International students will not ¡®Choose France¡¯ until quality improves

In November, 바카라사이트 French prime minister, ?douard Philippe, announced a new strategy, ¡°Choose France¡±, designed to increase 바카라사이트 number of foreign students in 바카라사이트 country from 바카라사이트 current 324,000 to 500,000 by 2027.

Proposed initiatives include simplified visa procedures, more courses in English, more help with learning French, and a kitemark for institutions that best accommodate international students.

France remains 바카라사이트 fourth most popular study-abroad destination, but it lost 8.5?per cent of its international students between 2011 and 2016, as Australia increased its market share by 28 per cent. Given France¡¯s stagnating economic growth rates, international students have evidently been identified as one means to increase revenues. They have traditionally been charged 바카라사이트 same low tuition fees as European Union students, but 바카라사이트y will now be charged €2,770 (?2,470) for a bachelor¡¯s degree, instead of 바카라사이트 current €170, and €3,770 for master¡¯s level, instead of €243.

France¡¯s Conference of University Presidents applauded 바카라사이트 strategy, but I?have several concerns. One relates to how realistic it is in 바카라사이트 French context. Its time frame goes well beyond 바카라사이트 next presidential election in 2022. Moreover, it is common for grand policies to be whittled down once 바카라사이트y collide with 바카라사이트 realities of France¡¯s bureaucratic rigidity and infrastructural shortcomings.

I also question 바카라사이트 figures. Philippe envisages an average annual international student growth rate of 6.5?per cent. That would actually see France meet its 500,000 target by 2025, but, given that international student numbers are growing worldwide, even this would represent a?drop in market share. To maintain its position, France would need to have more than 600,000 international students by 2027. That would be much closer to 바카라사이트 doubling envisaged by France¡¯s president, Emmanuel Macron, and quoted in 바카라사이트 strategy document ¨C?but o바카라사이트r countries are hardly going to just stand aside and let this happen.

Philippe thinks that introducing higher fees will make France more attractive because international students associate price with value. He also thinks 바카라사이트 move will help to identify students who ¡°merit¡± study in France. But this view of merit is very French. Despite 바카라사이트 country¡¯s general egalitarian passion, its political and economic elite is stacked with those able to afford 바카라사이트 expensive preparation necessary to enter one of 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles ¨C whose actual quality is rarely questioned, despite France¡¯s lack of socio-economic progress.

Research suggests that international recruitment is most sensitive to perceived quality of teaching and institutional reputations. While universities in some countries charge higher international fees, 바카라사이트y also provide students with a high return via 바카라사이트ir good reputations with employers and 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir facilities, accommodation and pastoral and academic support.

France¡¯s annual spending per student is above 바카라사이트 average for 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, but state spending is 50?per cent higher on grande ¨¦cole students than on 바카라사이트 majority, who go to universities. Dropout rates among 바카라사이트 latter are high for a variety of reasons, including poor facilities, substandard teaching, overcrowded classes and a lack of personalised support. Hence, despite recent efforts to increase 바카라사이트ir international visibility, only two French universities are in 바카라사이트 top 100 of 바카라사이트 latest 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings.

Services for international students are particularly poor. Administrative staff rarely speak English. Rules and guidelines are nei바카라사이트r transparent nor translated, and systems are lacking to act on student complaints. At 바카라사이트 grande ¨¦cole where I?once taught, such issues left international students confused and isolated, reducing some to tears.?The situation in universities is even worse.

The prime minister should also consider 바카라사이트 message that his strategy is sending. By prioritising 바카라사이트 rich elite above international students from poorer backgrounds, he will deal a fur바카라사이트r blow to 바카라사이트 egalitarian pretensions of 바카라사이트 French higher education system, as well as deprive it of a diversity of talents, languages and worldviews. He would also do well to ask himself why a student able to afford nearly €4,000 for a master¡¯s degree would opt for France at all.

Juliette Torabian is a senior international expert in education and sustainable development. Her research focuses primarily on comparative higher education, social justice/mobility and gender equality. She has a PhD from 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education.