The Savary Law on Higher Education and the Failure to Reform France's Universities, 1789-1984
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THE SAVARY LAW ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE FAILURE TO REFORM FRANCE'S UNIVERSITIES, 1789-1984 Eric Gregory Elliott B.A., Simon Fraser University, 2000 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of History O Eric Gregory Elliott 2007 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2007 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Eric Gregory Elliott Degree: Master of Arts Title of Research Project: The Savary Law on Higher Education and the Failure to Reform France's Universities, 1789-1984 Examining Committee: Chair: Roxanne Panchasi, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of History C. Rodney Day, Ph.D. Senior Supervisor Professor Emeritus of History Mary Lynn Stewart, Ph.D. Supervisor Chair and Professor of Women's Studies William Bruneau, Ph.D. External Examiner Professor Emeritus of the Department of Educational Studies, University of British Columbia Date DefendedIApproved: SIMON FRASER UN~~ERS~brary DECLARATION OF PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection (currently available to the public at the "Institutional Repository" link of the SFU Library website <www.lib.sfu.ca> at: ~http:llir.lib.sfu.calhandle118921112>)and, without changing the content, to translate the thesislproject or extended essays, if technically possible, to any medium or format for the purpose of preservation of the digital work. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without the author's written permission. Permission for public performance, or limited permission for private scholarly use, of any multimedia materials forming part of this work, may have been granted by the author. This information may be found on the separately catalogued multimedia material and in the signed Partial Copyright Licence. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Simon Fraser University Library Burnaby, BC, Canada Revised: Fall 2006 ABSTRACT Widespread dissatisfaction with previous conservative administrations swept the Socialists into power in 198 1. President Franqois Mitterrand's "ten proposals for education" promised social mobility. France's underfunded and centralized universities stagnated. Standardization fostered patronage networks, hindered research and thwarted the establishment of self-governing universities. Alain Savary, minister of National Education, would redraft the 1968 Faure Law on higher education to stimulate socioeconomic development. Economic stagnation, a population boom, and graduate underemployment indicated the need for reform. In 1983, Savary aimed to grant the universities autonomy and wider access to resources, democratize their administration, and make higher education market-relevant. He promised to improve linkages between grandes e'coles and universities. Academics, students, and politicians campaigned ardently against Savary's bill. Under presidential pressure, Savary compromised. Savary's law was the last completely redrafted law on higher education. Under later Socialist governments, it provided the framework for regulations and laws creating self-regulating yet undemocratic universities of today. Key Words: France, higher education and state, university reform, Alain Savary, Franqois Mitterrand. DEDICATION To working students of the world. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis would not have been possible without the labour of my supervisors, Prof. C.R. Day and Prof. M.L. Stewart, who have shepherded this work throughout this labyrinthine process. I am especially gratehl to Prof. Day for guiding me through the intricacies of French higher education. I offer my most sincere thanks to the library staff at the Universitk de Montrkal who patiently suffered through my poor conversational French to provide me with the materials I required. Their great courtesy is much appreciated. I cannot find the words to that could appropriately express my gratitude to Marion Walter, the History Department's Graduate Secretary. Without her attention to detail and prompt action, it is doubtfd this thesis would have reached the defence stage. My family and colleagues have endured much over the years, and for that I am eternally gratehl. I am humbled by my parents' generous support throughout the years and for spurring me on in times of trouble. Likewise, I do not know where I would be without my brother's constant backing. I would also like to thank my fellow master's students at Simon Fraser University for bearing with me for two years. To my co-workers at the University of British Columbia libraries who have had to bear with my bleating, I offer my sincerest apologies. Lastly, and certainly not least, I offer my inexpressible gratitude to my partner, Donna, for enduring the company of my thesis and me over the past many years. Miserable company we have been to you, but you have made us both better. All errors still present within this text are mine. -Vancouver, 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS .. Approval ...................................................................................................................................11 ... Abstract ...................................................................................................................................111 Dedication ................................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................v Table of Contents .....................................................................................................................vi .. Glossary and Abbreviations ....................................................................................................vii Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: The Problems Inherent in French Higher Education, 1789- 198 1............................ 8 Chapter 2: Alain Savary and the Failure to Reform Higher Education, 1981-1984 ............... 38 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................86 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................95 GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS Agrdgation: Certificate required to teach higher education. ATOS: (Personnel) administrattf; technique, ouvrier, et de service, Administrative, Technical, Plant Operations, and Service personnel CELF: Collecttfdes ktudiants libkraux de France, Liberal Students Collective of France CNEF: Centre national des Ltudiants de France, National Students Centre of France CNESER: Conseil national de l'enseignement superieur et de la recherche, National Council for Higher Education and Research CNOUS: Centre national d'oeuvres universitaires et scolaires, National Centre for University and School Works CNPF: Conseil national du patronat franqais, National Council of French Employers CNRS: Centre national de la recherche scientzfique, National Centre for Scientific Research Concours: Competitive entrance examination(s) to attend a grande ecole or certain other educational institutions with post-baccalaureate entrance requirements. CPGE: Cours prkparatoire(s) aux grandes ecoles, Preparatory Course(s) for the Grandes kcoles CROUS: Centre rkgional d'oeuvres universitaires et scolaires, Regional Centre(s) for University and School Works CSCU: Conseil superieur du corps universitaire, High Council of University Academicians DEA: DiplGme d'etudes approfondies, diploma of enriched (higher) studies (The academic third-cycle university diploma) DESS: DiplGme d 'etudes superieures specialisees, diploma of higher specialized studies (The professional third-cycle university diploma) DEUG: DiplGme d'etudes universitaires gene'rales, diploma of general university studies (First-cycle university diploma) DEUST: DiplGme d'etudes universitaires scientzj'iques et techniques, diploma of university studies in science and technology (First-cycle university diploma) FEN: Federation de 1 'education nationale, National Education (Teachers) Federation GARACES: Groupe d'analyse et de recherche szir les activites et les coiits des enseignements superieurs, Higher Education Costs and Operations Analysis and Studies Group Grandes tcoles: Elite institutions of higher education requiring successfully passing a concours. GUD: Groupernent Union-droite, Group of the United Right (extreme right) INSERM: Institut