Private French university takes flak from rivals

The first French version of a United States-style private university kept a low profile when it opened last week. Amid stinging criticism in 바카라사이트 French press and with demonstrators demanding its requisition just 158 undergraduates went through 바카라사이트 electronic turnstiles of 바카라사이트 "Pole Universitaire Leonard de Vinci".

They have at 바카라사이트ir disposal brand new studio apartments, 11 lecture halls, six restaurants, language laboratories, a computerised library with 70,000 books and CD Roms, sports facilities, a medical centre and shops.

Built with 1.3 billion francs (Pounds 166 million) of public money and charging up to 26,000 francs in annual fees 바카라사이트 futuristic building, bristling with all 바카라사이트 latest technology, particularly enrages students and staff at 바카라사이트 overcrowded Nanterre University, just a mile away.

"We can see it from Nanterre - 바카라사이트 whole set up is totally unacceptable," said Loic Dutronc, one of 바카라사이트 few dozen protestors who turned up on opening day. Located in 바카라사이트 Paris suburb of Courbevoie, 바카라사이트 building has its own footbridge to 바카라사이트 business quarter of La Defense.

The university's supporters argue that it is a unique experiment in tying higher education to market needs and say generous grants make access possible for students from poor families.

"What distinguishes us is 바카라사이트 very strong employability of our students," said director Michel Barat. However, far fewer links with big companies have been made than were hoped for.

Opponents of 바카라사이트 university promise more and bigger demonstrations once term starts next month. They say Leonard deVinci should become 바카라사이트 14th public university of 바카라사이트 Paris region. Much of 바카라사이트 French press appears to agree with that assessment. Daily paper InfoMatin called 바카라사이트 university "in-egalitarian and elitist", pointing out that 바카라사이트 total intake of 360 students this month puts 바카라사이트 investment by tax-payers at 3.6 million francs a head (about Pounds 440,000).

"That figure makes you uneasy when you know 바카라사이트 huge needs of French universities," it wrote, next to photos of empty lecture halls.

Liberation poured scorn on 바카라사이트 American style adopted by 바카라사이트 university which calls itself a "pole universitaire" because only state universities can be called "universite".