Importance of tacit knowledge in online synchronous courses: case of higher education in France

In the past century, education was no longer an area isolated from the rest of the economy but something more important. The evolution of higher education in France reveals that the recent period was a turning point in the history of education. Indeed, the number of bachelor's degrees increased in an unprecedented growth in the past thirty and especially the past ten years. Although this increase was mainly the result of social demand, educational policy has been strongly guided by the fact that the development of higher education has a beneficial effect on the economy. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, higher Education and the dissemination of knowledge depended essentially on the universities. It would therefore seem interesting to address the issue of the links between higher education and economic growth because the real direction of these ones remain undetermined. Cliometric tools are used here to shed light on the relationship between higher education and economic growth in France after the Second World War. The evolution of the education standard and its link with the growth process were examined quantitatively in order to verify the fore a causality relationship. Two approaches were used: an approach with diploma, a socio-economic approach. The results of the analysis using original statistics for France show a high correlation between education and economic success. * Address all communications to Magali Jaoul, LAMETA, Universite Montpellier I, Faculte des Sciences Economiques, Espace Richter, Avenue de la Mer, B.P. 9606, 34054 Montpellier Cedex 1, France. E-mail: m.jaoul@lameta.univ-montp1.fr. This article falls within the scope of a CNRS action (Aid for New Project), directed by Claude DIEBOLT, and entitled “Analyse cliometrique de la relation education-croissance en Europe aux 19eme et 20eme siecles”.

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on the interplay between institutional arrangements, family strategies, and market devices in the transition to higher education (HE) in France with a view to documenting both persistent features of the French ‘conservative’ educational regime and recent changes, in particular those related to neo-liberal influences. Using a theoretical model inspired by research on welfare regimes and integrating key elements of the sociology of networks, institutions, and markets, as well as data from a comprehensive qualitative study, the article focuses on three main topics: the impact of both institutional stratification and family choices on segregation and channelling into HE; the framing of students’ choices generated by impersonal policy instruments and personal human guidance; the role of private providers and agencies, as well as the devices they use to influence students’ transition to HE. The conclusion emphasises the impact of these different processes on the perpetuation of educational inequalities.

This chapter focuses on the policy processes concerning the transition between secondary and higher education (HE) in France and, more precisely, on policy decisions at the national level and their reception at the local level. It uses the concepts of ‘framing’ and ‘reframing’ to describe the different ways in which national and local actors bind ideological and axiological messages and materialise them into organisational and technical tools. The empirical evidence is drawn from a comprehensive study on the role of institutions, markets, and networks in guidance and access to HE. The chapter is organised in three sections. The first presents the theoretical framework and the objects and methods of the empirical study. The second examines the ideas, instruments, and institutional arrangements launched at the national level, while the third focuses on the ways in which local actors working in different contexts interpret and react to these frames. The conclusion points out some of the main limitations and negatives consequences of these processes.

This chapter explores the complex structure of higher education (HE) in France along with recent governmental attempts to restructure and democratize it. In France, it is out of the question to discuss university populations or HE policy with reference to ethnic group, race, skin colour, or religion. University participation rates differ according to gender and socio-economic group. The recent massification of the public university system is often lauded for its democratization. All degree courses must be approved by the Ministry for Higher Education and Research every four years, which is a typical characteristic of the highly centralized and bureaucratic French university system. The sole university disciplines experiencing a rise in enrolment during twenty-first century were the more prestigious medicine and pharmacy studies. The Observatoire de la vie tudiante (OVE) research institute carries out work on the living conditions and behaviour of students, as well as an annual nationwide survey on all aspects of student life.

The paper deals the issue of training future specialists in gardening and park management in higher education institutions in France. It is established that the training of these specialists is carried out in institutions of various types, which are integrated into the general system of educational institutions. The main features of training of future specialists in landscape gardening in French higher education institutions are determined: constant development of an extensive and differentiated system of educational institutions; practical and constant interconnection and mutual influence between all levels of education, including professional development; autonomy of educational institutions within the framework of national, regional and local educational programmes; innovation in the educational process and professionalisation of future specialists. Higher education in France is aimed at shaping a new vision of the nation and the worldview of young people: innovation and scientific research; environmental protection and agro-ecological development of national territories; highly professional, multidisciplinary and demanded young specialists in the labour market; integration of scientific and educational achievements into the development of local territories; use of regional potential by combining the efforts of scientific, educational and industrial institutions to develop the country's bioeconomy. Higher agricultural education in France provides training, education of engineers, specialists in landscape architecture and design, specialised personnel, teachers, scientists and veterinarians in 26 higher education institutions: 19 institutions are public and 7 are private. To date, new types of educational institutions have been established and are successfully operating in France, providing multi-level and multi-functional professional training of agricultural engineers that optimally meet the interests of the individual and the staffing needs of enterprises and territorial communities. This helps to increase the competitiveness of their graduates, expand their career opportunities, and ensure stability in their professional activities. As a rule, these are professionals of a polyvalent nature who speak two foreign languages. The trend of improving and expanding the short cycle of professional higher education, as well as alternative (non-formal) agricultural education, which is represented by: apprenticeship (formation par apprentissage); continuing education (formation continue); distance education (formation ouverte et à distance); alternative system of assessment (certification) of professional experience (la Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience, VAE), is quite effective for agricultural education in France.

The article deals with the complex and multistage system of higher education of the French Republic. The structural features of higher education in France, its complex and multi-stage system has been considered. Attention is drawn to the role of the state in the field of higher education in France. The importance of the development of education for the national development of the country and civilization as a whole has been stressed. A strong centralized presence and role of the state in the field of education in France has been noted, in particular in the organization of the educational process and in financing the education sector, as well as in determining the fundamental principles of the educational process, the details of the curriculum at all levels of education, the organization of the procedure for receiving teachers, determining the content, recruitment teachers who become public officers, ensuring their continuing education; recruiting and training inspectors responsible for quality control of the education system; funding public education and subsidizing “private schools under contract”. The article focuses on the constant attention of the state to the problems of education. It highlights the openness of the French system of higher education and its accessibility for most of the population. The features of France’s higher education management system and the specifics of its legislative framework have been disclosed. Four Legislative Acts of the Ministry of Education are characterized, played an important role in its functioning. A more democratic and collegial management of universities for today has been noted. The relevance of the study of the structure and legislative framework of university education in France has been grounded. The types of higher education institutions in France and their features in the context of development trends have been investigated. The current stage of development of the system of French university education and the features of structural transformations have been considered. The features of the functioning of universities, “grand schools” and private higher education institutions have been disclosed. The article draws attention to the achievement of the French system of higher education and its uniqueness. The role and place of large schools in the system of higher education in France have been highlighted. Leading elite schools and universities have been mentioned, as well as the conditions for entering them. Attention was paid to the almost equal quality of education in the capital and in the province.

The relevance of the study of the historical development of university education in France has been grounded in the article. The complex and multistage system of French higher education has been considered. The stages of the development of education in French universities have been determined and the features of each of these stages have been considered. The article highlights the formation and historical development of higher education in France. The article draws attention to the achievements of the French system of higher education and its uniqueness. The role and place of grand schools in the system of higher education in France have been singled out. The leading grand schools and universities have been mentioned in the article, and the conditions of admission to them have been stated. The attention has been paid to practically equal quality of education in the capital and in the province. The unique features of France’s higher education, conditioned by the stages of its historical development and social processes, have been determined. In the article the attention has been drawn to the national character of the French higher education. The role of the state in financing of the higher education in France has been considered. France’s participation in students’ mobility programs has been stated. The modern stage of development of the system of French university education, the features of structural transformations and the possibility of implementing of French experience in Ukraine have been considered.

The article deals with the complex and multistage system of higher education in the French Republic. The main types of higher educational institutions in France and their peculiarities have been determined. A large variety of educational institutions, including specialized schools, have been emphasized in the article. The ability of French higher education establishments to be clearly oriented in the training of specialists for the requirements of the present has been specified in the article. The university education, consisting of several cycles, and the conditions for entering the institutions of higher education in France have been analyzed. The scale of grades has been outlined. A special system of French diplomas has been considered in the article. A role of grand schools in the French society has been stated. A national character of the French higher education has been specified in the article. The degrees of higher education in the French Republic and in Ukraine have been disclosed. The peculiarities and advantages of the French university education have been determined. Forms of organization of the educational process in the universities of France have been disclosed. A French analogue of the MBA has been described and the features of business education in the French Republic have been stated. The peculiarities of the specialized higher education in France have been outlined. The role and activities of the Agency for the Evaluation of Quality of Scientific Research and Higher Education in France have been determined. The regulatory bodies and the laws in the higher education systems in France and in Ukraine have been stated. A comparative analysis of the higher education systems of the French Republic and Ukraine has been carried out.

The article deals with the peculiarities of historical development and modern state of higher education in France. The periods of higher education development of France are determined and the complex and multi-level system of French higher education is considered. The importance of education for the strategy of national development of the country and civilization is emphasized. The importance of the study of the historical development of the university education in France has been substantiated. The stages of education development at the universities of France are outlined and features are considered. each of these stages. The types of higher education institutions in France and their peculiarities in the context of development tendencies are investigated. The present stage of the development of the system of French university education and the peculiarities of structural transformations is considered. The article describes the duality between the French higher education institutions and research centers, as well as the duality between educational institutions and educational programs. The peculiarities of functioning of universities, “big schools" and private institutions of higher education are studied. There is a strong centralized presence and the role of the state in the education of France, in particular in the organization of the educational process and in the financing of education, as well as in defining the fundamental principles of the educational process. The article focuses on the achievements of the French system of higher education and its uniqueness. The role and place of large schools in the system of higher education in France are highlighted. The leading elite schools and universities are mentioned, as well as the conditions for joining them. Attention was paid to the almost equal quality of education in the capital and in the province. Attention is drawn to the national character of the French higher education.

In 2009 the Darrois Commission made recommendations to reform legal education in France. Their tasks had been to formulate “the outlines for a profound reform of the profession of attorney” and to make recommendations on the reform of professional structures, the governance of the profession and access to law and legal aid. In this paper we analyse the current system of legal education and training in France and compare it with the position in England and Wales. This includes an examination of the regulation of legal professionals. We set these calls for reform in the context of current radical changes to higher education in France and the current regulatory context in England and Wales. The Darrois Commission concludes that the French legal profession is fragmented. It makes a number of recommendations including the merger of avoués and IP counsel; regulation of some currently unregulated legal services and the creation of professional schools of law. We contrast this situation with reform in England and Wales where there are approved regulators for eight legal professions. If anything, the legal profession in England and Wales is set to fragment further as regulation becomes more diffuse.

The formulation of EU policies is sustained by the concept of a European Dimension in Education. Considering this concept as an extension of the main principles on which EU construction is based, mobility is an important issue. Higher education student mobility is taken in this chapter as an indicator of change in both the world and European context and of the dynamism of EU construction and the implementation of EU educational policies. The EU has implemented several initiatives that promote student mobility. One of the most important initiatives is the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme, which contains an action specifically focused on higher education. The programme supports and encourages exchanges of students and teachers, the launching of joint study programmes or intensive courses, pan-European thematic networks, and other measures aiming at the development of a European dimension in higher education. In order to gain insight into the importance of student mobility promoted by this programme data referring to the number of students studying in France in the framework of the ERASMUS programme, from 1987 to 2001, are examined. At the same time data concerning the number of foreign students in higher education in France over a longer period (1949 to 2001) is organised and compared with the total number of students in the education system in an attempt to establish a chronological pattern of student flows. This comparison is made to enable us to understand the dynamics and expansion of higher education student mobility with, and without, the implementation of the ERASMUS programme in France. In section 2 the main questions behind the topic of this chapter are debated generally; in section 3, an overview of higher education in France is attempted (origins and establishment of the education system and the European dimension in French higher

“I just need a little more support”: A thematic analysis of autistic students’ experience of university in France

It is not a particularly easy task to pick out the main trends that have shaped higher education in France in the recent past or that are likely to do so in the future, especially at the finer level of detail. In my title I have chosen the word 'reawakening' to sum up these changes, but I should make it clear that the term is not used judgementally, suggesting that one state is preferable to another. My choice of word is dictated rather by two considerations. First, for reasons that will be discussed further below, French higher education passed through a period of dormancy in the mid-1980s. Its vital functions did not stop, but a series of events led to a situation where the whole system was, as it were, anaesthetised and incapable of any real initiative. This period seems now to be coming to an end, and very recently a policy for higher education has started to emerge again. The existence of this policy is what allows us to talk about a reawakening, but to do so does not, a pnon, involve any judgement of the quality of the policy or its implications. For that, time will tell. Secondly, awakening may be in response to an alarm ringing, indicating that it is time to start moving or face all kinds of problems. I hope to show that this is indeed the current situation of French higher education: the stakes and the challenges ahead are enormous, partly because of the delay in taking them into account and tackling them. Once their extent has been assessed, we should examine whether the response to the alarm came too late.

The increasing proportion of women in higher education in France and in the better quality jobs that will thus become open to them are trends that are likely to have many implications for the labour market. The importance of post-secondary qualifications for access to employment, salary levels, mobility and unemployment is well established (Baudelot et al., 1981; Vincens, 1982). It is also clear that gender influences these variables, quite independently of the possession of qualifications or educational level. Currently barely 30% of pupils in France gain the upper-secondary school leaving certificate (baccalaureat) and are eligible to continue in higher education. This means that we are still a long way from the goals of the authorities: 80% with the baccalaureat by the end of the century. Given present rates of population increase, this would mean doubling the numbers of high school graduates. The large numbers of girls who satisfy the requirement for access to higher education (almost 60%) is not a new phenomenon, but examination of long-term trends shows that the tendency has increased rapidly. This raises three related questions as to:

Background/Context Although frequently associated with the United States, affirmative action is not a uniquely American social policy. Indeed, 2003 witnessed review and revision of affirmative action policies affecting higher education institutions in both France and the United States. Using critical race theory (CRT) as a theoretical lens, this text compares the affirmative action programs and lawsuits litigated in both nations in 2003 and their impact on the educational and social experiences of people who are racially or culturally non-White. Purpose This article examines and compares affirmative action policies and lawsuits directed at higher education in France and the United States. Faced with similar challenges, controversies, and racial concerns, these courts offered somewhat diverging opinions on the purpose, meaning, and impact that affirmative action policies should have in this millennium. Research Design This article employs legal hermeneutics, a specific form of documentary analysis, to examine affirmative action policies and related court decisions recently issued in both France and the United States. U.S. court decisions such as Gratz v. Bollinger (2003) and affirmative action program self-study reports published by L'institut d'etudes politiques, or Sciences Po, serve as the primary sources for the text. Conclusions The 2003 rulings in both France and the United States provide the legal impetus needed for affirmative action programs to continue. However, none of the court decisions or programs on either side of the Atlantic makes any real attempt to address the larger racial issues that created the need for affirmative action from the start. With the exception of the limited use allowed in affirmative action programs, all forms of diversity in the United States have basically the same value and, accordingly, have virtually the same impact on social arrangements. Likewise, France accepted the CEP (Conventions éducation prioritaire [Priority Convention Education]) program as an affirmative action measure while giving no thought to the need to reform the overall ideology of the nation, which dictates that all citizens are French and no forms of heterogeneity exist. In essence, the affirmative actions programs upheld in these court rulings fail to enforce the equality principles imparted in the French and U.S. constitutions by inhibiting discussion and deconstruction of racial inequalities.