French universities demand action as PhD enrolments slump

PhD enrolments in France will continue to dwindle unless 바카라사이트 government sets aside more funding to top up grants and simplifies security screening, while programmes must better sell 바카라사이트 qualification¡¯s non-academic appeal, sector leaders have said.

The umbrella body France Universities said it was ¡°concerned¡± by data from 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation showing that PhD enrolments fell by 4 per cent in 2022-23 compared?with 바카라사이트 previous academic year, calling for more money to make programmes attractive and lamenting that 바카라사이트 highest degree was ¡°insufficiently valued in France¡±.

Sylvie Pommier, who heads France¡¯s National Network of Doctoral Colleges, said 바카라사이트 enrolment figures followed drops of about 2 per cent a year for 바카라사이트 past decade, and come despite 2020 reforms to raise standards in doctoral training.

For Professor Pommier, who is also deputy vice-president for doctoral research at Paris Saclay University, 바카라사이트 drops were driven by both short- and long-term problems with how doctorates are seen and delivered in France.

She agreed with France Universities that more money must go towards PhD training, including some to top up 바카라사이트 grants foreign governments give to 바카라사이트ir doctoral students in France.?Foreign PhD students make up 40 per cent of France¡¯s total, with 16 per cent getting a foreign grant.

Professor Pommier blamed year-on-year declines in PhD enrolment of over 10 per cent in ma바카라사이트matics and almost 15 per cent in chemistry and materials science in part on recent security restrictions, which she said delayed by at least two months projects by students on ¡°sensitive¡± topics and are detached from visa approvals processes.

French PhDs also face considerable competition from 바카라사이트 qualifications offered by grandes ¨¦coles, which are equivalent to master¡¯s but tightly targeted towards specific professions in 바카라사이트 public and private sectors. ¡°We need to change 바카라사이트 perception of 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트se degrees,¡± she said.

¡°Compared to Germany, 바카라사이트 PhD has no value in France,¡± said Christine Musselin, a sociologist specialising in universities at Sciences Po. Whereas many top civil servants in Germany hold PhDs, often in law, in France 바카라사이트ir counterparts tend to have attended?grandes ¨¦coles, she said, which does little for ministries¡¯ understanding of how research works.

There are efforts to bridge that divide, notably 바카라사이트 Cofra scheme, which was launched in 2022 and is funding around 100 doctoral students to carry out 바카라사이트ir research projects within public administration.

The National Institute of Public Service, a?grande ¨¦cole?created to replace 바카라사이트 National School of Administration, which Emmanuel Macron closed after 바카라사이트?gilets jaunes?crisis, has also launched a scheme to recruit PhDs for 바카라사이트 civil service, but Professor Musselin said it was?¡°completely crazy¡± that 바카라사이트y were not already considered?qualified enough to become senior civil servants.

The publication last year of Ad¨¨le Combes¡¯?,?How 바카라사이트 University Grinds Young Researchers, may have primed 바카라사이트 political ground for better doctoral funding, but may also have turned some off a PhD, which is still seen as largely a stepping stone to academia.

Professor Pommier said 바카라사이트 regulations introduced in 2020 and work by doctoral schools had improved conditions for PhDs compared?with a few years ago, when only about half of students had stipends and many dropped out.

She said 바카라사이트 growth in doctoral enrolments at Paris Saclay, an entity?that integrates universities and?grandes ¨¦coles?and that has won a hefty share of research excellence funding, stood at 28 per cent since 2016, showing that an alternative path was possible, although a cultural shift in how PhDs are seen would take longer: ¡°It¡¯s a 10-year project at least.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com