The state of French public universities • FRANCE 24 English

It’s the "rentrée universitaire" in France. As university students head back to the classroom this week, we take a look at how French public higher education ranks internationally. We also dive into the financial troubles facing some public universities and their students, as many grapple to find affordable housing and pay for food.
#rentree #universities #shanghairanking
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[@iska788]

I did my PhD at the Sorbonne and what I really hated was the snobbery and disregard from your supervisors. My emails were ignored for two months on average and i was treated with utter disrespect. To me French academia in the humanities is extremely toxic, full of narcissists and envy.

[@asdasdasddgdgdfgdg]

Envy and narcissism? In Paris? Say it ain't so😂. Bro, Paris is literally the world capital of envy and narcissism. Nice architecture but absolutely horrendous people.

[@gregoire59]

I think you just described academia in general.

[@iska788]

@@gregoire59 Oh no, French academia is on a whole other level. I studied in five countries. I have never been treated this disrespectfully anywhere.

[@gregoire59]

@@iska788 You couldn't switch supervisors? That is quite common especially in humanities.

[@iska788]

@@gregoire59 My first supervisor just retired mid-PhD and then they organized another one (from hell) five months later. Believe me, what I went through was a humiliating and insulting experience. I have worked and studied In academia in many countries. I have never been treated like that anywhere. When people from the anglo-Saxon world tell me it is "everywhere in academia" like that, then I know exactly what they mean but they have no clue that it is much much worse in France in places like the Sorbonne.

[@markdickson3820]

The Shanghai ranking, seriously, there are far more respected sources that rank universities- of course France doesn’t do well in those. Using some Chinese thing to try and put a positive spin on it is ridiculous, it should be beneath you. Scientific research & junk papers coming out of Chinese universities is a very serious issue at the moment, to use anything from there to try and soothe battered egos would be comical if it wasn’t so sad.

[@ehjapsyar]

It's not only about the Shanghai ranking and chinese universities. American institutes are also notorious for producing junk science, maybe less so but still. European universities are also following more and more. This competition to get funding by pumping raw meaningless numbers is killing us all slowly but surely, and is enabled by these horrible rankings.

[@puccaland]

What's sad is how ridiculous you are. The Shanghai ranking is a commonly used ranking worldwide. The French don't use it for the French system doesn't fit that ranking thus the French universities and schools are disadvantaged. So they are trying to put what positive spin exactly ? Research isn't done in universities in France so they can't compete with the number of papers published.

[@allinidelaforce]

Hello no free scholarship

[@joemacy2776]

I'm in the US, and tuition fees here in the US are insane compared to what they are in France. I've always liked learning about other countries higher education system's especially as a university graduate in the US. I also like how this video mentioned some of the other challenges that low income university students face in getting an education that go beyond just affording tuition fees. I know here in the US, university students who are from poor backgrounds often have to work while attending university which makes it more difficult to graduate. Some university students here in the US are working full time while attending university which is crazy.

[@ehjapsyar]

Some French students also have to work (but rarely full time). University here isn't really free/low, it is subsidized by our taxes, and then students also need to pay for accomodation, food etc. The numbers may seem reasonable to a US citizen, but they're horribly high for the French. The median salary here is around 2,000 euros per month, with students earning much, much less. IIRC the average American earns twice as much money as the average French citizen. Having to pay 4k at the start of the year is a huge sum. Granted though, at least the universities aren't trying to make profits, so they should be run more efficiently. But we have other issues, one of them being that there are more and more students each year (partially because of political choices regarding the Baccalauréat) and less workers to pay for them, with the skill level of students dropping each year. The system is barely holding and the future looks grim.

[@puccaland]

​@@ehjapsyar Only 26% of the French students work while studying and among them nearly 60% that's actually part of their studies, like apprenticeships. The average tuition fee to go to the university is less than 400 euros for a year. I don't know why you're talking about 4000 euros. 40% of the students have a state scholarship, student Healthcare is free, the average monthly rate for students is 566 euros before the housing benefits which can cover half to all of the rent, board is 3,30 euros for a 3 course meal for those who don't have state scholarship and 1 euro for those who have it, in Paris which is the most expensive city the commuter pass is 30 euros per month allowing to use the entire network unlimited. I mean that's typically French to say how things are so bad and grim in France.

[@ehjapsyar]

@@puccaland I wrote "some students" - which imo fits quite well the 26% you're talking about. And please remember that I am mostly speaking of costs such as housing, food etc. Also have you watched the video? I believe this is where the 4k comes from. I also take it you are not French if you don't realise how conditions are slowly degrading on multiple levels (buildings degrading from lack of investment, more and more temporary contracts instead of professors, more and more students without more money, students having an ever decreasing level each year...), and don't see how the consecutive governments keep speaking of the subject.

[@puccaland]

@@ehjapsyar The 26% I am talking about aren't students who have to work to afford cost of living. Most of them that's part of their studies like I said, and among the others many work simply because they can. Of course in the lot some really need to work but we are a galaxy away from the situation in the US. Conclusion always double check what you see in the media. You can easily find the data about students. Perhaps they include the students going to private schools in which case 4000 euros is very cheap as well. The initial subject was about universities which are virtually free.

[@puccaland]

@@ehjapsyar I am French and you talk like you were born yesterday. The state of buildings in universities has always been very bad and it was much worse before. Many universities have been in fact renovated.

[@clementgavi7290]

very good public universities.

[@ehjapsyar]

Please stop using the Shanghai ranking or any other similar ranking. These are utter meaningless nonsense, they are not "to be taken with a grain of salt" but should be ignored altogether. Even barely speaking about it legitimizes its existence, and thus continues the trend of funding policies being driven by these nonsensical indicators. Your presentation is accelerating the death of free (devoid of private influence) academia.

[@mikiallen7733]

free academia !? would you provide a definition of this or your mental /experiential model of of such claim ? best

[@ehjapsyar]

@@mikiallen7733 Did you read the four words between parentheses, before "academia", in my first post? Reading comprehension is supposed to be a key skill for academics.

[@puccaland]

Don't worry, the Shanghai ranking has no value in France.

[@ehjapsyar]

@@puccaland I'm afraid that it isn't true unfortunately. Politicies are being made to maximize the indicators relevant to Shanghai rankings, just look at how universities in Paris grouped together.

[@puccaland]

@@ehjapsyar They didn't group together for the Shanghai ranking but to pool the investments and attract more international students and investors. It's more efficient to have a big center than small schools scattered all around.

[@redMaple_QC]

The Shanghai ranking list??? Where to send Chinese spies?

[@John-.-Smith]

Four hundred thousand students bring in one billion. On average, each student brings in 2.500. That seems extremely low. Are you sure your numbers are correct? China can easily supply you 200.000 students.

[@madinkan]

Maybe that billion refers to profit, not revenue. maybe they are considering the money foreign students bring in after all the expenses the state has with them.

[@sscdj]

College fees are extremely cheap in France. I did my higher studies in France and it's absolutely affordable for the middle class.

[@gregoire59]

@@sscdj Well looking at the fact that if you do not have any incomes and your parents do not support you, you get it for free with free health insurance and a government grant to support your living expense and some extra help to pay your rent, all these helps are available to European students. You still need to have a part time job and don't have a great student life but people do manage and they start their proffessional carreer dept free.

[@ramstrong1961]

Inside China Business New University rankings have uphended the World, Chinese universities hold 6 of top 10 spots

[@soundscape26]

Good for them, I wouldn't trade that for living under a dictatorship

[@miguelparedes9807]

is tthis lady the maddows french version? hahahahaha