“It may seem odd that France, a nation whose motto boasts of ‘equality’, should have two unequal systems of higher education. One comprises the expensive, selective grandes écoles, originally established under Napoleon to train an elite leadership. The other consists of universities that are open to all school-leavers who have passed their baccalauréat exam and that have low fees fixed by the state. But these are too often overcrowded and suffer high student dropout rates, especially after the first year of studies. Valérie Pécresse, Minister for Higher Education and Research, has called for closer cooperation between the two systems. But, for the present, they remain separate and most students at the grandes écoles are still the children of the socially advantaged – their parents tend to be senior managers, company executives or highly qualified professionals, often alumni of the same schools …” (more)
[Jane Marshall, University World News, 15 March]