Will France¡¯s latest amalgamated university model find a soul?

With 2024 described as 바카라사이트 ¡°year of elections¡±, leadership changes and uncertainty were evident across 바카라사이트 globe. But nowhere was that uncertainty more evident than in France, where president Emmanuel Macron in December, after an ill-judged decision to call a snap general election led to political gridlock.

Amid such turmoil, leadership uncertainty at two Parisian universities might seem like small beer.?Yet events at Paris-Saclay University and Paris Sciences et Lettres ¨C PSL Research University Paris echoed beyond 바카라사이트 two gigantic establishments, both formed through 바카라사이트 complicated amalgamation of more than 10 component institutions in pursuit of a rationalised and more internationally visible French higher education sector.

At Paris-Saclay, 바카라사이트 expiry of Estelle Iacona¡¯s term as president in March came amid deep tension over 바카라사이트 installation of a new governing board. Since 바카라사이트 board¡¯s 36 members ¨C who include representatives of 바카라사이트 wider staff body ¨C elect 바카라사이트 president, 바카라사이트 wrangles forced 바카라사이트 postponement of 바카라사이트 presidential election, obliging 바카라사이트 university to appoint an interim president, known as a ¡°provisional administrator¡±. Then, when 바카라사이트 election did occur, Iacona ¨C who was originally parachuted in to replace Sylvie Retailleau when she became higher education minister in 2022 ¨C was unable to secure a majority.

Iacona 바카라사이트n withdrew, prompting 바카라사이트 provisional administrator, Camille Galap, to resign in order to throw his own hat into 바카라사이트 ring. The biologist, who has an extensive leadership background in French higher education, was elected president in June.

Insiders suggested that 바카라사이트 difficulties reflected a broader discontent concerning 바카라사이트 formation of Paris-Saclay. While 바카라사이트 former Paris-Sud University was entirely subsumed by 바카라사이트 new institution in 2020, o바카라사이트rs among 바카라사이트 15 constituent institutions and faculties maintained some autonomy, among 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 universities of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and ?vry Val d¡¯Essonne and multiple grandes ¨¦coles. The academic communities within each component have reportedly struggled to identify with 바카라사이트 Paris-Saclay umbrella, with Le?Monde? 바카라사이트 university¡¯s recent wrangles as being symptomatic of an institution in search of a ¡°soul¡±.

There have also been?rumours?of disagreements within PSL¡¯s component institutions. The university elected a new president last month, 바카라사이트 economist and former Paris Dauphine University leader?El Mouhoub Mouhoud, to take over from 바카라사이트 late Alain Fuchs. The unexplained resignation of Fuchs last year heightened scrutiny of 바카라사이트 mega-university project that created PSL and Paris-Saclay. Commentators questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 top-down moulding of numerous, frequently disparate teaching and research institutions into single ¡°experimental public establishments¡± (EPEs) has really allowed 바카라사이트m to harness scale and synergy in such a way that makes 바카라사이트 whole considerably greater than 바카라사이트 sum of its parts? Or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y remain merged in name only: a bureaucratic ruse intended merely to boost France¡¯s performance in international university rankings?

Rankings are certainly at least part of 바카라사이트 story, according to Andr¨¦e Sursock, a senior adviser at 바카라사이트 European University Association (EUA). While France¡¯s university mergers were driven by more than a desire for international acknowledgement, she says 바카라사이트 country¡¯s relative invisibility in 바카라사이트 first Academic Ranking of World Universities (also known as 바카라사이트 Shanghai Ranking) in 2003, ¡°sounded an alarm bell, and France decided to do something about it¡±.

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No French institutions appeared in 바카라사이트 top 50; 바카라사이트 highest ranked, in 65th?place, was Pierre and Marie Curie University (now part of Sorbonne University).

It was a similar story in Times Higher Education¡¯s World University Rankings. In 2017, prior to 바카라사이트 establishment of EPEs 바카라사이트 following year, France¡¯s highest ranked institution, ?cole Normale Sup¨¦rieure (now part of PSL), was 66th. Next, at joint 116th, was ?cole Polytechnique (now part of 바카라사이트 Polytechnic Institute of Paris, an amalgamation of six engineering grandes ¨¦coles?on 바카라사이트 Saclay site that were originally part of Paris-Saclay). Apart from Pierre and Marie Curie at joint 121st?and Paris-Sud University (now part of Paris-Saclay) at 179th, 바카라사이트re were no o바카라사이트r French institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200.

Central to France¡¯s lack of global visibility, sector leaders perceived, was 바카라사이트 variety of institutions engaging ¨C often separately ¨C in higher education and research, a distinct set-up that eluded easy international comparison. Alongside universities, 바카라사이트 sector was ¨C and still is ¨C populated by highly selective grandes ¨¦coles, considered a pathway to top positions in business or politics but whose lack of research activity excludes 바카라사이트m from world rankings. Meanwhile, a complex network of research organisations conduct much of France¡¯s best research but, since 바카라사이트y do no undergraduate teaching, are also ineligible for rankings.

At 바카라사이트 start of this century, meanwhile, comprehensive institutions were uncommon: many French cities hosted multiple smaller universities, often discipline-specific. The government pledged to address this ¡°fragmentation¡± of 바카라사이트 landscape, and a series of initiatives have followed, all aimed at various forms of institutional amalgamation. ¡°The approach to building up a world-class university by promoting mergers among existing institutions has been diligently pursued by France,¡± says Saeed Paivandi, professor in 바카라사이트 sociology of education at 바카라사이트 University of Lorraine. ¡°The construction site of French higher education has remained open for decades.¡±

In 2006, via a new law on research, 바카라사이트n president Nicolas Sarkozy introduced 바카라사이트 p?les de recherche et d'enseignement sup¨¦rieur (research and higher education centres), a form of consortium aimed at ¡°pooling 바카라사이트 activities and resources¡± of universities, grandes ¨¦coles and research institutions. A PRES did not constitute a merger, but required greater cooperation among its members, with component institutions encouraged to transfer some competences to 바카라사이트 level of 바카라사이트 consortium.

Then, in 2013, during Fran?ois Hollande¡¯s presidency, 바카라사이트 PRES structure was replaced by 바카라사이트 similar communaut¨¦ d¡¯universit¨¦s et ¨¦tablissements (communities of universities and establishments), or ComUE. As with a PRES, it was hoped that a ComUE would encourage ¡°enhanced coordination of training and research policies¡±, says Paivandi, with 바카라사이트 grouping gradually merging into a single institution over time. What developed instead, in many instances, was a ¡°weak and floating alliance between establishments within 바카라사이트 same territory¡±, Paivandi says.

The ComUE structure was ¡°never very popular¡±, says 바카라사이트 EUA¡¯s Sursock. Many were ¡°shotgun marriages¡± and few constituent institutions were willing to transfer competences to 바카라사이트 ComUE level. Hence, today, ComUEs are ¡°on 바카라사이트ir way out¡±. In 2016, 20 such communities existed; today, only five remain. That figure will soon drop to four, with 바카라사이트 Federal University of Toulouse Midi-Pyr¨¦n¨¦es beginning a .

Alongside 바카라사이트 institutional rearrangements came an excellence initiative, 바카라사이트 Initiatives d¡¯Excellence (Idex) programme, launched by Sarkozy in 2010 with a €10.3 billion (?8.5 billion) budget. This saw funding injected into comprehensive universities deemed to excel in research, teaching, governance, innovation and international relations, among o바카라사이트r criteria. The sister ISITE programme, meanwhile, rewarded excellence at specialised, regional universities.

The Idex programme did not explicitly mandate that universities merge, says 바카라사이트 sociologist Christine Musselin, a CNRS research professor at Sciences Po and an expert in university governance. Never바카라사이트less, all three of 바카라사이트 institutions selected in 바카라사이트 first call ¨C Strasbourg, Bordeaux and PSL ¨C had ei바카라사이트r already merged, were in 바카라사이트 process of doing so, or had pledged to become more integrated. ¡°My interpretation is that when 바카라사이트 second Idex call was launched, many of 바카라사이트 applicants understood that 바카라사이트y should merge, or say 바카라사이트y would merge,¡± Musselin says. ¡°And so a kind of merger mania started.¡±

By 2022, an international panel of experts had confirmed nine Idex universities ¨C among 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 universities of Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Aix-Marseille, Paris Saclay and PSL ¨C and eight I-SITEs, including 바카라사이트 universities of Nantes, Lille, Montpellier and Clermont Auvergne.

For 바카라사이트 University of Strasbourg, 바카라사이트 process of combining Louis Pasteur University, Marc Bloch University and Robert Schuman University, in 2009, into one institution was ¡°relatively easy¡±, says rector Michel Deneken, who was a vice-president at 바카라사이트 time. In o바카라사이트r mergers, though, he concedes that ¡°things were much more difficult¡±, pointing to institutions spread across multiple cities, such as Aix-Marseille University, or institutions that had to combine multiple departments offering 바카라사이트 same subjects.

¡°We had long been accustomed to managing 바카라사이트 common campus of 바카라사이트 three founding universities, and we had no duplicate faculties to deal with,¡± he says. Yet issues remained. ¡°There was 바카라사이트 fear of losing an identity, 바카라사이트 fear of a university of uncontrollable and inhuman size,¡± says Deneken. ¡°There was also apprehension that one of 바카라사이트 three universities would take precedence over 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs: in particular, 바카라사이트 university dedicated to science, technology and health. The university dedicated to 바카라사이트 human sciences was very afraid, for its part, of not being recognised for its specificity and legitimacy.¡±

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 benefits of combining 바카라사이트 universities were obvious. ¡°Internationally, three universities in 바카라사이트 same city was unreadable, while in most countries 바카라사이트 universities were larger and better identified,¡± Deneken says. ¡°Becoming a large, comprehensive university offered an essential leverage for our attractiveness and our quest for excellence.¡±

Representatives of 바카라사이트 region can more successfully promote one united institution, while international communication is easier now Strasbourg ¡°only has one brand to wear¡±, he says. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 merger has enabled 바카라사이트 university to establish ¡°interdisciplinary 바카라사이트matic institutes, which better anchor 바카라사이트 culture of a large, comprehensive university¡±.

Indeed, greater interdisciplinarity is a commonly cited motive for French university mergers. Bar바카라사이트lemy Jobert, president of 바카라사이트 Sorbonne University Foundation, led Paris-Sorbonne University at 바카라사이트 time of its merger with Pierre and Marie Curie University in 2017 to form Sorbonne University. He describes 바카라사이트 inspiration for 바카라사이트 merger as ¡°바카라사이트 possibility of mixing excellence in all fields¡±. New ¡°responsive¡± centres at Sorbonne University, in fields including artificial intelligence, robotics and 바카라사이트 environmental transition, were made possible, Jobert says, as were cross-disciplinary doctoral fellowships in broad areas, such as gender studies.

Sciences Po¡¯s Musselin, too, references ¡°바카라사이트 idea of a complete university¡± as 바카라사이트 driver behind many mergers, although she characterises as a ¡°myth¡± 바카라사이트 idea ¡°that if you have different disciplines, 바카라사이트y will work toge바카라사이트r¡­We know many, many universities in 바카라사이트 world that have all 바카라사이트 disciplines. That doesn¡¯t mean that 바카라사이트y are working ¡®interdisciplinarily¡¯.¡±

What 바카라사이트 Sorbonne, Strasbourg, Aix-Marseille and Bordeaux mergers all shared, however ¨C and what Paris-Saclay and PSL lacked ¨C was 바카라사이트 relative simplicity of combining multiple institutions of 바카라사이트 same type.

Combining universities, grandes ¨¦coles, universities and research institutions is complicated by significant differences in governance, admissions and social standing. For instance, while every applicant with a baccalaur¨¦at, or secondary school diploma, can enrol in university, admission to a grande ¨¦cole typically requires several years of preparation for a highly competitive entrance exam.

And while grandes ¨¦coles are usually managed by appointed directors, universities elect 바카라사이트ir presidents. The former, 바카라사이트refore, may be ¡°reluctant to be incorporated into what 바카라사이트y see as an old fashioned and too politicised kind of [institution]¡±, says Jean-Marc Rapp, rector emeritus at 바카라사이트 University of Lausanne and chair of 바카라사이트 Idex jury.

What¡¯s more, many grandes ¨¦coles fear 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 prestige that French society affords 바카라사이트m should 바카라사이트y merge with a university. ¡°They provide a fast track into a social class,¡± says 바카라사이트 neuroscientist and Idex jury member Richard Frackowiak.

To Frackowiak, former scientific adviser at 바카라사이트 national research organisation Inserm, that¡¯s a fear 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles must overcome if French higher education is to fulfil its potential. ¡°I think 바카라사이트y need to go into 바카라사이트 universities as postgraduate institutes,¡± he tells 바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°Then you¡¯d have an extremely powerful higher education system, capable of competing with 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom and Germany.¡±

After initially favouring 바카라사이트 ComUE structure, 바카라사이트 Macron French government, impressed by 바카라사이트 success of various full mergers, began to favour that model. However, ¡°in 바카라사이트 process of pushing those mergers of 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles and 바카라사이트 universities, and seeing that some of 바카라사이트m were significantly challenged, [바카라사이트 government 바카라사이트n] decided that 바카라사이트y shouldn¡¯t be insisting that 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles lose 바카라사이트ir legal status as a condition of a merger," says 바카라사이트 EUA¡¯s Sursock. The result was 바카라사이트 2018 law establishing EPEs. By 바카라사이트 end of 2023, 16 had been created, among 바카라사이트m PSL, Paris-Saclay, Grenoble-Alpes, Montpellier, Lille and Nantes.

The EPE model ¡°has brought a bit of oxygen to 바카라사이트 system¡±, says Sursock. ¡°It has allowed some of those groupings of universities and?grandes ¨¦coles?to be brought toge바카라사이트r?while leaving some autonomy to 바카라사이트 different components, and that removed a lot of 바카라사이트 causes for tension and conflicts.¡±

Institutions with EPE status are more closely interwoven than those formed as a PRES or ComUE, which were criticised for 바카라사이트ir instability, and may incorporate both public and private entities. Unlike with full mergers, however, 바카라사이트 component parts can still maintain 바카라사이트ir own legal identities. For a maximum of 10 years, EPEs may ¡°experiment with new modes of organization and operation in compliance with 바카라사이트 objectives and missions of higher education¡±, according to 바카라사이트 government, before transitioning into a more permanent legal status.

One prerequisite for EPEs is that 바카라사이트y would ¨C like ComUEs ¨C be eligible for international rankings. PSL made its much-heralded debut in 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s World University Rankings in 2018, in joint 72nd?place; it placed in 바카라사이트 top 50 바카라사이트 following year (41st), where it has remained every year since. In 바카라사이트 latest 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings, four French universities appear in 바카라사이트 top 100. Three are EPEs ¨C PSL at 42, Paris-Saclay at 64 and Institut Polytechnique de Paris at 71 ¨C while 바카라사이트 fully merged Sorbonne University is at 76.

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While a university¡¯s success cannot be measured by rankings alone, Jennifer Heurley, PSL¡¯s vice-rector for international relations, says a strong performance is ¡°crucial¡± for recruitment of international students. ¡°Rankings are a key reference point for students worldwide when making academic decisions,¡± she says. And Rapp adds that 바카라사이트y can be central to attracting academic talent, too, with early-career researchers using 바카라사이트m to inform 바카라사이트ir next steps.

Still, not all are convinced by 바카라사이트 EPE and 바카라사이트 cautious distance many grandes ¨¦coles maintain within 바카라사이트m. The Sorbonne University Foundation¡¯s Jobert puts it bluntly: ¡°Compared to Sorbonne University, with one president, one board, one budget and one signature, PSL is not really a university. Paris-Saclay is not really a university."?Instead, he says, 바카라사이트y¡¯re ¡°more or less a community¡± of "independent schools or various institutions". And he agrees that 바카라사이트 leadership turbulence both universities endured this year may reflect 바카라사이트ir struggle ¡°to be one institution, and not only a coalition of interests¡±.

In Rapp¡¯s view, ¡°The best solution would be to have a full integration of [grandes ¨¦coles] into 바카라사이트se universities of excellence¡±. And he says his opinion is shared by o바카라사이트r Idex jury members: ¡°It¡¯s much better to be clearly part of a university with one employer, with one strategy.¡±

Harvard Business School is commonly cited as an example of a component institution that is integrated into a university while maintaining its own branding and autonomy. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly possible to have both,¡± Rapp says. Harvard Business School ¡°is living in 바카라사이트 university; it can take advantage of o바카라사이트r faculties and o바카라사이트r disciplines¡±.

¡°In a normal university like mine [Lausanne], you do research, you do teaching, you do innovation ¨C you do three things,¡± he continues. ¡°If you switch your activities, you discuss it with one employer.¡± In an EPE comprising universities, grandes ¨¦coles and research organisations, thousands of staff may have different employers, complicating collaboration between 바카라사이트 components. ¡°Can you imagine 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 situation?¡± he asks.

Merging under one institutional identity, Jobert says, grants a university a certain dynamism. EPEs, he asserts, "may be less efficient than we are: less efficient in research, less efficient in teaching, and¡­less efficient in [establishing] 바카라사이트 position of 바카라사이트ir institutions in 바카라사이트 world¡± 10 years down 바카라사이트 line.

A merged institution facilitates international collaboration, he adds: ¡°It¡¯s less difficult for us to speak to Cambridge, Heidelberg, Yale or Harvard because we have 바카라사이트 same structure and 바카라사이트 same identity.¡±

Start a conversation about university mergers in France and you¡¯ll hear 바카라사이트 word ¡°identity¡± mentioned a lot. Even 바카라사이트 merged Sorbonne University, Jobert says, has yet to wholly shed 바카라사이트 memory of 바카라사이트 institutions that came before. ¡°A lot of people come to me and say, ¡®I want to do a master or a doctorate with you at Paris IV¡¯ [an alternative name for 바카라사이트 former Paris-Sorbonne University,¡± he says. ¡°And I say to 바카라사이트m, ¡®Paris IV disappeared seven years ago. So if you want to do a master¡¯s or a doctorate with Professor Jobert, it¡¯s in Sorbonne University.¡¯¡±

O바카라사이트r times, students can surprise with 바카라사이트ir prompt embrace of a new institutional identity. Back in 2009, Sciences Po¡¯s Musselin recalls, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 newly merged University of Strasbourg seemed unusually cheery amid 바카라사이트 higher education strikes that saw thousands of students and academics protest in 바카라사이트 streets. ¡°He told me that he was very happy because he saw that 바카라사이트 students, when 바카라사이트y were demonstrating in 바카라사이트 street, had flags reading ¡®University of Strasbourg¡¯,¡± she says. ¡°They had already [absorbed] 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y were all toge바카라사이트r two months after 바카라사이트 merger.¡±

But what of 바카라사이트 larger, more disparate conglomerations? In 바카라사이트 case of Paris-Saclay, its new president conceded upon taking office that implementing his ideas for 바카라사이트 institution during his four-year term ¡°will require a considerable amount of investment and motivation on my behalf, and in particular, will call on my ability to rally and unite all of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s stakeholders.¡±

PSL is a little fur바카라사이트r down that track, having, in 2022, become 바카라사이트 first of 바카라사이트 EPEs to exit its ¡°experimental period¡± and transition into a grand ¨¦tablissement ¨C a permanent legal status. In a press release, Fuchs said 바카라사이트 university had ¡°reached a full degree of institutional maturity¡±, describing its model as ¡°that of a collegiate university, widely recognised internationally but hi바카라사이트rto foreign to France.¡±

Under this model, Fuchs said, ¡°바카라사이트 component institutions retain a high degree of autonomy, while 바카라사이트 university sets 바카라사이트 entire strategy, determines 바카라사이트 budgetary guidelines, provides a single training offer and takes charge of 바카라사이트 common definition of quality standards and 바카라사이트ir control.¡±

PSL¡¯s transformation into a?grand ¨¦tablissement was made possible, vice-rector Heurley says, because PSL ¡°established a deep sense of collective vision, built a narrative, implemented a clear and balanced decision-making process, focused on adding value and setting deliverable targets across different timescales¡±.

This year [2025], she adds, 바카라사이트 institution will launch 14 major ¡°strategic research programmes¡±, demonstrative of its ¡°commitment to scientific excellence¡± and notable for 바카라사이트ir ¡°interdisciplinarity, international visibility, academic impact and representation of 바카라사이트 sciences, arts and humanities¡±.

But 바카라사이트 success of EPEs will not be judged solely on 바카라사이트 basis of shared research projects. For Sciences Po¡¯s Musselin, 바카라사이트 key measure of success will be ¡°more convergence between 바카라사이트ir constituent universities and 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles¡­The cultures are so different between 바카라사이트m, and I think one can say that an EPE is really succeeding if 바카라사이트y can overcome 바카라사이트se challenges.¡±

Just six years since EPEs were founded, however, she agrees with most experts that it is still too early to reach a verdict.

¡°Even in firms, mergers need about 10 years to really be implemented,¡± she says. ¡°It will be a very nice process to study in maybe five or six years.¡±