challenges for a new model of university in france : balancing competition and cooperation

March 1st 2010 New challenges for the French universities

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Challenges for a new model of university in France :

Balancing Competition and Cooperation

Prof. JP Finance, Prof. JP Finance, Université Henri Poincaré, NancyUniversité Henri Poincaré, Nancy

and CPUand CPUKiev, 01-02-2010Kiev, 01-02-2010


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Strong growth of all indicators From 600 000 students in 1970 to From 600 000 students in 1970 to

2.2 millions today2.2 millions today From 15 000 faculty members in 1970 to From 15 000 faculty members in 1970 to

89 000 today89 000 today From 10 000 staff members in 1970 to From 10 000 staff members in 1970 to

55 000 today55 000 today From 5 000 full time researchers in 1970 to From 5 000 full time researchers in 1970 to

25 000 today (in national research bodies)25 000 today (in national research bodies)


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Other elements of context 88 universities (public) and 15 “grands établissements”

1.55 Millions of students 227 engineer schools (most of then being public, 50

components of universities) 110 000 students

Post baccalauréat outside of the universities 305 000 students

A lot of management schools, mainly privates 110 000 students

Other (health, social, art and culture ..) 200 000 students

Together : 2.275 Millions of students in France


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A wide distribution of HE institutions on the territory


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Trends


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Need for an university policyTwo copernican revolutions :

From teacher-centered to student-centered approach

From administrative management to project management

Conciliate academic freedom of faculty members with autonomy of universities


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Need for an university policy Some fundamental questions:

Position of the State : general strategy and funding

Position of the other stakeholders : Regions and other local collectivities

What kind of autonomy for universities ? What origin of funding ?


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Thus, in France, we should address the following questions (1) How to minimize state control and micro

management ? How to redefine the role of the state in terms

of policy and global strategy ? How to develop accountability culture

Quality assurance Internal and external evaluation ?


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Thus, in France, we should address the following questions (2)

How to enhance the capacity of initiative of universities ?

How to improve their attractiveness, their visibility and their efficiency ?

How to keep a balance between autonomy of the institution, autonomy of the faculties and schools, and academic freedom of the faculty members ?

How to conciliate public servant positions and management of human resources


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Over the last 20 years Four-year contracts Four-year contracts emergence of emergence of

institutional strategies, mainly in researchinstitutional strategies, mainly in research Creation of “doctoral schools” (~ 300)Creation of “doctoral schools” (~ 300) Creation of incubators to support innovative Creation of incubators to support innovative

start-ups…start-ups…


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Over the last 20 years

Emergence of regional development policiesEmergence of regional development policies Emergence of European research area and Emergence of European research area and

European higher education areaEuropean higher education area Bologna process and the creation of the Bologna process and the creation of the

bachelor/master/doctoratebachelor/master/doctorate Globalisation (the best and the worst)Globalisation (the best and the worst)


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The Law on Research and

territorial organisation

LOPRI, April 2006


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A strategic approach for neighbouring institutions: The PRES (Clusters)

To avoid needless competition To avoid needless competition a forum a forum for building consensus and regulationfor building consensus and regulation

To reinforce visibility To reinforce visibility identification and identification and communicationcommunication

To reach critical mass and increase To reach critical mass and increase scientific impactscientific impact

To mutualize support servicesTo mutualize support services


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Reorganizing the landscape : The PRES


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Developing the accountability of institutions and researchers

Other aspects of the April 2006 Law

Creation of ANR: Agency for research Creation of ANR: Agency for research funding : project-based funding (~ 1billion funding : project-based funding (~ 1billion euro per year)euro per year)

Creation of AERES: Agency for Creation of AERES: Agency for independent evaluationindependent evaluation


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The Law on University

Autonomy and Accountability

LRU, August 2007


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LRU : Strengthen University Autonomy and Accountability A coherent administrative approach A coherent administrative approach based on a logic of based on a logic of

projects and contractsprojects and contracts Capacity to develop strategies and projectsCapacity to develop strategies and projects Capacity to decideCapacity to decide Capacity to implementCapacity to implement

Steps toward increased autonomy:Steps toward increased autonomy: Statutory changes: governance (all French universities have Statutory changes: governance (all French universities have

modified their statutes)modified their statutes) To get new competences (5 years)To get new competences (5 years) To get the property of infrastructures (depending on the To get the property of infrastructures (depending on the

decision of the university)decision of the university)


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LRU = Decentralization Law Transfert of competences from the ministry to university New mechanisms of founding, partially based on the

performance and through a global budget New mechanisms to human resources management

(transfer of the salaries of all civil servants) Central question: funding (Charter with the CPU: Funding Central question: funding (Charter with the CPU: Funding

increases from 10 to15 Bn€ for HE), 5 Bn€ for campuses increases from 10 to15 Bn€ for HE), 5 Bn€ for campuses labelled as excellent and today : 19 Bn€ for HEI and labelled as excellent and today : 19 Bn€ for HEI and research (“Big Loan”)research (“Big Loan”)


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Expected results Capacity to take into account the great

diversity of French universities : Each university should be able to develop its

own strategy, according to the local , national and international context

Developing several type of excellence (question : place of international rankings ?)

BUT : maintaining a national general framework based on shared values (education is a public good, public service …)


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Expected results Capacity to :

Develop domains of excellence (post graduate and research level)

Reinforcing the best and strongest activitiesDeveloping multi disciplinary projectsSupport innovative projects


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Expected results But also , capacity to :

Continue to be an actual “social lift” (at bachelor level) :

To prepare student to their professional lifeDevelop Life Long Learning

Develop technology transfer, patents management, incubators …

Increase the professional approach of the university management

Implementation of the law : first

assessment two years later


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The fears and facts Social disorders in the universities

Fear of loosing internal democracy Fear of privatisation Fear of having a too powerful president

In fact : Increase of power of the management board, which has to deal

with both the management and the strategy definition of the university

Increase of state financing +1 billion Euros per year during 5 years for the national

universities budget, Plan campus : 5,5 billions Euros devoted to the selected

universities Le Grand Emprunt (national big loan) : 19 billions Euros for

universities and research


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Management of Human Ressources

Within a fixed salaries global envelope Possibility to alter the employment structure Possibility to redistribute employment between faculties

But : National framework for civil servants can prevent local initiatives Lengthy process to define methods of evaluation of faculty

members taking into consideration, not only the research but education and administrative responsibilities as well

Difficulties in defining management tools for evolution of career and bonus

New initiatives of the employer Reinforcement of Life long Learning for staff Setting up of social action plan (budget X 4)


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New competencies on the universities organisation

Restructuration of departments ( HR, financing...)

Setting up of new tools (indicators, monitoring...)

Setting up of quality control Reinforcement of internal communication


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Obstacles to the autonomy

Professors promotions don’t depend only on the universities policy as planned but half of the promotions are decided by national jury

Increase of administrative controls by the Ministry of finance which distrusts the new management competencies of the universities


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By way of a conclusion


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Evolution of the French HE and research system

Until 2000: a fragmented approachUntil 2000: a fragmented approach Needless and unproductive Needless and unproductive

competition between HE institutionscompetition between HE institutions Few regulatory mechanismsFew regulatory mechanisms Costly on the public purseCostly on the public purse A system slow to respond, very A system slow to respond, very

bureaucratic and confusingbureaucratic and confusing


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Evolution of the French HE and research system

Since 2006 : legal frameworks promoteSince 2006 : legal frameworks promote1. Competition through greater responsibility (LRU) : 1. Competition through greater responsibility (LRU) :

Transfer of competences to the institutionsTransfer of competences to the institutions Projects, contracts, evaluationProjects, contracts, evaluation

2. Cooperation:2. Cooperation:Creation of PRES and networksCreation of PRES and networks

In the context of an actual increasing of state In the context of an actual increasing of state funding funding


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Merci

Thank You

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