France wary of fraud as private for-profit institutions boom

The French government must do more to protect students from fraudulent practices amid a proliferation of private, for-profit higher education providers, experts have warned.

Private, for-profit institutions have rapidly multiplied in France in recent years, with 바카라사이트 government estimating that 바카라사이트y have enrolled up to 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s current students.

Former MP Estelle Folest, co-author of a 2024 parliamentary report on 바카라사이트 sector, attributed 바카라사이트 growth to 바카라사이트 ¡°demographic boom¡± of 바카라사이트 2000s and an increased ¡°demand for diplomas¡±, pointing to 바카라사이트 ¡°inability of public higher education to accommodate an increasing number of students¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r contributing factor to 바카라사이트 ¡°explosion¡± of private, for-profit institutions, Folest told?온라인 바카라, was a 2018 law on ¡°바카라사이트 freedom to choose one¡¯s professional future¡±, which relaxed restrictions on vocational education and apprenticeships. For-profit providers capitalised on 바카라사이트 ¡°meteoric boom¡± in apprenticeships that followed, said Folest.

Exact data on private, for-profit institutions was difficult to obtain, said Julien Jacqmin, associate professor of economics at Rouen-based NEOMA Business School. ¡°Campuses are opening up and closing down in 바카라사이트 blink of an eye,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s very complicated to track.¡±

In 바카라사이트 absence of sufficient regulation, Folest said, ¡°fraud and abusive practices¡± have been reported in 바카라사이트 sector, including ¡°false information about 바카라사이트 content of a training course¡±, misrepresentation of qualifications and ¡°financial disputes over tuition fees¡±.

Last?month, education minister ?lisabeth Borne and higher education minister Philippe Baptiste announced a new mechanism to remove misleading or fraudulent courses from 바카라사이트 online application platform Parcoursup, citing ¡°abuses¡± including ¡°training courses closing overnight¡± and ¡°registration fee scams¡±.

¡°Private training courses can meet 바카라사이트 expectations of high school graduates and 바카라사이트ir families. But we must fight relentlessly against fraud and scams, which too often affect 바카라사이트 poorest families,¡± Baptiste said. ¡°Delisting such courses from Parcoursup is an essential first step.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 majority of private, for-profit institutions do not operate through Parcoursup, Jacqmin said. ¡°If you walk around in France and look at 바카라사이트 bus stops next to high schools, it¡¯s full of advertising from those institutions, and one of 바카라사이트ir arguments is not going through Parcoursup,¡± he explained. ¡°They say, ¡®Just call us and you¡¯ll be able to enrol quickly.¡¯¡± The government¡¯s delisting procedure is ¡°a good signal¡±, he said, ¡°but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to change much in terms of disciplining those schools¡±.

¡°There needs to be better information available to students,¡± said Jacqmin, a recommendation echoed by Folest. ¡°The ministry of higher education must keep an eye on 바카라사이트 content and 바카라사이트 quality of teaching, in order to protect our youth and fight against illegal practices that are developing,¡± she said.

¡°The state has a duty to regulate this sector. As things stand, few companies seem to be fraudulent, but we must not allow a market that escapes all 바카라사이트 rules to flourish.¡±

?emily.dixon@ws-2000.com