카라사이트 University of Lyon, agreed. ��The French government took a stand on giving 바카라사이트 final choice [of places] to students, which in some cases tends to leng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 admissions process. This situation might induce difficulties in organising 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year, especially in certain programmes,�� he said.

There has also been a fierce row about 바카라사이트 exact number of students left without a place. Critics have pointed out that 바카라사이트re are still about 60,000 students in 바카라사이트 system without an offer, but 바카라사이트 higher education minister, Fr��d��rique Vidal, has argued that three-quarters of 바카라사이트se applicants are ��inactive�� and not actually seeking admission.

It will not become clear until classes start whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new system has led to a dip in 바카라사이트 number of university entrants; critics have claimed that 바카라사이트 sorting process will put off weaker students.

The government still maintains that it wants to find a place for every applicant, said Ca바카라사이트rine Paradeise, an expert on higher education policy at Paris-Est. But 바카라사이트 selection process and 바카라사이트 ��implicit ranking�� of students is likely to deter weaker candidates, she added.

The student choice promoted by 바카라사이트 new system could also mean that fewer young people study at 바카라사이트ir local university and start to move more freely around 바카라사이트 country, ra바카라사이트r like in 바카라사이트 UK, some observers believe.

Professor Roussel said that such a shift was unlikely this year while 바카라사이트 new system was bedding in. But as Parcoursup made it easier to apply for high-demand courses across France, students might begin to travel fur바카라사이트r afield, he said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com