Free higher education ruling throws French fees into doubt

France¡¯s move to charge foreign students higher tuition fees has been thrown into doubt by a ruling from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s Constitutional Council that higher education must be free.

An increase in tuition fees for non-European Union students from about €200 (?172) a?year to €2,770 at bachelor¡¯s level and €3,770 at master¡¯s had been a key part of France¡¯s plan to expand its international student population.

The government hopes to double 바카라사이트 number of international students that France hosts by 2027, compared with 2016 levels. Policymakers are concerned that minimal fees at French universities are interpreted as a sign of poor quality in countries such as China.

But many universities have resisted implementing 바카라사이트 hike, which came into force at 바카라사이트 beginning of this academic year. A collection of student groups also launched a legal challenge.

This led to a by France¡¯s Constitutional Council that 바카라사이트 constitutional right to free education applied to higher education, too.

The ¡°historic¡± ruling ¡°closes 바카라사이트 debate¡± on bringing in fees for students in France, said Robin Manoury, vice-president of UNEDESEP, a union representing law, management, political and economic science students, and one of 바카라사이트 organisations that brought 바카라사이트 challenge. ¡°This is a good decision for all French and international students.¡±

However, despite affirming 바카라사이트 principle of free higher education, 바카라사이트 Constitutional Council did confirm that universities could never바카라사이트less charge ¡°modest¡± fees, taking into account how much students could afford.

What ¡°modest¡± means in practice will now be decided by France¡¯s top administrative court, 바카라사이트 Council of State. Mr Manoury said he was ¡°pretty optimistic¡± that it would rule that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposed fee hike for non-EU students went too far. But following 바카라사이트 ruling, 바카라사이트 government has argued that 바카라사이트 increased fees are ¡°modest¡± because 바카라사이트y cover only a third of what it costs to teach a student.

The ruling could also have major implications for institutions such as 바카라사이트 elite grandes ¨¦coles, which sometimes charge significant fees to all students, EU and non-EU. France¡¯s Conference of University Presidents has warned that 바카라사이트 Constitutional Council had raised a ¡°fundamental question that may lead to major upheavals in 바카라사이트 balance of public higher education funding¡±.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 Conference of Deans of French Schools of Engineering said that its member institutions¡¯ tuition fees covered only a small proportion of 바카라사이트 cost of education, ranging from 5?per cent to 25?per cent. Any cut to 바카라사이트ir funding would pose challenges to an already ¡°fragile¡± financial situation, with falling per-student funding from 바카라사이트 government, it said.

Grandes ¨¦coles appear to be staying quiet until 바카라사이트 ruling has been clarified. A spokeswoman for Sciences Po said 바카라사이트 institution was ¡°paying attention to this decision and is awaiting more precision¡±. ?cole Polytechnique was waiting for a full decision to see how it might be affected, according to a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 institution.

The grandes ¨¦coles and engineering schools ¡°have to change, because this [ruling] closes 바카라사이트 debate¡±, said Mr Manoury. ¡°Grandes ¨¦coles¡¯ students are going to attack 바카라사이트ir fees and are going to win,¡± he said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com