The dawn of a new professionalism in the French academy? Academics facing the challenges of change

Abstract

Using as an analytical framework Evans's conceptualisation of professionalism, this article examines the implications for academic professionalism in the French higher education sector of reforms and significant changes that have evolved over the last few decades, including: the Investissements d'Avenir programme, the Loi de programme pour la recherche, the loi relative aux libertés et responsabilités des universités, increasing massification, and the drive to boost undergraduate student retention. Drawing upon comparative cases of parallel changes to higher education in other national contexts, and identifying changes to academic professionalism in relation to Evans's three components (behavioural, attitudinal and intellectual), and 11 dimensions, of professionalism, the authors sketch out the ‘shape’ and outline the nature of a new academic professionalism that they believe has been set in motion and that they envisage evolving in France.

Keywords:

• French higher education
• Agence nationale de la recherche
• initiatives d'excellence (IDEX)
• nouveaux étudiants
• massification of higher education
• pôles de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur (PRES)
• Agence d’évaluation de la recherche et de l'enseignement supérieur (AERES)

Notes

1. Holder of the baccalauréat, the examination taken at age 18, at the end of compulsory schooling.

2. Translated loosely into English as: University teachers have had little or no training in dealing with these new generations of students. Lack of pedagogical training unfortunately remains the norm for academics.

3. Translated loosely into English as: A real change of attitude is needed to kick-start an approach to teaching that is focused on students' needs. Pre- and in-service training needs to play a key role in equipping teachers for this change.

4. Translated loosely into English as: to ensure that every academic receives training in higher education pedagogy, which is currently entirely absent. That would contribute greatly to increasing their prioritisation of undergraduate education.

5. Translated loosely into English as: so for some academics, the teaching-related work that has been necessitated by massification and the reform of the 1st, master's and doctoral degree cycle is becoming symbolic of deleterious conditions of service and of a breach of contract.