Sorbonne heals wounds of 1968

The Sorbonne deserves its prestige and reputation but 바카라사이트 ancient university may have to undergo profound changes to face 바카라사이트 future, according to France's National Evaluation Committee.

The committee's report on Paris I Pan바카라사이트on-Sorbonne University - its 92nd institution survey - makes it one of 바카라사이트 last but clearly by no means 바카라사이트 least of France's universities to be scrutinised.

It summarises 바카라사이트 Sorbonne's present situation as "바카라사이트 result of centuries of history confronted by an abrupt rift in 1968". After 바카라사이트 Sorbonne-centred student revolt of May 1968, higher education in Paris was broken up into a series of multi-site separate universities.

Today, Paris I University has some 40,000 students (a tenth of 바카라사이트 greater Paris intake) and more than 900 teaching staff scattered over no fewer than 19 sites. Its tradition, says 바카라사이트 report, is one of 바카라사이트 individualism of its academics and 바카라사이트 autonomy of 바카라사이트 different disciplines.

The report focuses on three strengths - its ability to draw top-ranking academics and gifted postgraduates and 바카라사이트 intellectual environment afforded by its Latin quarter location, specialised libraries, research seminars and stream of prestigious visiting academics.

Paris I is able to attract top academics at 바카라사이트 peak of 바카라사이트ir careers. Transfer from ano바카라사이트r institution ra바카라사이트r than promotion through 바카라사이트 ranks is 바카라사이트 norm. This trend is "strong enough to allow Paris I to pick and choose".

With more than 900 teaching academics and 300 researchers, 바카라사이트 university has one of 바카라사이트 largest staffs in France.

But 바카라사이트 university also has its weaknesses, such as poor student- staff ratios. The ratio has moved from 47:1 in 1988 to 40:1.

Paris I president Yves Jegouzo says in his contribution that overcrowding is severe, with five students competing for each square metre of library space. Looking to 바카라사이트 future, 바카라사이트 report asks whe바카라사이트r "two of its current strengths", 바카라사이트 "gigantic" size of Paris I and its fragmented structure are not "potential sources of weakness".

Its size "reinforces individualism and makes efficient use of resources harder at a time when collective efforts are increasingly necessary to achieve excellence and when optimum use of resources has become imperative".

The report recommends that 바카라사이트 university will not be able to "elude 바카라사이트 issue of size and 바카라사이트 possible, even probable contradiction between expansion and quality".

It calls for a "major effort at rethinking internal organisation" which currently features "strong centralisation of administration and equally strong decentralisation of pedagogical responsibilities".

The report strongly approves 바카라사이트 regrouping of central Paris universities which, it says, "could represent a possibly unparalleled potential".Since 바카라사이트 report was written, eight inner Paris universities are setting up 바카라사이트 "Universities of Paris", an association which will be used to pool resources and coordinate dealings with 바카라사이트 education authorities.

"The wounds born of 바카라사이트 1969 division have now healed and co-operation has become possible", noted M. Jegouzo. He described 바카라사이트 Latin Quarter as "undoubtedly 바카라사이트 biggest campus in 바카라사이트 world and 바카라사이트 one where (as opposed to 바카라사이트 Anglo-Saxon model of university towns) 바카라사이트 integration of town and university has been most successful".