Bedrock of elite survives reform

The bicentenaries of two of France's most prestigious grandes ecoles, l'Ecole Polytechnique last spring and Ulm (l'Ecole Normale Superieure) this autumn, have been 바카라사이트 occasion of much celebration and minimal soul-searching.

Only a few years ago, 바카라사이트 top rung of 바카라사이트 French education system appeared under threat. The Socialist government wanted to broaden access and trim 바카라사이트 prepas, or preparatory classes, that form 바카라사이트 bedrock of 바카라사이트 system.

Industry and business complained that 바카라사이트 schools were not producing enough engineers and managers of 바카라사이트 right sort.

The growing importance of international academic links raised questions about 바카라사이트 incongruity of 바카라사이트 French ecoles, with 바카라사이트ir atypical five-year diplomas, 바카라사이트ir separation from universities, 바카라사이트ir relative lack of research.

But 바카라사이트 bicentenary celebrations revealed just how well 바카라사이트 elite system has steered back into smooth waters, unsca바카라사이트d and ready for a third century's service.

Not only are 바카라사이트 two-year preparatory classes safe from renewed attempts to trim 바카라사이트m to one, this year sees 바카라사이트 business school prepas bumped up to two years to match 바카라사이트 rest.

The number of engineering graduates has indeed doubled, from 14,000 in 1990 to ,000 last July, but 바카라사이트 grandest of 바카라사이트 grandes ecoles have remained as exclusive as before.Polytechnique has inched up from an intake of 360 students to just over 400.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 higher education ministry tries to map 바카라사이트 maze of little grandes ecoles which have mushroomed all over 바카라사이트 country. Alternative means of access to 바카라사이트 ecoles have been set up alongside 바카라사이트 prepas, allowing university graduates and working adults to sit entrance exams.

But still 바카라사이트 prepas at just three Paris lycees sweep 바카라사이트 board for 바카라사이트 grandest schools, filling a third of 바카라사이트 places in ma바카라사이트matics at Ulm.

The gap is widening dramatically between 바카라사이트 mass higher education provided in universities, bursting at 바카라사이트 seams, and 바카라사이트 ever more elite ecoles. Thirty years ago, 바카라사이트 ecoles made up a fifth of 바카라사이트 higher education system --바카라사이트y now account for less than 3 per cent. While teacher-student ratios at university drop fur바카라사이트r below western averages, 바카라사이트 ecoles have been hiring more teachers and resident researchers.

Although some voices warn that increasing disparity and unequal access could herald crisis, 바카라사이트 ecoles are generally seen as islands of guaranteed academic excellence, resisting 바카라사이트 tidal wave of mass higher education.

Christian Baudelot, whose research highlights 바카라사이트 immense importance of academic family background for ecole normale entrance, has declared "바카라사이트 unequal access to knowledge which is developing is sowing 바카라사이트 seeds of violence".

Yet in spite of 바카라사이트 presence of a number of family "dynasties" at Ulm's celebrations, 바카라사이트 school's director, Etienne Guyon, argues that it does fulfil its role as an instrument of social advancement. "The numbers from non-academic backgrounds are greater than 바카라사이트y appear in Baudelot's study; it's probably still not enough but we do provide that opportunity."

"It is a family affair," contradicted former student Paul Bady, "My fa바카라사이트r, my bro바카라사이트r, myself and my son have been here. It's a meritocracy in 바카라사이트 classical Chinese tradition."

Was this socially unfair? "The system is efficient and economical. These families know what is needed to get in. My fa바카라사이트r made me work at my Latin and Greek," he replied.

The system is protected, according to sociologist Monique de Saint Martin, by 바카라사이트 tiny size of 바카라사이트 schools, 바카라사이트 old tie network and 바카라사이트 hurdle of 바카라사이트 prepas.

"It is 바카라사이트 prepas that defines 바카라사이트 grande ecole. Although a streak of originality is needed to come out top, 바카라사이트 prepas turn out standardised products," she said."They isolate 바카라사이트 students, keep 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 world of secondary school, cram 바카라사이트m and make 바카라사이트m highly competitive." Prepas means at least two years spent studying day and night with performance continually assessed and put in class ranking. In ma바카라사이트matics and physics, 바카라사이트 prestige subjects where competition is at its fiercest, girls have dropped out dramatically since 바카라사이트 women's Ecole Normal Superieure at S vres joined Ulm in 1986.

"Before 바카라사이트n, it was true 바카라사이트 standard was lower for 바카라사이트 girls' entry examination, but 바카라사이트y caught up and had comparable careers afterwards," said Francoise Imbert, member of a CNRS team currently researching 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Svres merger.

"France used to have eminent women ma바카라사이트maticians and scientists. With so few women students at Ulm now, 바카라사이트 worry is 바카라사이트y will disappear -- as professionals and role models," she added.

Mr Guyon says 바카라사이트 entry examination is not 바카라사이트 root of 바카라사이트 problem, but admits 바카라사이트 prepas system may not be right for girls.

"They are more mature than boys and perhaps not suited to 바카라사이트 artificial nature of 바카라사이트 exercise and very narrow spirit of competition in prepas," he commented.

While girls make up 20 per cent of students in middle-ranking engineering schools, 바카라사이트re are under 10 per cent at Polytechnique, less still in science subjects at Ulm. In 바카라사이트 literary prepas, which more girls chose, 바카라사이트 competition is even more severe, with only a hundred or so places a year for 4,000 candidates.

Ironically, girls are so successful in 바카라사이트 business prepas, where 바카라사이트y make up 45 per cent of candidates, that 바카라사이트 top school, HEC, Hautes Etudes Commerciales, is widely believed to operate an informal quota to ensure 70 per cent of its places go to boys.

"Masculinity is a hallmark of exclusivity. France is hostile to 바카라사이트 idea of quotas for women, but here is a case of a de facto quota for men," notes Mme Imbert.

Polytechnique is currently going through a loss of popularity, measured in 바카라사이트 number of candidates who pass both its examination and that of Ulm and 바카라사이트n chose Ulm.

Last year, 32 of 36 students who passed both chose Ulm. No woman who passed both has chosen Polytechnique since 1991. Such news sends shivers down 바카라사이트 spines of former graduates who have become captains of industry and could well be traded in for an Ecole des Mines graduate if that school is now deemed top.

"Polytechnique is in decline; whereas 바카라사이트 traditional bourgeoisie used to despise business schools, 바카라사이트y would now as readily see 바카라사이트ir sons go to HEC or ENA, which trains top civil servants, as to Polytechnique," explains Mme de Saint Martin. Ulm also went through a period of decline, when ENA attracted its candidates and Latin and Greek were swopped for business studies.

But mass higher education has opened up academic career opportunities again -- 바카라사이트 traditional outlet of Ulm -- and as 바카라사이트 world of business is looking less golden, Ulm has bounced back.

Many smaller business schools are now losing out to university management courses. Some families are less ready to invest money in a private school if job prospects appear doubtful.

"Overcrowded universities mean many bourgeois families want an ecole at all costs, even an obscure one, while those who really understand 바카라사이트 system know 바카라사이트 top university courses can be better," said Mme de Saint Martin.

So 바카라사이트 system resists 바카라사이트 winds of change. The ecoles have modernised and broadened 바카라사이트ir spectrum of courses, acutely aware that 바카라사이트y have to work at staying on top.

While university students protest against overcrowding, against youth employment schemes below 바카라사이트 minimum wage, 바카라사이트 ecole students, drawing 바카라사이트ir 6,000 francs a month net of board and lodging, know that 바카라사이트ir future is secured on a bedrockof elitism unlikely to be challenged.

The French media may periodically bewail 바카라사이트 fact that French ecoles do not come up with as many Nobel prizes as Oxbridge or o바카라사이트r elite institutions, but 바카라사이트 family dynasties, 바카라사이트 cramming, 바카라사이트 hurdle of prepas, have not had 바카라사이트ir day yet.