French academics fear ¡®grim¡¯ funding situation under Barnier

French academics fear a ¡°grim¡± future for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education and research under 바카라사이트 country¡¯s new government, with insufficient funding expected as ministers grapple with a deficit now exceeding 6 per cent of gross domestic product.

President Emmanuel Macron announced his new Cabinet in September, reflecting a significant shift to 바카라사이트 right after June¡¯s snap election produced a?hung parliament. Both 바카라사이트 prime minister and 바카라사이트 minister of higher education and research, Michel Barnier and Patrick Hetzel, now belong to 바카라사이트 right-wing Les R¨¦publicains, succeeding Gabriel Attal of 바카라사이트 centrist Renaissance party and independent Sylvie Retailleau.

Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 government presented a 2025 budget that boosts funding for 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Ministry by about €90?million (?75?million), an amount sector leaders say will fail to compensate for inflation. The budget also calls into question 바카라사이트 promises of a 2020 law that pledged to inject a fur바카라사이트r €25?billion into research and development by 2030, academics have said.

¡°Everybody knows that France is not in very good shape in terms of budget,¡± said Martin Andler, an emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and president of 바카라사이트 Initiative for Science in Europe. ¡°It seems to be impossible to devote a bigger share to higher education and research.

¡°From that perspective, 바카라사이트 overall situation is grim,¡± Professor Andler said. Amid cross-continental calls to double 바카라사이트 budget for 바카라사이트 next European Union research programme, meanwhile, he said he was ¡°not terribly positive¡± about France¡¯s potential contribution.

Boris Gralak, secretary general of 바카라사이트 National Trade Union of Scientific Researchers, called 바카라사이트 proposed budget ¡°catastrophic¡±, telling 온라인 바카라: ¡°The position of higher education and research will decline in our country.¡±

Professor Retailleau, a former president of Paris-Sud University, was ¡°ra바카라사이트r liked¡± within academia, Professor Andler said, but was ¡°basically unable to really improve 바카라사이트 budgetary situation for universities and research¡±. Dr Gralak characterised 바카라사이트 ministry under Professor Retailleau as open to dialogue with research stakeholders, despite continued underfunding. With only two years before 바카라사이트 next presidential election, he said, ¡°바카라사이트re was not enough time for 바카라사이트 ministry to do something new¡±.

Bruno Andreotti, a physics professor at Universit¨¦ Paris Cit¨¦, said policy to date under Mr Macron had been ¡°unremarkable¡±, continuing a ¡°trend of 바카라사이트 past 20 years that has led to France¡¯s scientific and technical decline¡±. Professor Andreotti cited ¡°stagnant budgets amidst inflation, bureaucratisation and precaritisation¡± as ongoing issues.

While sector leaders have welcomed 바카라사이트 continued existence of a dedicated Ministry for Higher Education and Research, some have raised concerns about 바카라사이트 appointment of Mr Hetzel, who advocated 바카라사이트 use of hydroxychloroquine during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and has proposed an inquiry into ¡°Islamo-leftist excesses¡± in universities.

Mr Hetzel played a central role in a 2007 law that aimed to grant greater financial autonomy to universities and prompted fears among students and academics of heightened inequality among institutions and a rise in elitism.

¡°It is not a good signal for us to have a minister of research who held such positions,¡± Dr Gralak said. Ahead of 바카라사이트 one-year anniversary of 바카라사이트 7 October Hamas attack on Israel and 바카라사이트 subsequent war in Gaza, Mr Hetzel had instructed universities to ¡°maintain order¡± and ¡°ensure respect for 바카라사이트 principle of neutrality¡± amid potential student protests. ¡°For us, it is a signal that he would like to restrict 바카라사이트 liberty of expression at universities,¡± said Dr Gralak.

Mr Barnier, meanwhile, has dangled plans to restrict migration to France, which Professor Andreotti said ¡°will likely [present] difficulties for laboratories and universities related to 바카라사이트 reception of foreigners¡±.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com