The global trend of increasing participation rates, coupled with regional goals to increase participation in higher education, such as the European Union's Europe 2020 Strategy target of 40% of all young people to hold a tertiary education qualification by 2020, has led to a strain on public resources, and a review of funding priorities in mass…

This paper retraces the evolution of the relationships between higher education institutions, the state and the academic profession in France since the French Revolution on the one hand and the parallel evolution of the societal expectations for their roles and missions, on the other. It in particular highlights the divide between the universities…

This paper reviews the development of international student mobility in the twentieth century as exemplified by Britain, France, Russia or the Soviet Union, and the United States. It summarises data on international student numbers and describes the development of policy at an institutional and national level in these four countries. Conclusions…

This paper aims at providing a theoretical and empirical discussion on the concept of pedagogisation which derives from the hypothesis of a new era of "totally pedagogised society" in Basil Bernstein's work. The article is based on empirical research on higher education policy, with a focus on the implementation of curriculum change…

This report aims to provide insight into the realities faced by higher education academic staff at a time of fast-moving change and increasing societal demand. Fluctuating student numbers, new funding and steering mechanisms are among the features of today's European higher education landscape, but not enough is known about how academic staff are…

Chapter 1 starts out with a short historical view on "academisation" and "professionalisation," illustrating how much professional higher education (PHE) in Europe has been in flux in the past years. With examples from France and Ireland, the chapter argues how a new spectrum of missions, differences in national organization of…

"The Wiley International Handbook of Educational Foundations" features international scholars uniquely qualified to examine issues specific to their regions of the world. The Handbook provides readers with an alternative to the traditional texts in the foundations of education by taking aim at the status quo, and by offering frameworks…

This paper suggests that as university missions have adapted to accommodate major developments associated with, for instance, mass higher education and internationalisation agendas, university workforces have diversified. They now, for instance, incorporate practitioners in areas such as health and social care, and professional staff who support…

This paper argues that higher education has a long history of globalising, though the form of these processes has been different. Two are identified; first, a normative order based on common frameworks; second, the expansion of formal exchanges of inputs and outputs from higher education. Different countries, however, are positioned differently in…

Access to the baccalaureate and higher education in France has become more democratic. The introduction of the vocational baccalaureate has been part of this process, but remains a modest step forward given the very low take-up of vocational baccalaureate courses. If vocational education pathways in France are to become true gateways to higher…

The recent evolution of the French higher education system is somehow in line with the new European and international environment, although what is specific to a national context should not be ignored. Admittedly, the public allocation of resources to universities is not challenged, the redistribution of funds is still based on an egalitarian…

This article deals with the issues of access and expansion in France. It elaborates on the rationale and causes behind the expansion of higher education over the last 25 years and the impact this has had on the system, more particularly in terms of inclusion and exclusion. The article shows that, as in the United Kingdom, although expansion has…

Traces the development of a professional career in science in France, starting historically from the ancient regime and including salaries, teaching, certification, research, and contrasting British and French approaches to a scientific career. (PG)

This document examines reform and development of higher education in France, Poland, and the Netherlands. Part I examines facets of higher education in France including the tasks of the universities: research, teaching, and development of higher training and continuing education; present structures of French universities; increase in student…

The French education system has a mixed record. A generally very successful pre-school and primary school level contrasts with underfunded public universities with high dropout rates which exist alongside very successful higher education institutions for elites. Initial education, especially secondary education and the universities, along with…