FRANCE: Sarkozy rejects retreat on university reforms

As France's strike by lecturers and researchers passed its 15th week, it looked possible that students' examinations could be postponed until September. But President Nicolas Sarkozy rejected any government retreat on the planned reforms, despite a call by university presidents for a moratorium; and the national coordination of universities reaffirmed its determination to continue the protests and reiterated that withdrawal of the reforms was "necessary to re-establish conditions for dialogue".

Seven university presidents issued an appeal to Sarkozy in Le Monde on Wednesday. They said there was a real risk that the semester, and therefore the year, would not be validated, "which would be as catastrophic for the students as unmanageable for our administrations".

"Vigorous, radical and clear gestures of appeasement were therefore needed, quickly, which only the President could accomplish with brilliance and wisdom," the presidents wrote. They called for a moratorium on the reforms to allow for a "real and collective reflection".

The next day, Lionel Collet, President of their representative body the Conference of University Presidents, or CPU, and his two vice-presidents issued a statement calling for calm in the university community. Negotiations were continuing, notably on teacher training and jobs, and many advances had been made. Only a small number of universities were badly blocked and the effects should not be exaggerated; it should not be implied that more than 1,300,000 students were being denied courses, placements or examinations, the trio wrote.

Obstacles to freedom of teaching and studying, and to smooth working of universities' elected offices, must cease, along with all kinds of political exploitation of the situation, they said.

But the same day, as protesters were preparing for another day of action, Sarkozy said the government would not retreat on its university reform which was "in the interest of our students, our universities".

Also on Thursday, Prime Minister François Fillon and Minister for Higher Education and Research Valérie Pécresse, both spoke about the university crisis. Fillon told Le Figaro the government would never accept devalued examinations. He had asked Pécresse to study two solutions: postponement of examinations until September, and organisation of tests outside the universities that were blocked.

Pécresse explained in a radio interview that it was still possible to hold examinations in mid-July but it would have to be organised at once. "If blockages continue or if there are difficulties putting together a catch-up plan, I don't rule out that in one or other of these universities there would be examinations in September," she said.

At the 10th meeting of the national coordination of universities, held at the University of Marne-la-Vallée on Wednesday, delegations from about 50 higher education institutions noted the presidents' call for a moratorium in Le Monde and reaffirmed their own demands for withdrawal of the reforms, "necessary to re-establish conditions for dialogue, today totally broken between the university community and the government".

The meeting approved motions that accused Pécresse of using the examinations as a weapon and putting students at maximum risk. They would not cooperate in holding devalued examinations, they said, but called for "validation of the semester according to methods best adapted to local conditions". Delegates also voted to support administrative staff who refused to organise the examinations.

The national coordination would not give in to the policy of breaking up the public service of higher education and research or associate itself with the penalisation of students organised by the ministry, they said. The coordination claimed that of 69 higher education institutions that had been in touch 39 said they were totally or partially on strike, and 23 were blocked at least to some extent, including two teacher-training colleges.

But according to the Parisien-Aujourd'hui, about 15 of France's 83 universities were closed last week, and disorder reigned in some 20 others which had voted to reopen. The newspaper calculated about 310,000 students remained uncertain about whether their examinations would be postponed, their assessments less rigorous or their year wasted.

A survey carried out earlier this month by the Institut Opinion Way for the Ministry of Higher Education, found 81% of students were "completely" or "fairly" in favour of prolonging the academic year so they could take their examinations.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Xavier Darcos made a further concession on the teacher-training reforms. Darcos announced on Wednesday that those who passed the competitive examinations in 2010 would after all be paid as civil service interns the following year.

But though the leading teachers' union federation FSU welcomed the decision, it said it still did not go far enough.

jane.marshall@uw-news.com