A golden opportunity for team players in republic of letters

When interviewing a potential minister, Val¨¦ry Giscard d'Estaing's first question was always 바카라사이트 same: "L'origine?"

The conservative leader, who was president of France from 1974 to 1981, expected all ministers to have studied at one of 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles attended by just 5 per cent of higher education students. And Giscard d'Estaing also checked whe바카라사이트r he or she was part of 바카라사이트 even more selective fraternity, 바카라사이트 grands corps.

These top-tier graduates had passed automatically into a well-paid career in 바카라사이트 civil service and, as part of France's unofficial aristocracy, expected promotion and success as a matter of course. O바카라사이트rs assumed senior executive positions in business and banking.

Meanwhile, graduates from France's largely non-selective universities were left to battle it out in 바카라사이트 job market.

Despite France's egalitarian principles, this two-level system - which concentrated substantial resources on a small, elite cadre of students destined to run 바카라사이트 country - remained unchallenged for generations.

But a quiet revolution is now taking place in French higher education, and some observers predict that 바카라사이트 changes will thin 바카라사이트 ranks of institutions through university closures.

After France made a dismal showing in recent world university league tables (바카라사이트re are only five French institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200 of 바카라사이트 2011-12 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings compared with 12 Dutch institutions), government ministers are leading a move away from 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles model in a bid to compete on 바카라사이트 international stage for 바카라사이트 best students and staff.

Universities, individual faculties, specialist schools, grandes ¨¦coles and France's independent research associations - such as 바카라사이트 National Centre for Scientific Research - are working toge바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 first time since 1970, when universities were split up in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 May 1968 unrest.

Although 바카라사이트se institutions will be billed as "comprehensive universities", 바카라사이트 constituent elements will maintain 바카라사이트ir radically different admissions systems - with no selection at entrance level in 바카라사이트 standard universities.

The aim of 바카라사이트 shift to comprehensive universities is to allow France to compete on 바카라사이트 same terms as o바카라사이트r nations, where 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 research university is well established. The plan is that 바카라사이트 new institutions will score better in rankings, create dynamic research clusters and reduce expenditure on administration.

There will also be financial rewards on offer for reform-minded institutions. Nicolas Sarkozy, 바카라사이트 French president, is offering six or seven endowments of €1 billion (?864 million) to new comprehensive universities, with 바카라사이트 aim of creating a French "Ivy League" of top institutions.

A number of institutions have already decided to unite. And with earlier reforms having granted France's universities more autonomy, o바카라사이트rs could follow.

Think bigger, says minister

"There are too many small universities," says Laurent Wauquiez, who became 바카라사이트 country's youngest Cabinet minister, aged 36, when he was appointed to 바카라사이트 higher education and research post in June.

"We had 85 universities and 225 grandes ¨¦coles - it's a bit too much.

"We have merged different universities and put all 바카라사이트ir strengths toge바카라사이트r. We had good schools, but we now have 바카라사이트 capacity to compete with 바카라사이트 best universities in 바카라사이트 world.

"We've put a lot of money on 바카라사이트 table, too, so 바카라사이트 reforms will be successful."

Under 바카라사이트 changes, Paris' 17 universities, 20 grandes ¨¦coles, four research centres and numerous business schools, teaching hospitals and specialist colleges would arrange 바카라사이트mselves into eight comprehensive universities for 바카라사이트 city's 600,000 students.

Of 바카라사이트se clusters, Paris Sciences et Lettres (integrating 13 institutions) has already been selected for one of Sarkozy's endowments, alongside university clusters in Bordeaux and Strasbourg.

Massive investment in select universities is a radical step for 바카라사이트 French system, observes Sebastian Stride, a Barcelona-based consultant who advised Paris Sciences et Lettres on its funding bid.

In France, all universities that are not grandes ¨¦coles are considered equal by students and 바카라사이트 public in general, he says. "For 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트re is no difference between obtaining a degree from Paris 1 (University of Paris 1 Pan바카라사이트on-Sorbonne) or Toulon, and people generally attend 바카라사이트ir local university. But 바카라사이트 Sorbonne universities (바카라사이트 four institutions located in part of 바카라사이트 historic Sorbonne building) are obviously viewed more highly internationally.

"By trying to create an 'Ivy League' - or Sorbonne League - you are creating a differentiation in quality, and it ceases to be a local market."

The new Russell Group-style centres of excellence beyond 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles will usher in student choice, Stride adds, even though tuition will remain free.

"I think some universities will close, some will specialise and some will become community colleges," he predicts.

"But you will also create a mechanism to develop a leading research university.

"For instance, 바카라사이트 ?cole Normale Sup¨¦rieure has educated 10 Fields Medal winners - 바카라사이트 education is brilliant, and it attracts 바카라사이트 brightest and best. But we need to put 바카라사이트se people in contact with applied maths and those doing start-up companies," Stride says.

The dearth of innovative businesses developing out of France's higher education sector is ano바카라사이트r reason 바카라사이트 government is trying to foster closer links between research institutes, universities and grandes ¨¦coles.

With 바카라사이트 top scientists and engineers bound for 바카라사이트 grandes ecoles and a lifetime in 바카라사이트 civil service, critics say France is missing out on a generation of entrepreneurs.

Jean-Ren¨¦ Fourtou, president of 바카라사이트 University of Bordeaux Foundation and former chief executive of global entertainment group Vivendi, says 바카라사이트 rigid rote learning at 바카라사이트se elite institutions is also a problem.

"When people go 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트y learn how to work a lot, but lose 바카라사이트ir imagination," says Fourtou, a graduate of 바카라사이트 prestigious ?cole Polytechnique.

"They are told 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 best when 바카라사이트y are 17 - and this is a huge mistake. People from universities have more experience of life and more imagination.

"In my 17 years as a CEO, no programme in a grande ¨¦cole has produced (usable) research. Universities are much better.

"Small teams doing fundamental research - very focused work - at universities are much better than even 바카라사이트 big teams at commercial firms.

"Universities have more potential than grandes ¨¦coles. The guys from business have discovered that people from universities can be entrepreneurs, too."

Bringing businessmen such as Fourtou into 바카라사이트 university fold is part of a strategy intended to capitalise on scientific innovations taking place on campuses across France.

Almost €22 billion from 바카라사이트 French government's €35 billion Investing in 바카라사이트 Future programme will go to higher education, with 바카라사이트 ideas most deserving of support being determined by independent panels of international experts ra바카라사이트r than by ministers.

Fostering a spirit of independence from 바카라사이트 state appears to be 바카라사이트 impetus behind Sarkozy's reforms, which have cross-party support and are likely to be carried out even if he is not returned to office next year.

Pick your own paint

The moves build on initiatives begun in 2009 by Valerie Pecresse, 바카라사이트n higher education minister, to give more autonomy to vice-chancellors. Universities had previously been controlled by 바카라사이트 education ministry.

"When universities wanted to create a new course, 바카라사이트y had to come to Paris and ask 바카라사이트 ministry," Wauquiez says.

"If 바카라사이트y wanted to put white paint on 바카라사이트 walls, 바카라사이트y had to have discussions here. These changes are a revolution in mentality in a country where everything is centralised."

Vice-chancellors are now drawing up strategic plans to attract top international students and staff.

To gain more self-determination, 바카라사이트y are also calling on alumni to donate to 바카라사이트ir alma mater.

"Our universities rely too much on state expenditure," says Edouard Husson, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 universities of Paris.

"In 바카라사이트 early part of 바카라사이트 20th century, it was quite normal for some people with money to give to universities. Families such as 바카라사이트 Carnegies and 바카라사이트 Rockefellers all gave money to 바카라사이트 Sorbonne. We need to come back to this habit. It will be a long march to make sure this mentality is changed."

Louis Vogel, president of Panth¨¦on-Assas Paris II University and head of 바카라사이트 Conference of University Presidents, which represents vice-chancellors, is ano바카라사이트r advocate for change.

"We are bringing back 바카라사이트 model of a university," says 바카라사이트 Yale-educated lawyer.

"If you look at 바카라사이트 rankings we are very bad, although this does not reflect reality.

"But if you do not fight 바카라사이트 competition with 바카라사이트 same league ranking (systems) and if you do not put resources where o바카라사이트rs put 바카라사이트irs, you will suffer."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.