Overview
Quality Assurance System
in Higher Education

FranceSecond edition (2017)© National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education
First edition printed and published in March 2012
Second edition printed and published in December 2017
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December 2017
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Introduction

In addition to its core activities of university evaluation, awarding of degrees and research activities, theNational Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education(NIAD-QE) is
working closely with domestic and overseas quality assurance agencies, including those having advanced
higher education systems and close ties with Japan, to gain the trust of the international community inJapanese higher education and promote international collaboration among higher education institutions(HEIs).
As each country possesses different political, societal, cultural and language element, the structure of its
quality assurance system for higher education also differs. In building relationships and realizing effective
cooperation that transcend such barriers, ‘mutual understanding’ must be enhanced among cooperatingorganizations by exchanging accurate information on their respective quality assurance and higher
education systems.
In this context, International Affairs Division of NIAD-QE has developed the ‘Information Package’ as ameans for publishing comprehensive information on higher education and quality assurance systems inJapan as well as other countries. We have produced these of Japan, US, UK, Australia, the Netherlands,
France, Germany, China and Korea.
In France, a quality assurance system linked with the contract policy which is conducted between thegovernment and HEIs. Upon renewal of the contract, each institution conducts a self-evaluation, then,is evaluated by a quality assurance institution and presents a medium- to long-term strategy and an
implementation plan to the government. With the enactment of the Law on Higher Education and Researchin 2013, the government has promoted the policies for fostering territorial coordinations of HEIs andresearch institutions in France and the states of HEIs have been changing. Furthermore, in order to respondto this reform, the quality assurance system has been revised.
The “Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France (second
edition)” was produced based on various information concerning higher education system and quality
assurance system in France. We updated the first edition with the information collected through document
studies and site visits of the organizations which were responsible for quality assurance in higher educationin France conducted between 2015 and 2016, revising to the latest data and trends. We would like to thankeveryone who gave us useful comments and suggestions for completing this document, including valuable
direct advice from The High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES), which
is an institution cooperating with NIAD-QE. We would especially like to express our special thanks
to Professor François PERNOT, Director of Europe and International Department at HCÉRES, for his
contributions to the production of this document.
This ‘Overview’ document is also available from our website:
http://www.niad.ac.jp/english/cqa/international/information.html#package

December 2017
National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education

Index
I. Basic Information Regarding the Country............................................. 3
1. Diagram of the French education system............................................................. 4
2. The French education system............................................................................... 4

II. The Higher Education System.............................................................. 5
1. History and legislation.......................................................................................... 51-1) Edgar Faure Law......................................................................................................................... 51-2) Savary Law.................................................................................................................................. 51-3) Fostering coordination among universities: Significant expansion of university autonomies... 6
1-3-1) Strengthening the autonomy of educational institutions....................................................... 6
1-3-2) Contract policy between the government and each institution.............................................. 61-4) The Law on Higher Education and Research (2013): Territorial coordination of higher
education and research institutions.......................................................................................... 7

2. Higher education institutions............................................................................... 82-1) Various types of higher education institutions......................................................................... 8
2-1-1) Universities（Universités）....................................................................................................... 8
2-1-2) Grandes Écoles......................................................................................................................... 9
2-1-3) Preparatory Classes for Grandes Écoles (CPGE: Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles).... 9
2-1-4) University Institutes of Technology (IUT: Instituts Universitaires de Technologie)................. 9
2-1-5) Higher Technician Sections (STS: Sections de Technicien Supérieur)...................................... 9
2-1-6) Specialized Schools (Écoles Spécialisées)............................................................................... 102-2) Statistics................................................................................................................................... 11

3. Admission requirements of universities............................................................. 113-1) Admission requirements of universities.................................................................................. 133-2) Admission requirements of Grandes Écoles............................................................................. 133-3) Access to higher education (APB: Admission Post-Bac) portal site.......................................... 13

4. Courses and qualifications.................................................................................. 144-1) Courses..................................................................................................................................... 14
4-1-1) Short programs...................................................................................................................... 14
4-1-2) Long Programs....................................................................................................................... 14
4-1-3) Specialized programs............................................................................................................ 154-2) Curriculum............................................................................................................................... 15
4-2-1) Student Assessment.............................................................................................................. 16
4-2-2) Advancement and Access to the labor market...................................................................... 174-3) Qualifications........................................................................................................................... 17
4-3-1) Introduction of the LMD system........................................................................................... 17
4-3-2) Degrees and diplomas (diplôme)........................................................................................... 18
4-3-3) Degrees from short programs............................................................................................... 19
4-3-4) Intermediate degrees............................................................................................................ 20
4-3-5) Degrees from long programs................................................................................................ 20
4-3-6) National qualification frameworks........................................................................................ 21

5. Tuition fees and financial aid for students......................................................... 235-1) Tuition fees.............................................................................................................................. 235-2) Financial aid for students........................................................................................................ 23
5-2-1) CampusBourses: Grant search engine................................................................................... 23

6. Internationalization of French higher education................................................ 24
7. Responsible authorities and higher education-related bodies........................... 25
8. Legislation........................................................................................................... 27
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

1III. The Quality Assurance System.......................................................... 28
1. The transition of the French quality assurance system...................................... 281-1) The National Council for Evaluation of Universities (CNE)...................................................... 281-2) The Bologna Process................................................................................................................. 281-3) The Act on Research (2006): Establishment of the current quality assurance system ....... 281-4) The Law on Higher Education and Research (2013): Quality assurance corresponding to theacceleration of coordination among higher education institutions........................................ 28

2. The quality assurance system of French higher education................................ 292-1) Higher education institution and university approval system................................................ 29
2-1-1) Establishment of public corporations of higher education.................................................. 29
2-1-2) Establishment of private institutions of higher education................................................... 302-2) Internal quality assurance........................................................................................................ 302-3) External quality assurance....................................................................................................... 30

3. The High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (the HCÉRES).... 323-1) Overview of the HCÉRES........................................................................................................... 323-2) Mission..................................................................................................................................... 323-3) Principles.................................................................................................................................. 333-4) Tasks........................................................................................................................................ 333-5) Outline of evaluation................................................................................................................ 33
3-5-1) Evaluation cycle.................................................................................................................... 33
3-5-2) Integrated evaluation............................................................................................................ 34
3-5-3) Evaluation of territorial coordinations................................................................................. 37
3-5-4) Evaluation of institutions...................................................................................................... 38
3-5-5) Evaluation of research (evaluation of research units and research field)............................ 39
3-5-6) Evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools............................................................ 413-6) Impact of HCÉRES’s evaluation results.................................................................................... 433-7) Validation of HCÉRES’s evaluation........................................................................................... 44

4. Internationalization and quality assurance........................................................ 444-1) Joint recognition and accreditation of academic degrees/qualifications in cooperation withother countries........................................................................................................................ 444-2) The HCÉRES’s international activities...................................................................................... 45

Appendix. The Commission for Engineer Titles (the CTI)...................... 46
1. Overview of the CTI............................................................................................ 46
2. Mission and goals................................................................................................ 472-1) Mission..................................................................................................................................... 472-2) Goals......................................................................................................................................... 47

3. Main areas of activities....................................................................................... 473-1) Evaluation and accreditation.................................................................................................... 473-2) The CTI’s international accreditation...................................................................................... 483-3) Other international activities................................................................................................... 48

Appendix: Glossary................................................................................ 50
Sources and references.......................................................................... 53

2

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

I. Basic Information Regarding the Country

Name of country

French Republic

CapitalParis

Major language

FrenchPopulation*

66,630,000 (2016)

Nominal GDP*

2,421,000 million USD (2015)

Nominal GDP per capita*

37,675 USD (2015)

Public spending on education
as a percentage of total
public expenditure**

All levels of education 8.4%

HE level 2.2%

(OECD average 11.2%)(OECD average 3.1%) (2013)

Public spending on education as a percentage ofGDP**

All levels of education 4.8%

HE level 1.2%

(OECD average 4.8%)(OECD average 1.3%) (2013)

Annual expenditure byeducational institutions perstudent at higher educationlevel**

16,194 USD (2013)

Annual public expenditure
per student at higher
education level**

12,479 USD (2013)

88.0% of 710,718 candidates passed the French baccalauréat examinationin 2014. The details are as follows:
Progression rate into higher
education***General channel: 91.0% of 305,667 candidates passed the examination
Technological channel: 90.7% of 129,210 passed
Professional channel: 82.2% of 190,773 passed※ %: Percentage of successful candidates against each qualification

Organization of theeducation system***See “I-1. Diagram of the French education system” and “I-2. The French
educational system” (p.4).
The start and end of the academic year (between September 1st and midJuly) differs depending on each university. The French academic year is

Cycle of academic year

divided into two semesters. Generally, the first semester is from early
September to late January, and the second semester is from early February
to late May.
Examination periods are at the end of each semester.

Sources*National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies: http://www.insee.fr/fr/accueil**International Monetary Fund (IMF): http://imf/org/external/index.htm***

OECD: Education at a Glance 2016****	Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI): Higher Education & Research in France, facts
and figures, November 2015

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France31. Diagram of the French education system
Compulsory education

(Age)
2

3

4

5

Écoles maternelles
Classes enfantines

Pre-primary

6

7

8

9

10

11

ÉcolesÉlémentaires
Primary

12

13

14

15

16

17

Collège

Lycée

Lower
secondarygeneralUppersecondarygeneral

18

19

20

21

22

23 24–

Universités
CPGE

Grandes
ÉcolesÉcolesSpécialisées
STS

IUT

Tertiary education
Lycée
Professionnel
Lower
Upper
secondary secondary
general vocational
Centre deformationd’apprentis
Lower
Upper
secondary secondary
general vocational

Sources	European Commission (EC): Eurydice - The Structure of the European Education Systems 2014/15: Schematic
Diagrams
	Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan: Educational statistics of foreigncountries (2014)

2. The French education system
The French education system comprises écoles élémentaires for primary education; collège, lycée, andlycée professionnel for secondary education; and universités, grandes écoles, and écoles spécialisées forhigher education. School education between the ages of 6 and 16 is compulsory. The school systemcomprises primary education (five years of study), secondary education (four years of study), andhigher education (three years of study).
・ Pre-primary education (écoles maternelles and classes enfantines)	Infant class attached to a Kindergarten or an école maternelle between the ages of 2 and 5 (notcompulsory);
・ Primary education (écoles élémentaires) comprises five years of study between the ages of 6 and 10;・ Secondary general education(1) Lower secondary general education (collège) comprises four years of study between the ages of
11 and 14;(2) Upper secondary general education (lycée général technologique) comprises three years of study
between the ages of 15 and 17;(lycée professionnel) comprises two or three years of study between the ages of 15 and 17;

4

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

・Tertiary education (universités, grandes écoles, etc.)
	The term of study differs depending on the type of school. For details, see “II-2. Higher Education
Institutions” (p.8).
Sources	European Commission (EC): Eurydice - The Structure of the European Education Systems 2014/15: Schematic
Diagrams
	Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan: Educational statistics of foreigncountries (2014)

II. The Higher Education System
1. History and legislation
The history of higher education in France dates back to the 12th century when the first universities
were established. They were independent institutions with autonomous status and were awarded
significant privileges.
During the French Revolution of 1794 (late 18th century), the Convention created the special grandesécoles: the central school of public works (a year later renamed as the école polytechnique), artsand crafts conservatory, school of oriental languages, school of fine arts, etc. In 1806, Napoleon I
enacted a law to establish the Imperial University (the first decree to organize it was enacted in 1808)
to control the French education system, and all institutions were combined under this banner. The
Imperial University was centralized. In the 27 cities where academic constituencies were installed,
colleges (facultés) were directly managed by the central government. Contestation emerged against
this centralization and continues to the present. During the reign of Napoleon III, the title of theGrand Master of the University (Grand maître de l’université) was designated to a minister who was theEmperor himself. Subsequently, France was divided into 16 academic constituencies, and the faculties
took separate control, each taking the name of the University in 1896. The reform of 1896 authorized
the universities to deliver their own diplomas even if the grades were still the responsibility of thestate.

1-1) Edgar Faure Law
The framework law concerning higher education in 1968, known as the Edgar Faure Law, stipulated a
new type of institution or a Public Establishment of Scientific and Cultural Character (EPCSC). Pursuant
to this law, the former colleges were replaced with autonomous education and research units (UFR)
that involved the participation of all the players in the university community and multidisciplinary1.
However, higher education is still categorized into two categories: the grandes écoles for educating thenation’s senior officials and the universities that were effectively “UFR federations.” Another important
point of this law was to give more autonomy to the universities after the contestations of May 1968
(election of president, with the presence of students in the councils).

1-2) Savary Law
The current organization of higher education is stipulated by the Code of Education of 1984, known as
the Savary Law. Its main idea is to deliver national education and higher education as a public service.
While maintaining the major principles of the Edgar Faure Law, it defines objectives to regroup the1In this article the word “multidisciplinary” is different from the definition of “multidisciplinary” of evaluation (p.41).
It means the field itself as a discipline.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

5

grandes écoles in the same context as other HEIs and promote greater openness of these institutions
with the outside world. It confirms their status as public institutions, now called EPSCP (p.29). The
principle of equal opportunity has long been emphasized in the French education system. Therefore,
universities are allowed to deliver lifelong education.
The most important elements in French higher education history between 1984 and 2007 were as
follows: first, the implementation of a contractual policy that links the state and the institutions andprovides independent HEIs with a new and viable content (1989); second, U2000 (University for 2000)
Plan followed by the “U3M (University in the Third Millennium) Plan for 2000–2006, which outlined the
major development guidelines for the higher education system within the framework of the state-region
plan; and third, the implementation of the European qualification architecture since 2002, known as
the LMD reform.

1-3) Fostering coordination among universities: Significant expansion of university
autonomies
1-3-1) Strengthening the autonomy of educational institutions
The Edgar Faure Law expanded the autonomy of universities. It dismantled colleges in large cities
to establish individual universities. Consequently, these universities were geographically close.
Therefore, the effective use of resources was required. Meanwhile, the government promoted theterritorial coordination of universities to tackle issues such as small French universities or a college’s
slump in the international university rankings. In 1990, pôle universitaire européen (PUE), the center
for European university, was launched, and 11 centers were established from 1991 to 2001. However,
the effect of the government policy was limited because this system was a framework of coordination
centered on universities. Therefore, pôle de recherche et d’enseignement supérieur (PRES), centers forresearch and higher education, were established by developing PUE based on the Act on Research of
2006.
The main objectives of PRES were as follows: to have a unified strategy on educational and vocational
expertise with respect to a specific area, improve the consistency and integration of the organization,
improve efficiencies and governance, support the improvement of research competencies andinternational influence of educational institutions, and enable the joint development of new services
and infrastructure. Furthermore, the Law for Liberties and Responsibilities of Universities (the LRU)
was enacted in 2007 for the further enhancement of university autonomy with respect to the budget
and personnel of universities. The LRU promoted integration of universities and accelerated movements
toward autonomy.

1-3-2) Contract policy between the government and each institution
When the Savary Law was enacted, the French government began to establish relationships with each
university and research institution based on the conclusion of contracts to promote strategic dialogs
between the government and educational institutions while advancing the process for enhancing theautonomy of universities. Initially, this contract system was limited to the research field; however,it gradually extended and adapted to all missions of educational institutions. Contracts with thegovernment that were voluntarily offered to universities have become compulsory since the enactmentof the LRU in 2007. In 2010, the contract period was extended from four years to five years.

6

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France1-4) T he Law on Higher Education and Research (2013): Territorial coordination ofhigher education and research institutions
While international competition intensified, the idea of strengthening territorial coordination
emerged. As mentioned above, since 2006, the government promoted the establishment of PRES andmerged institutions, with the aim of making it possible for universities, grandes écolés, and research
institutions to provide human resources and implement projects jointly or mutually. In addition, theLaw on Higher Education and Research in 2013 has promoted the integration of HEIs and researchbodies within the same area, collaborations of curriculums and research strategies, improvement ofstudent living conditions, and enhancement of domestic and international awareness of educational
institutions in France. As of November 2016, there are 25 territorial coordination groupings. Moreover,
20 out of 25 groupings are in the form of COMUE2, and the rest of the 5 groupings are in the form ofassociations that are less binding.

1 structure of territorial coordinationgroupings (COMUE or association)

5-7 educational institutions

200 curriculums

Universities, schools (public and private),

research

institutions

institutions

10 doctorial Schools(Bachelor, Vocational Bachelor,

120 research entities(research units, federative structures)

Master)Sources	Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI):
http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/
Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs: http:// www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/
High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/
Legifrance: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/
Conférence des présidents d’université (CPU): http://www.cpu.fr/
European Commission (EC): Eurydice - Organisation of the education system in France, 2009/2010
French Embassy in Japan: http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/
	Jun Oba: Promoting Cooperation and Integration of Universities in France (2014), Strategic Research Project on
University Reform Series VIII of Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University	Jun Oba: Establishment of COMUE (communauté d’universités et établissements) in France (2015), Strategic
Research Project on University Reform Series VIII of Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima
University	Ayaka Noda: Evaluation of Program and Degrees in French Higher Education (2015), National Institution for
Academic Degree and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)

2

COMUE has replaced PRES in the form of the Public Establishment of Scientific Character (EPCS: établissements
publics de coopération scientifique). Other than EPCS, as examples of PRES, there are Scientific Interest Group (GIS:
groupement d’intérêt scientifique), Non-profit Association (association Loi 1901), Public Interest Group (GIP: groupement d’intérêt public), and Foundation of Scientific Cooperation (FCS: fondation de coopération scientifique). EPCS is
the most binding form of all.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France7

2. Higher education institutions
2-1) Various types of higher education institutions
Prospective higher education students need to acquire baccalauréat in common. Meanwhile, there
are various types of HEIs in France. The institutions have respective objectives of, structure of, andconditions for admission. They can be divided into universities (universités), grandes écoles, classes
preparatoires aux grandes écoles (CPGE), instituts universitaires de technologie (IUT), sections detechnicien superieur (STS), and écoles specialisées offering various vocational training programs.
Types of institutions
Name of institution

Term of study

Installation form

Universities (Universités)More than three years

National

Grandes Écoles

three years

National or Private

Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles(CPGE)

two years

Attached to Public or Private Lycée

Instituts Universitaires de Technologie (IUT)

two–three years

Attached to Universities

Sections de Technicien Supérieur (STS)

two–three years

Attached to Public or Private Lycée

Écoles Spécialisées

one–five years

National or Private

2-1-1) Universities（Universités）
French universities are public establishments (EP, mainly EPSCP) (p.29) in accordance with the Savary
Law of 1984. They have to accept all students with a French baccalauréat (p.12), the qualification of
graduation from high school, with a few exceptions such as students from the field of medicine. They
can also accept foreign diplomas that allow access to universities in the country of origin. French
universities had a little more than 1.6 million students in 2015–2016. This includes 14% non-French
students. Since 1984, they have been organized into training and research units (UFR). They also
include internal institutes and schools such as University Institutes of Technology (IUT) created in 1966and professional university institutes (IUP), created in 1994.
It is legally prohibited in France to use the term “University (Université)” in the names of private HEIs
except for national universities (Article L 731-14 of the Code of Education). However, in some cases,“universities” commonly go by a name such as “X university (université (catholique) X)” to the private
HEIs; sometimes, the word “university” is used in their international agreements. However, private HEIs
must clearly indicate in their names that they are privately owned institutions. Private HEIs, commonly
called private universities, are mainly free private Catholic HEIs, and 13 institutions in France aregoverned by the Law of 1875 for the freedom of higher education, which offers general university
education programs. However, in principle, only national universities are permitted to confer academic
degrees. Private HEIs that wish to award academic degrees need to conclude agreements with national
universities. Students who pass the exams conducted by the national universities can obtain academic
degrees (See II -4. “Courses and qualifications” (p.14)).

8

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

2-1-2) Grandes Écoles
Grandes écoles are institutions peculiar to France. The institutions are entitled to select their students,
unlike the universities. Grandes écoles train engineers, high-level managers, and specialists in the arts,
literature, social sciences, and law. Education in the grandes écoles3 generally takes five years, including
two years of initial preparation, either in the grandes écoles itself or in secondary establishments (lycées)(preparatory classes for grandes écoles: CPGE). These schools therefore more often issue a diploma at
the baccalauréat level + five years, providing a master’s degree upon graduation.
The two largest groups of grandes écoles are schools of engineering and schools of management, butthere are écoles normales supérieures (ENS) known as teacher training colleges, veterinary schools, andother schools in various specialized areas. Four ENS systems (two schools in Paris and two in Lyon) are
under the control of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI). Students whoare citizens of the European Union (EU), attending ENS, école spéciale militaire, école polytechnique,école nationale supérieure des mines, école nationale des ponts et chaussées, and école nationaled’administration have the status of “civil servants in training” and receive a salary for the duration of
their studies (currently four years) (see “II-4. Courses and qualifications” (p.14)).

2-1-3) P reparatory Classes for Grandes Écoles (CPGE: Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes
Écoles)
CPGE are preparatory programs for entrance examinations to grandes écoles that are attached tonationwide grandes écoles or major lycees (secondary institutions). Entering CPGE is extremely difficult,and the entry rate is approximately 7% among new baccalauréat holders each year. CPGE students canenroll in universities and in CPGE to acquire the universities’ diplomas; however, the students cannot
obtain a license from CPGE as it specializes in preparatory studies for entrance examinations at the
grandes écoles.

2-1-4) University Institutes of Technology (IUT: Instituts Universitaires de Technologie)
IUT were established to provide preparatory education for students to acquire a high-level qualificationin engineering in two years. Unlike the aforementioned universities, students are required to take a
document examination, a written examination, and an interview upon entering IUT. Curriculums are
divided into 25 kinds of majors, and IUT provides professional education with a clear occupational
orientation. Facilities are equipped with relatively high technology compared with those in universities;
therefore, students can benefit from an outstanding learning environment. Besides, upon completingthe curriculum, students can obtain a Technical Junior College Certificate (DUT: Diplôme universitairede technologie) (p.19).

2-1-5) Higher Technician Sections (STS: Sections de Technicien Supérieur)
STS are attached to major Lycées (secondary educational institutions) as well as CPGE. Similar to IUT,
STS train high-level engineers and are entitled to select its students. Moreover, specialized educationis conducted by narrowing down the major field of study compared with that in IUT, and the numberof specialized areas is 113. After completing the prescribed course, students can obtain a Brevet deTechnicien Supérieur (BTS) (p.20).

3

 Many grandes écoles are partly funded by enterprises. Students have enough opportunities for dialogue in faculties
because classes are small. Projects and case studies are the predominant educational models and students have awide choice.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

92-1-6) Specialized Schools (Écoles Spécialisées)France is internationally recognized in the fields of gastronomy, hotel management, fashion, and films,
among other areas. Numerous specialized schools offer programs in these and other fields (see “II-4.
Courses and qualifications” (p.14)).
Sources
CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/fr/
Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI):
http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/
French Embassy in Japan: http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/
	Tatsuya Natsume: The structure of Degrees and Diplomas in French Higher Education(2014), Research on
Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, No.16, National Institution for Academic Degrees and University
Evaluation	Jun Oba: Establishment of COMUE(communauté d’universités et établissements) in France(2015), Strategic
Research Project on University Reform Series Ⅸ of Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima
University
	Tatsuya Natsume, Jun Oba: The vocational education and degree in France(2016), National Institution for
Academic Degree and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)

10

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France2-2) Statistics
Transition of Number of Higher Education Institutions(Unit: school)

Type of Institutions

Number of Institutions
2011

increase rate

2015

Universities (Universités)75

University Institutes of Technology (IUT)

△4%

72

△2.7%

114

111

2,286

2,378

Preparatory Classes for Grandes Écoles (CPGE)

449

445

Engineering schools including Grandes Écoles

254

261

2.6%

Business schools including Grandes Écoles

210

191

Other Higher Education Institutions1

1,091

1,186

Grand total

4,479

4,644

△9.9%

Higher Technician Sections (STS)

3.8%
△4%
8%

3.5%

SourceMinistry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI): REPÈRES & RÉFÉRENCES STATISTIQUES 2016

Transition of Number of students(Unit: Thousand)Type of Institutions

Number of Students
2011-12

increase rate

2015-16

Universities（Universités）including IUT

1,450.7

1,593.2

9.8%

University Institutes of Technology (IUT)

115.0

116.2

1.0%

246.0

234.2

△ 4.8%

Higher Technician Sections (STS)Preparatory Classes for Grandes Écoles (CPGE)

80.4

83.5

3.8%

Engineering schools including Grandes Écoles

130.4

143.0

9.7%

Business schools including Grandes Écoles

126.7

138.5

9.3%

316.7

358.7

13.3%

2,350.9

2,551.1

8.5%

Other Higher Education Institutions
Grand total(Including overseas departments)

SourceMinistry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI): Higher education & Research in France, Facts andfigures, November 2015, REPÈRES & RÉFÉRENCES STATISTIQUES 2016

3. Admission requirements of universities
Entry requirements to HEIs largely differ according to the respective institutions and the degrees
offered. However, all institutions require, in general, the baccalauréat or an equivalent diploma.
The baccalauréat is a national examination and the academic qualification that certifies the completionof secondary education in France. It is divided into several categories such as natural sciences,economy and social sciences, or literature. The baccalauréat is, basically, the minimum requirement
to enter HEIs; however, the study periods for obtaining a higher education diploma are considered
important after passing the baccalauréat (expressed as Bac +α).

4Grandes écoles except for engineering schools and business schools, specialized schools and schools for teacher
education called école normale supérieure” are included in this category.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France11Transition of immediate enrolment rates of baccalauréat holders (%) by the type of baccalauréat andhigher education courses (metropolitan France + overseas departments)
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Universities including IUT

64.6

64.6

65.5

64.6

64.1

65.2

IUT (University Institutes of Technology)

11.0

10.8

10.7

10.7

10.6

10.2

CPGE (Preparatory Classes for Grandes écoles)

13.8

13.3

13.2

13.2

13.0

12.5

STS (Higher Technician Sections)

8.9

8.9

8.9

8.7

8.6

8.1

Other courses

12.3

12.2

12.3

12.3

12.5

12.2

Universities including IUT

25.5

28.1

28.5

28.2

28.3

30.8

IUT

9.8

10.1

9.9

9.6

9.6

11.0

CPGE

1.4

1.4

1.5

1.5

1.7

1.7

STS

43.1

44.0

42.7

42.0

40.8

36.2

Other courses

5.5

5.6

5.1

5.2

5.6

5.4

Universities including IUT

51.9

53.1

53.5

53.2

53.4

55.2

IUT

10.6

10.6

10.4

10.3

10.3

10.4

CPGE

9.7

9.6

9.4

9.5

9.6

9.4

STS

20.1

19.9

19.8

19.1

18.3

16.2

Other courses

10.1

10.1

10.0

10.1

10.4

10.3

Universities including IUT

5.4

7.7

7.7

9.0

8.8

8.6

IUT

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.9

0.8

0.8

CPGE

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

STS

17.4

17.7

18.4

18.8

19.3

23.8

Other course

0.6

0.6

0.6

0.6

0.6

0.6

Type of Baccalauréat
General Baccalauréat

Technological Baccalauréat

Subtotal of General and Technological Baccalauréat

Vocational Baccalauréat

Total for all Baccalauréats (general, technological, and vocational)
Universities including IUT

42.6

43.0

43.3

41.1

39.4

42.6

IUT

8.6

8.4

8.3

7.7

7.3

7.8

CPGE

7.8

7.5

7.3

6.9

6.6

6.9

STS

19.6

19.4

19.5

19.1

18.6

18.3

Other courses

8.2

8.0

7.9

7.5

7.4

7.6

SourceMinistry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI): Higher education & Research in France, Facts andfigures, November 201512

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

Access to the different levels of post-baccalauréat education offered by institutions under the MESRI(whether universities, educational institutes, or public schools) can also be gained through theprofessional experience validation system (VAE) (p.22). Students with foreign degrees, for example, canbenefit from this validation process for the admission. Validation is decided by the president of theuniversity or the director of the institution on the advice of a teaching committee.

3-1) Admission requirements of universities
There is no selection process for students at the bachelor level. Universities have to accept all students
having the following diploma:•	French baccalauréat or a document that is considered to be equivalent (e.g., certificat de capacité endroit)• Diploma for Access to University Studies (DAEU) by passing the tests
	DAEU is a national higher education diploma created in 1994. It replaced the Special Examination of
Entry to the University (ESEU).
Admission to IUT, however, is based on an application process involving an interview of baccalauréatholding candidates.

3-2) Admission requirements of Grandes Écoles
Public and private grandes écoles are often different in nature, but all share a strict process foradmission. Most candidates must have their baccalauréat and succeed in passing a high-level admission
test that requires two years of preparation in CPGE, where entry is difficult. However, the National
Institute for Applied Sciences (INSA),for example, selects their students just after the baccalauréat
without the CPGE. Students who fail their admission test can enter a university if they complete theadmission requirement of the university.

3-3) Access to higher education (APB: Admission Post-Bac) portal site
The Admission Post–Bac portal site provides a list of all French higher education programs forprospective students who wish to learn at HEIs to obtain more appropriate information on these
institutions and decide their future course. In addition, those who are citizens of the EU and wish toenter universities, grandes écoles, STS, or IUT are obliged to submit an online application through thisportal site and can submit applications to up to 24 organizations.
Sources	Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI):
http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/
Admission Post-bac: http://www.admission-postbac.fr/
European Commission (EC): Eurydice - Organisation of the education system in France, 2009/2010
CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/
	Jun Oba: The Higher Education Institutions and Degree Granting Authority in France (2008), The 14th report of
SOCIÉTÉ FRANCO-JAPONAISE DES SCIENCES DE L’ÉDUCATION

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

13

4. Courses and qualifications
4-1) Courses
In France, higher education courses are categorized into three types: short programs, long programs,
and specialized programs. An overview of these courses is described as follows:

4-1-1) Short programs
Short programs mostly require two or three years of study and are common in the areas of business,
manufacturing, and services. Many are offered in multidisciplinary institutes affiliated with
universities or specialized schools. These programs are designed to enable graduates to start theircareers in the shortest possible time, without forgoing the possibility of continuing their higher
education. As these programs always include at least one internship with a commercial enterprise,
short programs offer a practical, relevant introduction to the job market. Most are highly selective intheir admissions; when delivered by universities, these are exceptions to the principle of non-selection
for admission to the first cycle of university degrees.

4-1-2) Long ProgramsLong programs are offered in universities, grandes écoles, and specialized schools.
Universities
Studies at universities are organized into three basic levels (p.17):• Bachelor: three years of study corresponding to six semesters and 180 ECTS credits.
•	Master: five years of study (after three years study of bachelor) corresponding to four additionalsemesters and 120 ECTS credits.
•	Doctor/Ph.D.: eight years of study (after three years study of bachelor and two years of master)corresponding to six additional semesters.
Grandes Écoles
Long programs in the grandes écoles represent five years of post-secondary study, starting with
two years of preparatory study at CPGE in the grandes écoles or in the lycées (secondary educational
institutions). CPGE courses are intensive programs that enable graduates to sit for entrance exams
for three-year programs at grandes écoles. The CPGE courses, which are usually held in the lycées,
are the equivalent of the first cycle of tertiary education. They are broken down into three categories
of economic and business classes, literature classes, and science classes. The programs give theirstudents the credits in European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) which are compatible in the European
frame. Upon the successful completion of five years of post-secondary study, graduates are awarded
their school’s diploma, which is the formal equivalent to a master’s degree. Many grandes écoles
programs are now taught in English, especially in the areas in which the school specializes. Degree
programs in the grandes écoles usually include international internships and study abroad.
Specialized schools
Specialized schools offer academic degrees in fields such as communications, tourism, health,paramedical specialties, gastronomy, hotel management, fashion, film, comic art, animation, video
games, photography, performing arts, journalism, social work, etc. Specialized schools are entitled todeliver diplomas or academic degrees specific to the school. Most programs are two to five years induration. Admission decisions are typically based on examination results or on the screening of thestudent’s application.

14

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

4-1-3) Specialized programs
Combined theoretical and practical training programs
This training program system combines theoretical training in HEIs with practical training incompanies. This type of training, which provides professional experience and competence, isconstantly progressing in the higher education sector. The combined training program provides
diplomas at the baccalauréat level +2, such as BTS, baccalauréat +3, or baccalauréat +5. Some
universities and grandes écoles offer engineering bachelor’s or master’s diplomas through combined
training programs.
Long-distance education
T he ME SR I has established the Nationa l Center for Dista nce Education (CN E D) for offer ing
correspondence courses in all fields. Online seminars and meetings between students and teachers
are organized for programs that require a higher degree of professional qualification. “The electronic
campus (campus électronique)” program offered by CNED gives users access to all the services available
at an actual campus, including the library.
Lifelong learning at higher education institutions
HEIs also provide lifelong learning. This type of education began with the Law of 1971 (Law on theorganization of vocational training as part of continuing education), and universities have been
providing access to professional training since 1985 and have issued partial degrees rewarding
professional experience since 1993. Lifelong learning was taken a step further in 2002 when an entire
degree could be earned through the validation of professional experiences, including volunteer, social,
and unpaid work. These programs are being organized into related subjects (UE：Unité d’Enseignement),
and information technology options are being explored for those with limited access to onsite
education (due to work, or family obligations, or distance).

4-2) Curriculum
In 2002, the Ministerial Order on University Studies Leading to A Bachelor stipulated that programs
be spread out over six semesters and organized them by field in both initial and continuing education
formats. The programs operate under defined objectives for the following academic degrees:
・ DEUG and bachelors (the Ministerial Order of 1997)
・ Multidiscipline bachelors (the Ministerial Order of 1994)
・ Bachelor in public administration (the Ministerial Order of 1985)
・ DUT (the Ministerial Order of 1994)
・ DEUST (the Ministerial Order of 1984, not included in the LMD structure from 2007–2008)
・ Vocational bachelor (the Ministerial Order of 1999)
・ National interpreter/guide degree (the Ministerial Order of 1995)
The educational programs basically include, to a various extent depending on the degree, education
theory, methodology, and practical applications. Based on the educational objectives (while ensuringthat students acquire a certain general foundation of knowledge), the programs can include elements of
pre-professionalization, professionalization, individual or group projects, and one or more internships.
The programs are organized into mandatory teaching units chosen by the student and elective units insome cases. They include appropriate levels of modern foreign language teaching and IT training. The
curricula notably involve learning methods and research techniques in universities.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France15

4-2-1) Student Assessment
In French universities, courses are usually grouped into UE that are cumulative. An academic degreecomprises a certain number of UE; some are mandatory, and others are optional or selective. Oncea student completes a UE, it is never lost. It can be carried over and counted toward the degree
requirements of another program.
Assessment of student performanceStudent performance is assessed in two ways in French higher education:・ C ontinuous assessment. Lea r n ing is measu red continuously th rough tests a nd quizzes
administered throughout the year in every subject.
・ Final examinations. These measures are for student learning in all subjects for several days. Finalexams are taken twice a year at the end of each semester.
Grading scale
In general, French HEIs use the French grading scale from 20 (the highest mark) to 0 (the lowest mark)for each subject.
The French grading scale
Numerical Grade

Description

Meaning

From 16 to 20

Très bien (TB)

Very good

14 and 15

Bien (B)Good

12 and 13

Assez bien (AB)Fairly good

8 to 11

Passable

Satisfactory

0 to 7

AjournéUnsatisfactory

Note

From 8 to 9, a supplementary exam
may be taken in some cases

SourceNuffic: Education system France - The French education system described and compared with the Dutch system

The ECTS grading scale has been developed to help institutions translate the grades awarded by hostinstitutions to European students.
Awarding credits for experience
Numerous regulations have now made it possible for French HEIs to award academic credits toward
academic degrees, certificates, or other credentials (such as a professional qualification) in recognitionof a candidate’s experience on the job or in another setting. Candidates seeking credits are required tocomplete an application in which they describe their professional experience and the skills acquired.
The application is presented to a jury that decides how many academic credits the candidate should
receive for the experience and skills described. If the jury decides to award less than the full amountof credits sought, the candidate is offered suggestions on how to make up the remaining credits.
Two distinct procedures are used. VAP 85 makes it possible for candidates to directly transfer into a
program at the level decided by the validation process. Validation System of Acquirement of Experience(VAE) (p.22) allows the candidate to receive a degree or credits toward a degree based on the jury’s
assessment of the candidate’s prior learning and accomplishments.

16

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

4-2-2) Advancement and Access to the labor market
Advancement
To create a teaching environment wherein objectives are consistent with outcomes, universities
establish their rules of advancement within the programs they offer with respect to the requirements
for the various UE proposed. This advancement framework makes it possible to redirect students
through the establishment of “gateways.”
University studies can now begin with an orientation semester. This semester gives students theopportunity to familiarize themselves with the university and the discipline they have chosen and to
decide whether the choices they have made are right for them. In the second semester, they can chooseto・ continue the same bachelor program・ change to another bachelor program・ ask to be transferred to a different program (STS, IUT, etc.)
Access to the labor market
In France, professional integration of students is facilitated by creating relationships between
educational institutions and the professional world and employment services that provide access to it.
In the reform of the first cycle of university education since 1973, guidance departments at universities
were officially launched to implement employment support for students. The LRU imposes a mission
on HEIs to provide vocational guidance to students at the bachelor level to support them until theyfind jobs. Institutions are required to publish not only their graduation rates but also statistics on
the professional integration of their graduates. The LRU stipulates that each institution must create
professional integration support offices that will publish lists of work placements and job offersthat correspond to the education provided by the university. Furthermore, a system for a vocational
bachelor’s degree was introduced in 1999, and it established internships for developing humanresources sought by industries for promoting the employment of university students.

4-3) Qualifications
4-3-1) Introduction of the LMD system
The French government signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999 with some other European countries.
The Bologna Process was set up to harmonize national education systems in the member states,
facilitate student and staff mobility, and achieve structural uniformity, transparency, and quality
assurance. One of the ways to establish Europe–wide standardization within the higher education
system resides in the three-tier bachelor, master, and PhD academic award system. These three levels
have constituted a rather revolutionary reform in French education and are abbreviated as LMD. In
accordance with the European organization of higher education, long training programs offered in
France are organized into three successive levels, with three types of national diploma:• Bachelor (Licence) is prepared in six semesters
5

Two possible options:・ Bachelor comprises general training
・ Vocational bachelor comprises vocational training

5 The Licence was once the diploma that certified the one-year completion of the third year in a university. However,it has changed to the one that certifies the three-year completion from the admission since the LMD system wasintroduced.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France17• Master (Master) is prepared in four semesters after the bachelor’s degree
Two possible options
・ Research Master (master recherche): More research-oriented, which will allow continuation toacquire a doctorate degree・ Vocational Master (master professionnel ): More professional-oriented, which will be a
preparation for a specific profession and allows immediate entry into the job market.
• D octorate/Ph.D. (Doctorat) is prepared in six semesters after the master’s degree in a doctoral
school (école doctorale)6. This third level is dedicated to research work. The doctorate diploma is
obtained after a thesis.

4-3-2) Degrees and diplomas (diplôme)French HEIs award various sorts of diplomas (diplômes). A diploma is a certificate that proves thecompletion of a course of study under a certain educational program. A “national diploma (diplômenationale)” is awarded in accordance with the procedures provided under legislation or recognizedby the government. Meanwhile, a “university diploma (diplôme universitaire)” is awarded under theauthority of the university itself. The government has an exclusive right to award academic degrees
and conduct accreditation (accreditation) for each institution. A student who has a diploma issued by
the institutions having a right to award national diplomas and can be associated to an academic degree
or a title is automatically awarded an academic degree or a title. It means that universities and other
HEIs are allowed to award only diplomas, not academic degrees or titles.
HEIs eligible to award national diplomas have educational and academic autonomy (Article 4 of theDecree concerning university academic degrees and academic titles, and national diplomas No.2002481). Educational institutions eligible to award diplomas are not only universities but also others
including grandes écoles and EP.
SourcesFrench Embassy in Japan: http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/
Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI): http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.fr/
CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/fr/	Jun Oba, Tatsuya Natsume: The university and degree in France(2010), Gakui to Daigaku (Degrees and Universities), National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE)	Jun Oba: Reform of doctoral education system in France (2009), Bull. Grad. School Educ. Hiroshima Univ., Part
III, No.58

6

In 1989, the government began an overall reform of doctoral education to increase the number of Doctorate/Ph.D.
holders. Doctoral schools were established as the framework of this reform and developed throughout the 1990s.
After that, pursuant to the Ministerial Order of 2002, doctoral programs that provide doctoral education qualified as
study programs that follow the Bologna Process with the introduction of LMD. Since then, doctorate programs havebeen provided exclusively at doctoral schools.

18

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

Higher education institutions and degrees (diplomas)
Levels9876518 semesters(+9 years)
DOCTORATE
16 semesters

・State diploma of
doctor of medicine

Doctoral school・Doctorate / PhD

Grandes Écoles

Schools of art

Schools of business

Schools of architecture

Schools of engineering

480 ECTS
12 semesters(+6 years)
MASTER(+5 years)

32

4 semesters(+2 years)

Other institutions(Lycées, Specialized schools)・State diploma of doctor of
dental surgery
・State diploma of doctor ofpharmacy

・Specialized Master (MS)・Master of Business
Administration (MBA)・Professional credential for
Independent practice ofarchitecture (HMONP)

・Research master・Professional master・Engineering diploma

・Engineering diploma
・Master of Science (MSc)
・Business school diplomas
・Degrees of theGrandes Écoles

・Diploma of art schools(DNSEP)・State diploma of architect
・Diplomas of specialized
Schools (health, social
work, tourism)

300 ECTSBACHELOR
6 semesters (+3 years)
180 ECTS

1

Universities(+8 years)

10 semesters

4

The LMD System

・Diplomas of art schools(DNAT - DNAP)
・Architecture diploma

・Bachelor
・Vocational bachelor

・University diploma intechnology (DUT)

120 ECTS

・Admission to the first year of
a Grande École program
・Preparation for admission to
Grandes Écoles (CPGE)

・Diploma of art schools (DMA)・Higher technical certificate(BTS)

Note: Completion of secondary school + Baccalauréat or equivalent (eligibility to enter higher
education in home country) = access to French higher education
The degrees conferred in French universities and other institutions of higher education are
certified by the French government.
SourceCampusFrance: Choisir la France 2016-2017

4-3-3) Degrees from short programs
DUT: Diplôme universitaire de technologie (University Diploma of Technology) – university degree
This is a two-year diploma awarded by 111 IUTs in France. Designed to train mid-level technicalpersonnel in two years, IUT programs also allow graduates to continue for a more higher-level degree,
such as a vocational bachelor (licence professionnelle), and approximately 80% of IUT graduates do
so. The types of courses offered are the DUT for Legal Careers, DUT for Corporate Management andAdministration, and DUT for Information and Communication.
DEUST: Diplôme d’études universitaires scientifiques et techniques (Scientific and Technical University
Studies Diploma) – university degree
This is a career-oriented degree offered in two-year university programs. Each of the 80-odd DEUST
specialties is very specific, and the curriculum is created in response to local labor-market needs.
The curriculum of DEUST programs is often designed in consultation with employers and local
governments. Practicing professionals take a share of the teaching load. In this course, graduates may
continue for another degree, and the vocational bachelor (licence professionnelle) is the most common
choice.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

19

BTS: Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (Higher Technician Certificate) – non university degree
BTS is offered in the STS of vocational secondary schools; these programs require two years of study (120
ECTS credits). They are designed to train middle managers in one of 145 defined specialties. The BTS
courses take place in lycées, where these are considered as higher education studies, and in IUT. Upon
graduation, more than 30% of students continue their higher education at a university, engineeringschool, or business school.
Vocational Bachelor (Licence professionnelle) – university degree
This degree is awarded after one year of further study to students who successfully complete twoyears of post-secondary study. The content of the wide variety of vocational bachelor’s programs isdetermined by partnerships of universities, employers, and professional associations; the teachingfaculty includes many active professionals. The vocational bachelor is one of the best French degrees
for individuals hoping to find a job immediately after graduation.

4-3-4) Intermediate degrees
These types of degrees or master 1 (Bac +2 degree or Bac +4 degree) are not recognized as valid
diplomas in Europe. However, for historical reasons, the master 1 (Bac +4 degree) as well as the Bac +2
degree are considered to be important in France because they were one of the reference degrees for
obtaining a job before the LMD reform. Moreover, the countries historically linked to France sometimes
used to send their students at this level to France since the local universities face a lack of degree
courses or materials for this level. The number of ECTS permits the students to pursue their studies inanother university, but this is possible only between two semesters.

4-3-5) Degrees from long programs
To align the French system with the rest of Europe, the implementation of the “LMD reform” has seena new degree structure for higher education by offering three levels of studies (bachelor/master/
doctorate) in accordance with the Bologna Process. These are as follows:• B achelor, Vocational bachelor, DNTS (National Diploma for Specialized Technology): degrees
obtained after three years of post-baccalauréat studies corresponding to 180 ECTS credits;• Vocational Master, Research Master: degrees obtained after five years of post-baccalauréat studies
corresponding to 300 ECTS credits;• Doctorate: a degree obtained after post-master’s studies corresponding to 480 ECTS.
Degree awarding authorization
In France, the authority for institutions to award degrees is granted and renewed by the MESRI.
Therefore, HEIs apply for institutional accreditation conducted by the MESRI every five years tomaintain the eligibility to award degrees regardless of juridical personality (Note; Evaluation of
institutions are conducted by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (theHCÉRES). See “III-3. Evaluation of institutions are conducted by the High Council for the Evaluation of
Research and Higher Education (the HCÉRES)” (p.32).) Accreditation is conducted when the government
concludes or renews the contracts with universities referring to the evaluation results of the HCÉRES .
Academic degrees include the baccalauréat and the bachelor, master, and doctorate. The baccalauréat
is not recognized as an academic degree in the context of the Bologna Process, but it is the first-level
degree in French legislation. Bachelor and master’s degree programs, as well as intermediary degrees,
are issued by universities and occasionally by other EPCSCP accredited for educational purpose by the
MESRI.

20

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

4-3-6) National qualification frameworks
Professional qualifications
Professional qualifications in France vary greatly in type and level, and national diplomas awarded
by universities can be considered as professional qualifications in many cases. One of the common
features is that most of them are national qualifications under the control of the national government.
Different ministries, including the MESRI, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of
Armed Force, and the Ministry of Culture, have different professional qualifications in response to
their own services. Types of professional qualifications required to perform respective job duties are
generally specified in a collective agreement entered into between workers and employers. Professional
qualifications are usually given through school education and accredited by diplomas.
National Commission for Vocational Certification (CNCP)The CNCP was set up under the French Social Modernization Law in 2002; the national commission
for professional certification is placed under the authority of the French minister in charge ofvocational training. The institution constitutes 43 members, including representatives of ministers,
representatives of the regions, social partners, representatives of public establishments of economic
field, and qualified persons.
The missions of the CNCP are to・List the offer of vocational certifications (national register of vocational certifications: RNCP)・I nform people and companies about the certifications listed in the national register and thecertifications recognized in the member states of the EU・C heck the coherence and renewal of diplomas and qualification documents, in addition to theiradaptation to evolution in qualifications and work organization.
・I ssue recommendations for the attention of the institutions awarding diplomas and qualification
documents for professional purposes or professional qualification certificates・I ndicate any full or partial correspondences between certifications listed in the national register or
between the latter and other certifications, mainly European certifications・D raw up a new nomenclature covering levels of certifications in relation to jobs held.
Under the authority of its chairperson, the CNCP relies on the work performed by a specializedcommittee, a permanent secretariat, and a network of regional correspondents. It contributes to workat an international level on transparency of qualifications.
National Register of Professional Certifications (RNCP)：http://www.cncp.gouv.fr/
The RNCP provides the public and enterprises with up-to-date information on certifications andqualification documents for professional purposes, in addition to the qualification certificates shownin the lists drawn up by the CNCP under the authority of the French minister in charge of vocational
training. It helps facilitate job access, management of human resources, and professional mobility. The
certifications listed in the register are recognized throughout France.
In practice, the RNCP can be used to consult descriptions of certifications: activities targeted, sectors ofactivities, elements of competence acquired, modalities of access, levels, etc. An up-to-date quantitative
analysis of the register (number of data sheets that can be consulted online, number of data sheets
undergoing validation, list per certifying authority, etc.) is placed at the users’ disposal at regularintervals.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France21Validation of experience acquired (VAE)
The VAE allows people who meet certain conditions to acquire a diploma through professional
experience outside the formal education system. This system enables those concerned to obtain,
totally or partially, a diploma, title, or certificate of professional/vocational qualification. The act ofJanuary 17, 2002, is known as the “Social and Modernization Act” and states that “Every person who
is engaged in actual life has the right to have their experiences validated, especially abilities obtained
through professional experiences in achieving diplomas, professional-oriented academic titles, or
professional qualifications.” The accreditation of experience acquired is applicable to any person
irrespective of his/her age and level of studies or status to validate his/her acquired experience toobtain a professional certification. Three years of experience in relation to the content of the desired
certification is necessary. The VAE can be financed by vocational training funds provided that the
professional certification sought is listed in the RNCP.
Recognition of diplomas
Apart from a few exceptions, there is no regulatory equivalence between French diplomas and diplomas
awarded in other countries. However, diplomas awarded in other countries can be recognized in France.
If the purpose of such recognition is to continue education, it is known as academic recognition. If
the purpose is that of exercising a profession, it is known as professional recognition. It is possible
to obtain general information on recognition of diplomas by contacting the International Center for
Pedagogic Studies (CIEP) as the national information centers (NIC).
The European qualification framework (EQF) is a way of understanding diplomas and qualifications in
Europe. The European Commission adopted the recommendation made by the European Parliament andthe Council, aiming at establishing a EQF for lifelong learning. The EQF regulates the common criteriathat help the member states, enterprises, and citizens to compare the certifications issued under thevarious European education and training systems.
Sources	Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI):
http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/
Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs: http://www/diplomatie.gouv.fr/
European Commission (EC): Eurydice - Organisation of the education system in France, 2009/2010
Nouvelle Université: http: //www.nouvelleuniversite.gouv.fr/
CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/
Centro Inffo: http://www.centre-inffo.fr/	Jun Oba, Tatsuya Natsume: The university and degree in France (2010), Gakui to Daigaku (Degrees and Universities), National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE)	Ayaka Noda: Evaluation of Program and Degrees in French Higher Education (2015), National Institution for
Academic Degree and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education(NIAD-QE)
National Commission for Vocational Certification (CNCP): http:// www.cncp.gouv.fr/

22

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

5. Tuition fees and financial aid for students
5-1) Tuition fees
The idea of tuition fees for public HEIs does not exist in France. The government bears the bulk of thecost of education for public HEIs in France, 10,000–14,000 euros per student per year. Students bear theannual fees for registration of enrolment in their universities, which are stipulated by the law. The fees
paid by students for the 2016–2017 academic year are as follows:・ €184 for bachelor’s programs・ €256 for master’s programs・ €391 for doctoral programs・ €610 for programs leading to the engineering diploma
Tuition fees at private institutions (particularly schools of business and management) are often higher
than those at public ones. The annual fees generally range between €3,000 and €10,000.

5-2) Financial aid for students
Severa l t y pes of fina ncia l a id a re ava ilable to st udents in Fra nce, including schola rsh ips,
accommodation subsidies, and other financial aid. The requirements for receiving “social criteria
scholarships” comprise the three elements: the household income of the student, number of dependent
children in this household, and distance between the family’s residence and the student’s place ofstudy. In addition, a national emergency aid fund has been provided as aid for students experiencing
difficulties that cannot be resolved by the scholarship system based on social criteria (for example,
students whose parents suddenly lose their jobs, adults resuming their studies, or a student breaking
away from his/her family and who must take responsibility for his/her self). The aid will be allocatedin each institution by a committee chaired by the director of the National Center for University and
School Works (CNOUS) (p.25). Finally, there is now easier access to loans, and all students, regardless ofwhether they are scholarship holders, may benefit, without parental guarantee, from deferred payment
loans (full or partial as the student sees fit).
With regard to accommodation, the higher education policy aims to increase the amount ofaccommodation offered by the CNOUS, diversify the solutions for accommodation issues, make use ofavailable property whenever possible, and improve access to accommodation for all students. From2013 to 2015, 20,722 social housings were provided for students. The government has a plan to build
an additional 40,000 housings by the end of 2017.
No matter whether they receive grants or not, international students have the same rights as French
students in terms of access to canteens run by the regional university centers and school-related
benefits (CROUS) or social services.

5-2-1) CampusBourses: Grant search engine
CampusBourses is the website of a grant search engine operated by CampusFrance. It is an essential tool
for financing one’s education in France. It enables users to search according to their needs; therefore,
they can immediately receive information on financial aid through this website. From the bachelor
to the post-doc levels, CampusBourses provides the data on scholarships granted by national andlocal governments, enterprises, foundations, and HEIs, in addition to the systems. The following list
contains the relevant organizations and outlines the aid from France and from the EU:

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France23• European Union
Erasmus Program and Erasmus Plus (for non-Europeans).
• The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
	Grants are provided to international students from the Paris offices (25%, including the Eiffel
Excellence Scholarship Programme) or the French embassies abroad (75%).
• The MESRI	Need-based and affirmative-action grants are awarded to French citizens and certain groups offoreign students (notably those who have lived in France for at least two years and whose residence
for tax purposes is located in France) and doctoral contracts (for those who study at any doctoral
program throughout France).
• Public research organizations
	Of these, most prominent is the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), which operates in all
disciplines, while others specialize in, for example, economic and social development (IRD), energy
and the environment (ADEME), or exploitation of the seas (IFREMER).
• Regional councils
	Grants are awarded to students and scholars who belong to institutions in their region, particularly
doctoral and post-doctoral support administered by institutions of higher education and research,usually funded in partnership with a public research organization or a private firm.
• Higher education institutions
Direct grants are provided, especially for doctoral students and post-doctoral scholars.
Sources
CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/
CNOUS: http://www.cnous.fr/
French Embassy in Japan: http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/
European Commission (EC): Eurydice - Organisation of the education system in France, 2009/2010
French government: http://www.gouvernement.fr/
	Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI):
http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/

6. Internationalization of French higher education
Since 1998, EduFrance, which has since been renamed CampusFrance (the French operational structure
dedicated to international mobility), has been the focus of French efforts in the field of international
higher education, which is increasingly competitive. Dedicated to international academic and researchmobility, CampusFrance exists under the auspices of two French government ministries: the Ministryof Europe and Foreign Affairs and the MESRI. In addition, CampusFrance is leading the international
consortium constituted by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Netherlands organization
for international cooperation in higher education (Nuffic), British Council, European Council of Doctoral
Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc), and Institute of International Education in the US.
CampusFrance also participates in projects financed by the European Commission, such as Indicators
for Mapping and Profiling Internationalization (IMPI) and Eurodata II (Study on mobility developments
in higher education).
With 295,000 international students (12% of the total student population), France is the third largest
host nation of international students after the US and UK, and the number of international students
in France has grown by 21% in the previous decade. The number of programs held in English has
expanded dramatically; CampusFrance stated that there are nearly 600 higher education programs. The
new movement to enlarge the English-language programs has come from the involvement in the EU
Erasmus project. As for areas of origin, Africa (43%) accounted for the most in 2013.

24

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceSources	Délégation interministérielle à l’aménagement du territoire et à l’attractivité régionale (Datar), Centre d’analyse stratégique (CAS), Agence française pour les investissements internationaux (AFII), Ministère de l’économie, de l’industrie et de l’emploi: Tableau de bord de l’attractivité de la France Édition 2010	CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/
CNOUS: http://www.cnous.fr/
European Commission (EC): http://ec.europa.eu/
	Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI): Higher education & Researce in France, facts
and figures, November 2015

7. Responsible authorities and higher education-related bodies
Government department
MESRI (Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation):
http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/
The French government is responsible for the overall public policy of education.
Research funding council
ANR (National Agency for Research): http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/
Public research bodies
EPST (Public Establishment of Scientific and Technological Character)
CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research): http://www.cnrs.fr/
INSERM (National Institute for Health and Medical Research): http://www.inserm.fr/
INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research): http://www.international.inra.fr/
INRIA (National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control): http://www.inria.fr/
EPIC (Public Establishment of Industrial and Commercial Character)
CEA (Atomic Energy Authority): http://www.cea.fr/
CNES (National Center for Space Studies): http://www.cnes.fr/
Foundations
Institut Pasteur: http://www.pasteur.fr/
Institut Curie: http://www.curie.fr/
Academic Information Center for Domestic and International Students and Student Union
CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/fr/
CampusFrance is the French operational str uct ure for promoting international mobilit y.
CampusFrance currently operates 155 offices and 78 branches in 119 countries worldwide. The aim
is to promote higher education among international students, particularly through education fairs.
CampusFrance centers advise and guide international students who are contemplating study inFrance, and the centers are liaisons for all administrative procedures prior to students’ arrival inFrance. In 31 countries, CampusFrance centers have online systems that allow students to apply fora visa while applying for admission to a program.
CNOUS (National Center for University and School Works): http://www.cnous.fr/
Under the supervision of the MESRI, the CNOUS manages the CROUS Network, whose objective isto provide all students equal access to higher education and an equal opportunity to succeed bylending support for their everyday activities, including information on financial aid, residences, orOverview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

25

part-time jobs. As of 2016, there were 28 CROUS networks in France including overseas territories
that supported more than 20,000 students. Each of the 28 networks has a regional center (CROUS
center). The comprehensive regional coverage allows a local response to user needs and constitutes
the core of a network of university social services.
CIEP (International Center for Pedagogic Studies): http://www.ciep.fr/
The CIEP is designated as a French ENIC-NARIC Center, a specific department under the European
ENIC-NARIC agency network, to promote international mobility. The CIEP delivers the recognitionof overseas academic and professional qualifications7 as well as provides information on thesequalifications in France and other countries.
Student Unions: http://www.unef.fr/
The National Union of Students of France (UNEF), founded in 1907, is the main national student
union in France. The organization works to represent the interests of students toward thenational and local governments, political parties, and government bodies concerned with higher
education and university administrations. The organization is also active on the international area,
particularly within the European Students’ Union (ESU).
Representative organizations
CPU (Conference of University Presidents): http://www.cpu.fr/
T he CPU represents the com mon interests of the instit utions that include un iversities,
technological universities, the National Polytechnic Institute, ENS, the National Institute ofApplied Sciences, the grandes écoles, and the Higher Education Research Centers. One of theroles of the CPU is to arouse public debate on higher education and research in France, and it
has become an indispensable interlocutor of the authorities of those universities having issues.
CNU (National Council of Universities): http://www.cpcnu.fr/
The CNU is the national body that adjudicates on measures relating to qualifications, recruitment,
and the career of teachers and researchers (professors and lecturers) of French universities.
The CNU is composed of subcommittees; each subcommittee corresponds to a discipline. The
subcommittees and the members of each subcommittee are determined by order of the MESRI. Twothirds of the members of each subcommittee are elected by their peers, and the remaining one
third is made up of members appointed by the order of the MESRI among university teachers andallied staff and lecturers and allied personnel.
CGE (Conference of Grandes Écoles): http://www.cge.asso.fr/
This is an association (Act 1901) of the grandes écoles of engineering and management that isrecognized by the state and awards a national diploma attesting to at least five years of study after
the baccalauréat.
※F or quality assurance institutions, see “III-2. The quality assurance system of French higher
education”. (p.29)

7

The CIEP evaluates the academic degrees awarded in other countries in comparison with the ones in the Frenchhigher education system upon the request of applicants and issues certificates to them. While the judgment of comparability is entrusted to institutions where applicants wish to enroll, institutions generally refer to the certificates
for their judgments.

26

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

8. Legislation
Loi d’orientation de l’enseignement supérieur: 12/11/1968
The framework law of 1968 on higher education, called the Edgar Faure L aw, stipulated thefundamental legislative framework for university organization in France. The Law provided foracademic, administrative, and financial autonomy of the universities, which replaced the old colleges.
This law has not been repealed, and the provisions not in contradiction with those of the law on higher
education dated 26/01/1984 remain in force. (p.5)
Loi sur l’enseignement supérieur: 26/01/1984
The law of 1984 on higher education, known as the Savary Law, defines the fundamental principles
applying to higher education courses under the responsibility of the MESRI. It establishes theprinciples governing the organization and operation of HEIs, including universities, colleges, andeducational institutions outside universities, ENS, French schools abroad, and grandes écoles. The Lawreorganizes the university system, formerly governed by the framework law on higher education dated
12/11/1968, by granting more autonomy in administrative, financial, teaching, and scientific mattersto universities. (p.5)
Loi de programme pour la recherche: 18/04/2006
The Act on Research of 2006 aims to improve the strategic vision and coherence of the research system.
It aims to develop interfaces and cooperation between public research actors and between them and thebusiness sector. Besides, this act (art 9), which introduces the research code articles L.114-3-1 to L.1143-7, is a legal framework for the creation of the Evaluation Agency for Research and Higher Education (theAERES), the predecessor of the HCÉRES. These articles mostly define the mission of the AERES (L.114-3-1
and L.114-3-5) as well as the tasks and composition of that council (L.114-3-3). (p.28)
Loi relative aux libertés et responsabilités des universités: 10/08/2007
The Law for Liberties and Responsibilities of Universities (the LRU) is the law reforming autonomous
status and management in the universities. (p.6)
La loi sur l’enseignement supérieur et la recherche: 22/07/2013
The Law on higher education and research brought a major structural change by promoting the
integration of HEIs and research institutions within the same area. Besides, this law No. 2013-660 states
the abolition of the AERES and its replacement by the HCÉRES. (p.7, 28)
Sources
Legifrance: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/
European Commission (EC): Eurydice - Organisation of the education system in France, 2009/2010
High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

27III. The Quality Assurance System
1. The transition of the French quality assurance system
1-1) The National Council for Evaluation of Universities (CNE)
An external evaluation system was formed in France in the middle of the 1980s. The CNE was set up in
1984 and played a central role in evaluation. It was an autonomous administrative entity that reported
directly to the President of the Republic. Its mission was the evaluation of universities, schools, andother institutions in the areas linked to the mission of higher education in the public sector. The AERES
inherited this mission and the HCÉRES is currently carrying it out.

1-2) The Bologna Process
France is no exception among the European states that saw drastic changes in higher education due tothe Bologna Declaration (1999). New state regulations were introduced from 2002 (p.17), under the LMD
system, intended to build a structure of academic degrees common to all HEIs. The implementationof these regulations was phased in step by step, and a study of the quality assurance process wascommenced.

1-3) The Act on Research (2006): Establishment of the current quality assurance system
In response to the requirement of quality assurance under the Bologna process, the Act on Research (lawno. 2006-450, April 18, 2006) and the LRU were enacted; these brought a huge change to the quality
assurance system, in addition to enhancing the autonomy and responsibility of universities. At thesame time, a new organization, called the AERES, which was created to evaluate the programs of higher
education and research, was established, replacing the CNE, as stipulated by the Act on Research of
2006. The mission of the AERES was to evaluate institutions, including universities, high schools,
research organizations, research units, and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.

 he L aw on H igher Educat ion a nd Resea rch (2013): Q ua l it y assu ra nce1-4）Tcorresponding to the acceleration of coordination among higher education
institutions
The Act on Higher Education and Research, which revised the Law on the LRU was enacted on July22, 2013, reorganizing the AERES into the HCÉRES, which retained the status of an independentadministrative authority and inherited all rights and obligations of the AERES. Since the Law on
Higher Education and Research was enacted, the government has introduced the concept of territorial
coordination groupings and has been promoting the coordination and integrations of higher
education and research institutions. The groupings are organizational modes responsible for strategic
coordination at the regional level. According to study programs, the groupings do not directly deliver
education but monitor the coordination status among study programs provided by HEIs which compose
the groupings (in many cases, coordination is implemented at the doctoral level and it is unusual at
the master level). Meanwhile, the groupings make contracts with the government that are of the same
duration as those of the educational institutions.8 The groupings have gradually been recognized as
the target of HCÉRES’s evaluations, and after a trial implementation, it began to fully operate in thecycle of 2016–2017.
8

With regard to a conclusion of a contract for each territorial coordination grouping, stakeholders of higher
education opposed strongly at the time of the consultation on a formulation of the Act on Higher Education andResearch. Therefore it was decided to set a particular contract regarding budgets allocation for each composite
institution.

28

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

2. The quality assurance system of French higher education
2-1) Higher education institution and university approval system
2-1-1) Establishment of public corporations of higher education
Public corporations in higher education are legal entities that have been established by the government
for the purposes of higher education and training. These corporations are granted formal autonomy togovern themselves and manage their own finances.
The EPSCP (Public Establishment of Scientific, Cultural, and Professional Character)
Public universities, national polytechnic institutes, and IUT are included in this legal status; all thosewith the status of COMUE (p.7) are EPSCP. The Savary Law of 1984 stipulates the definitions andorganization of these institutions. Their composition provides for a federal structure of departments(UFR, schools, or institutes) that offer both research and teaching and for elected executives. They
are created by the government after consultation with the National Council for Higher Education andResearch (CNESER). Changes in the internal structure of the institutions must be approved by theminister of the MESRI.
The EPA (Public Establishment of Administrative Character)
HEIs under the jurisdiction of various ministries are set by the Act in the same way as the EPSCP. An
EPA does not have a special status as an educational institution under legislation but has the same
status as other public corporations. EPAs exist as not only HEIs but also various types of corporations
in all sectors of ministries. The heads of these corporations are appointed by the minister withjurisdiction (Ministère de tutelle). Therefore, the heads of EPAs as HEIs are appointed by the minister ofthe MESRI. There are extremely diverse types of the EPA, some being classified as grandes écoles, suchas the école polytechnique under jurisdiction of the Ministry of Armed Force. The following institutions
are included in this category.
・ Local public education institutions (EPLE) with CPGE or STS;・ Scientific grandes écoles under the authority of the MESRI;・ Superior institutes of military education under the authority of the Ministry of Armed Force: thearmy, navy and air force institutes;
・ The National School of Administration (ENA), under the authority of the Prime Minister;・ Superior agricultural institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food;・ National veterinary schools, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food;・ Superior institutes of artistic studies under the authority of the Ministry of Culture;・ National superior engineering institutes and national engineering schools.
・ T he Paris institute of corporate administration (IAE-Paris), which provides a link between
university education and practical business studies;・ T he Institute of Higher Education for Science and Technology (IHEST), under the authority of theministers of MESRI.
Other EPAs are enable to be EPSCPs by the Cabinet Order or requests from the EPAs themselves after
the approval of the CNESER.
Departments of public administration
Some HEIs are mere departments of ministries, without any formal autonomy or corporate identity.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France29

2-1-2) Establishment of private institutions of higher education
According to the section L731-1 of the Code of Education, all French citizens and members of theEuropean Community or the European Economic Area who are more than 25 years old are eligible tofreely attend courses and HEIs, under some conditions (e.g., notification given to the prefectures).
These private institutions need to be recognized by the government for public financial aids andawarding academic degrees. (p.8)2-2) Internal quality assurance
HEIs make contracts with the government and receive budgetary allocations. Under this framework, theself-evaluation conducted by each institution is emphasized. Since the Law Relative to the Finance Laws
(LOLF) was enacted, budgetary allocations have relied on a performance-based system. This meansthat HEIs are allowed to allocate their budgets for appropriate missions although these are required for
genuine internal control. Since 1996, universities must conduct a self-evaluation of their educational
programs, including student surveys. Institutions have therefore established specialized services,
called ”observatories,” that collect data, conduct surveys, and produce internal indicators for students
and graduates, with the aim of the enhancement of their own statistical and analytical capacity.
Accordingly, the accreditation process under the ministries has increasingly been associated with theexternal evaluation of educational programs. Meanwhile, the Act on Higher Education and Researchrequires each institution to internally establish a self-evaluation committee. Some universities placed
students on the committees. In addition, the Quality Network of Higher Education and Research (REseau
quaLIté en Enseignement superieur et Recherche), whose members are all French universities, promotes
the exchange of staff who engage with quality assurance; 15 members were elected to a steeringcommittee. The committee hosts events such as training programs and seminars on evaluation formembers through this network.

2-3) External quality assurance
In France, the government and HEIs make contracts on strategies and resources every five years forthe implementation of the national strategy toward higher education and research. This system wasset into motion by the Law Relative to the LOLF of 2001, which is an organizational law that stipulated
the foundation of the compilation and implementation of the national budget. It was in full effectstarting with the 2006 budget (starting on January 1 of the same year). For the purposes of making
contracts, the government divided France into five geographical zones (A, B, C, D, and E) and conductedaccreditation of institutions (including approval of the establishment of a curriculum, certification andrenewal of the authority to confer academic degrees). The government refers to the results of HCÉRES’s
evaluation for contract renewal for each institution and budgetary allocation, so it has substantial
influence.
Hence the system of contracts between the government and each institution and accreditations areclosely linked and, since the LOLF was enacted, has required institutions to improve their practices
in light of their performance-based evaluation and fulfill their accountability while increasing theuniversities’ authority to implement a comprehensive allocation of their budgets based on a definite
guideline. It appears that the circumstances of evaluation have shifted from a “culture of measures”
to a “culture of result and performance.” The authority of the governing section in institutions
was expanded under the new system, and the section came to have the power to steer finance andpersonnel, as well as organization reforms. However, the management structure controlled by thegovernment was reduced, and university autonomy was increased. Thus, independent evaluationsof universities came to be necessary. The evaluation of institutions was considered to oppose theprinciple of academic freedom in universities; on the other hand, the institutions are obliged to protect

30

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: Francetheir students. Therefore, an external quality assurance system is needed to maintain the balance.
Furthermore, current discussions all over Europe and in France of the roles and organizational
circumstances of universities based on the L RU focused on the necessit y of expanding the
responsibility of HEIs. In this context, the evaluation of institutions conducted by external quality
assurance agencies must consider the results of self-evaluation and clarify the capacity of institutions
to set and achieve those of their objectives that correspond to the government directions, to recognize
issues, and carry out improvements. Meanwhile, as of 2010, the integrated evaluation that was
conducted at the final phase of the overall evaluation process targeted certain institutions. However,taking into account the changes that are producing integration among HEIs and regionally establishing
territorial coordination groupings, it is necessary to take into account the phased status of thedevelopment of the groupings. Thus, the target scope for external quality assurance conducted by the
HCÉRES was also extensively modified to cover the various elements that compose the groupings.
External quality assurance agencies
The followings are external quality assurance agencies in France;・	T he High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES):	
h ttp://www.hceres.fr/ (See “III-3. The High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher
Education (The HCÉRES)” (p. 32))
T he HCÉRES carries out the Evaluation of territorial coordination groupings, institutions, study
programs and doctoral schools and research.
・	T he Commission for Engineer Titles (the CTI): http://www.cti-commission.fr/ (See “Appendix. The
Commission for Engineer Titles (the CTI)” (p. 46))
The CTI carries out the Evaluation of programs for engineering.
・	T he Commission of Evaluation of training and Diplomas of Management (the CEFDG):
https://www.cefdg.fr/
	The CEFDG establishes quality management system for higher education regarding the disciplinesof business and management
・	T he National Consultative Commission of IUT (the CCN-IUT)
The CCN-IUT operates external quality assurance for IUT.
Explanation that starts from the following page concerns evaluation practices conducted by the
HCÉRES, which is the leading quality assurance agency in France.
SourcesThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education(HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/
	Jun Oba: Establishment of COMUE(communaute d’universites et etablissements) in France(2015), Strategic Research Project on University Reform Series Ⅸ of Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University	Jun Oba, Tatsuya Natsume: The university and degree in France, Gakui to Daigaku (Degrees and Universities),
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (THE NIAD-UE) (2010)
	Thierry Chevaillier: The Changing Role of the State in French Higher Education：From Curriculum Control to
Program Accreditation
	Stefanie Schwarz and Don F. Westerheijden (Eds.) (2004): Accreditation and Evaluation in the European Higher
Education Area, kluwer Academic Publishers

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

31

3. T
 he High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education(the HCÉRES)
3-1) Overview of the HCÉRES(As of 2016)
Year of establishment

2014 (the AERES, a predecessor of the HCÉRES was established in 2007.)
The High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (the HCÉRES: Hautconseil de l’évaluation de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur) was established

Character of theorganization

with the Act of Higher Education and Research of 2013. The HCÉRES is the Independent
Administrative Authority (AAI), organization and operation of which were stipulated
by decree no. 2014-1365 of 14 November 2014. Its characteristics can describe as thecomprehensive approach to assessment, and it covers all higher education and research
institutions, research laboratories, and advanced programs.

Location

2 rue Albert Einstein, Paris, 75013, FRANCE

Representative

Michel COSNARD (President)

Number of staff

Administrative staff: 217 (including 102 staff of the management division and 115
researchers and professors termed “scientific delegates”)

・ Board members – 30 French and overseas members
・ Experts – 4,500 evaluators a year (part-time assignment), 20% of whom are overseas
members
Organization

・ Scientific delegates – 115 (part-time assignment)
The role of the scientific delegates is to select the experts and to manage the evaluationcommittee. Scientific delegates are of senior researchers who have great experience andconnections with the legacy of university, such as former presidents and deans of faculty.

・	Organizational structure: the following four departments, another one, the Department Europe andinternational (DEI), an observatory of sciences and techniques (OST) section (integrated with the
HCÉRES in January 2015), and the secretariat

ｰ Department of the evaluation of institutions (Dept. 1)
evaluates higher education and research institutions, research organizations, scientific cooperation foundations, andinstitutions, as well as the National Agency for Research (ANR).

ｰ Department of the evaluation of research (Dept. 2)
evaluates the research of HEIs and research organizations.

ｰ Department of the evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools (Dept. 3)
evaluates study programs and doctoral schools (bachelors, masters, doctoral schools), covering all bachelor’s, master’s,and doctoral programs of public or private HEIs.

ｰ Department of the evaluation of territorial coordinations (Dept. 4)
evaluates 25 territorial coordination groupings that are the corporate bodies of higher education and research institutions.

SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/3-2) Mission
The HCÉRES establishes its missions as follows:・ Evaluating territorial coordination groupings, research organizations and institutions, higher
education and research institutions, and scientific cooperation foundations and institutions, aswell as the French National Research Agency, taking account of their missions and activities, andfurther, conducting meta-evaluation as required for other quality assurance agencies in France to32

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: Francerespond to a request of French institutions or programs to ensure the quality of their evaluation.
・ Evaluating research activities conducted by the research units of the aforementioned organizations
and institutions, which the HCÉRES either does directly or with the support of the researchorganizations and institutions according to procedures that it has approved.
・ Evaluating the study programs and doctoral schools of HEIs.

3-3) Principles
The HCÉRES conducts evaluations based on three principles: independence, transparency, andimpartiality. It also works to carry out its mission with respect to the key values specified in its
evaluation charter.

3-4) Tasks
The HCÉRES has three tasks:・ Evaluating higher education and research institutions (universities, INSERM, CEA, CNRS, and other)with consideration for their missions and activities.
・ Evaluating the research activity of each unit and group of these institutions.
・ Evaluating the study programs and doctoral schools of the higher education system (bachelor’s,
master’s, and doctoral programs).

3-5) Outline of evaluation
The HCÉRES evaluates territorial coordination groupings, universities, some grandes écoles, research,study programs and doctoral schools while having no power to make decisions on accreditation andfunding. Another feature is that the department for research and the one for study programs anddoctoral schools cooperate and evaluate both research and higher education provisions, sharing thesame scientific delegates. Furthermore, transparency and independence are assured in each evaluation
process, with all reports accessible on the website for the perusal of all stakeholders, and the HCÉRES
ensures the sustainable improvement of its evaluation process.
The HCÉRES conducts four evaluations, as below.
1. evaluation of territorial coordinations
2. evaluation of institutions
3. evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools
4. evaluation of research (research units, research fields)
In evaluation of territorial coordinations, the HCÉRES conduct integrated evaluation of all four
evaluations.

3-5-1) Evaluation cycle
The HCÉRES evaluates one-fifth of the French higher education and research institutions every year.
France is divided into five geographical zones (Groups A to E) which are determined by the contracts
between the MESRI and respective HEIs, and evaluations are carried out for each.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

33

GroupName of target regions(vague)A

Comprises the regional education authorities of Lyons, Grenoble, Toulouse, andBordeaux
Comprises the regional education authorities of Rouen, Caen, Rennes, Nantes,

B

Dijon, Besançon, Clermont-Ferrand, Orleans-Tours, and Limoges, as well as New
Caledonia and French Polynesia.

C

D

E

Comprises the regional education authorities of Amiens, Reims, Nancy-Metz,
Strasbourg, Poitiers, Aix-Marseille, Nice, and Corsica
Comprises the regional education authorities of the Parisian region, Créteil, andVersailles
Comprises the regional education authorities of the Parisian region, Lille,
Montpellier, Martinique, and Guadeloupe, as well as French Guiana and Réunion.

SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

3-5-2) Integrated evaluation
Features as integrated evaluation of territorial coordinations
Before territorial coordinations became a target of evaluation, the HCÉRES had conducted integrated
evaluation at an institutional level. At first, the HCÉRES described the results of its evaluation ofresearch units (Dept. 2), then study programs and doctoral schools in three phases (Dept. 3), and finallyinstitutions (Dept. 1) in its integrated evaluation report. The implementation of integrated evaluation,
including territorial coordinations, which became a new target of evaluation, are described as a major
action in the HCÉRES’s medium-term strategy for 2016–2020. The HCÉRES will conduct an integrated
evaluation that takes into account the diversity of territorial coordination groupings. The integrated
reports are referred by the government and are utilized as a basis for subsequent self-evaluation.
The HCÉRES works to conduct coherent integrated evaluation reports for regional coordination and theevaluation target bodies through the practices as below.
・ A nalyzing institutional strategies for promoting regional coordination, the progress of practices
carried out by each institution in its territorial coordination grouping and the association functions
between these strategies and the indigenous growth policies of each institution.
・ Confirming the comprehensiveness and the consistency of all evaluations (evaluation of territorial
coordinations, evaluation of institutions, evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools andevaluation of research) taken under the initiative of the HCÉRES.
・ Avoiding wasted reduplications of requirements, attempting not to overlap analysis targets in theevaluations.
・ Contributing to the strategic management of each territorial coordination grouping and institution
by making final integrated evaluation reports on regional coordination and relevant reports on all
evaluated institutions. These reports must include recommendations for continuous improvement.
Integrated evaluation process
1.	The cross-departmental team (p.37) analyses the activities and action plans that are implemented
by all evaluated institutions of territorial coordination groupings (each institution, each study
program and doctoral school, and all research) over five years, the duration of the contract withthe government (within the relation of territorial coordination groupings, cross-departmental team34

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

analyses through referring to the objectives and strategies that are described in a self-evaluation
report concerning the groupings).
2.	The department of evaluation of territorial coordinations conducts it for the regional coordinationof the groupings. The department writes evaluation reports both for the groupings themselves andfor their strategies (a strategic evaluation report). Part of the strategic evaluation report is usedas guidance for evaluation for each institution, each study program and doctoral school, and all
research.
3.	Each evaluation department conducts evaluation of institutions, study programs and doctoral
schools, and research; then the HCÉRES compiles an internal document based on the report, madeby committees of experts of each department of evaluations.
4.	Finally, the cross-departmental team is reassembled and compiles the strategic evaluation report
written at step ”2“ above, and the internal document written by the HCÉRES at step ”3”. Thenthe chairman of the committee of experts for evaluation of territorial coordinations writes anintegrated evaluation report on the regional coordination of the grouping as a representative of
the committee. The purpose of the integrated report is to complement recommendations statedin the internal document written by the HCÉRES and to be the final report stating comprehensive
recommendations. This report is used to lead the quality improvement for the governance of
territorial coordination groupings.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France35

Process chart of integrated evaluation

Department of theevaluation of
territorial coordinations
Strategic evaluation report

The final
integrated
evaluation
report on CT

on CT

Self-evaluation report for CT
Department of thestrategies for the next contract

evaluation of institutions

evaluation of

Writing the evaluation reportterritorial
coordinations

Department of the

Hearing the demands ofactors of CT

summarization ofevaluation of institution

Establishing across-departmental
team

Department of theevaluation of
territorial coordinations

Department of theevaluation of study
programs and doctoral
schools

writing the evaluation reportfor each territorial
coordination grouping andthe characteristics of CT

Analysis by the Observatory of
Sciences and Techniques (the OST)

Writing the evaluation reportsummarization ofevaluation of study programsand doctoral schools

Department of theevaluation of research
Writing the evaluation report

CT ＝ Regional Coordination of territorial coordination groupingsummarization of
Sourceevaluation of research
The High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

CT

Regional Coordination of territorial coordination grouping

SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

36

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

3-5-3) Evaluation of territorial coordinations
Since the Act on Higher Education and Research was enacted in 2013, the government has introduced
the concept of territorial coordination groupings, composed by the coordination and integration ofacademic institutions such as universities and research institutions that usually are close to eachother. The government previously made contracts with each institution every five years and confirmed
whether each institution was implementing the actions agreed upon the contract through HCÉRES’s
evaluation. In addition to this, the government came to promote the creation of contracts between it
and territorial coordination groupings (the contract durations are the same as those the institutions
make with their territorial coordination groupings). Following this, the HCÉRES adopted evaluation of
territorial coordinations on a pilot basis and officially began conducting this from 2016–2017 (vague C).
The range of evaluation targets for territorial coordinations is set wider than the ones for each
institution that composes the groupings regardless of legal status (COMUE or association). Hence theevaluation target includes all stakeholders related to the policy for the regional integration, it includes
institutions that are not covered by HCÉRES’s evaluation. These institutions are not evaluated by the
HCÉRES individually (such evaluation of institution).
In the HCÉRES, evaluation of territorial coordinations is carried out by the department of evaluationof territorial coordinations (Dept. 4). However, the cross-departmental team command the entire
operation of the evaluation process. The team consists of the members named below.
・	Several scientific delegates who belong to the five departments of the HCÉRES (the departments ofevaluation of institutions, research, study programs and doctoral schools, territorial coordinations,and OST)・	A project coordinator who is allocated to targeted territorial coordination groupings
The teams join the preparation, as in the below illustration, and gather together to conduct integrated
evaluations for territorial coordinations (p.34).

Flow
Evaluationof territorial
coordinations
Flow
of of
Evaluationof territorial
coordinations
Carried out by the HCÉRES

1

Establishment ofCarried out by

cross-departmental

educational institutions

team

Carried out by experts

2

Launch of the10

campaign,
Meeting with actors,

Submittal of

Adaptation of

6

strategic axis

evaluation process

SITE VISIT BY THE
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS

for CT

3

Writing

Hearing

evaluation report
on CT

7

- Head of the territorial coordination

demands ofgrouping

characteristics of CT

actors of CT- Management team

8

Consensual- Board of members- Members of the Board of Directors /4

Submittal of

5

Preparation by

self-evaluation reportcommittee of

evaluation report on

for CT

experts

strategic for CT

committee ofAcademic Council

experts- Socio-economic partners

912validation of the report

Establishment ofcommittee ofexperts

PREPARATION

11Interviews with:evaluation report for

Validation of

Sending provisional

Writing final

15

evaluation report on CT
Writing final- Research institution, etc.
Writing final

SITE VISIT

13

14

POST-EVALUATION

integrated
evaluation reporton CT

INTEGRATION

Feedback
SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France37

Evaluation standards for territorial coordinations
Evaluation of territorial coordinations is conducted in accordance with the following standards. Thesestandards for integrated evaluation, beginning from the territorial coordination strategy implemented
by the territorial coordination groupings, especially focus on the analysis of the objectives of territorial
coordination and the capability to perform various tasks of the grouping. The standards are versatile
enough to adapt to the various tasks and capabilities of the groupings. They consist of three fields, andeach field is further divided into several survey areas.
Field 1: Organizational positioning and growth strategy for territorial coordinations－ Area 1: Analysis of organizational positioning－ Area 2: Growth strategy
Field 2: Governance and operational commands of territorial coordinations－ Area 1: Organization of territorial coordinations－ Area 2: Governance for the development and implementation of the strategic project－ Area 3: Piloting for the operational commands for the strategic project
Field 3: Tasks and competences of territorial coordinations－ Area 1: Monitoring of territorial coordinations－ Area 2: Trajectory followed by territorial coordinations

3-5-4) Evaluation of institutions
The department for evaluation of institutions (Dept. 1) of the HCÉRES evaluates higher education
institutions, research organizations, i.e., public science and technology institutions like the CNRS,
the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (the INSERM), and the Public Establishment of
Scientific and Technological Character, scientific cooperation foundations and institutions as wellas the National Agency for Research. As of 2016, evaluation of institutions targets about 310 higher
education and research institutions and about 60 institutions are evaluated every year (The evaluation
cycle is five years). Meanwhile, as of 2010, about 190 institutions were targets of evaluation of
institutions reports and about 50 institutions were evaluated every year (The evaluation cycle is four
years).
HCÉRES’s evaluation of institutions reports are based on the results of the self-evaluation conductedby each institution and site visits carried out to the evaluated institution at least once. The purposeof evaluation of institutions is to identify strengths and weaknesses and make recommendations.
After evaluation, the HCÉRES compiles a draft report and sends it to the target institution. Then theinstitution submits an opinion to the HCÉRES. Both HCÉRES’s report and the institution’s opinion are
published publically on HCÉRES’s website.
In the evaluation of research institutions, all of their missions, particularly as regards the use offindings and transfers, are significant. The HCÉRES compiles a summary of research evaluation every
year.

38

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceFlow of Evaluation of institutions
Flow of Evaluation of institutions
Carried out by the HCÉRES

1Carried out by

Preparation of

educational institutions

campaign

Carried out by experts
112

Submittal of

Sending the final
report toinstitution

files by institution

Establishment of3

Submittal ofexperts

Meeting with

Holding

5

9

SITE VISIT BY THE
COMMITTEE OF
EXPERTS4

actorsConsultation withinstitution’s

7committee of

meeting to discuss

manager ofschedule of site

institution on

visit and any

composition ofissuesSending the reportcommittee

12

to institution

6

preparation

Verification of theInterviews with:

8

Writing- management teamprovisional- department managers

evaluation

Writing final- students, teachers, staff, etc.

report andevaluation report- partners

validationand validation

SITE VISIT

Publication of
final evaluation

report- head of the institution

PREPARATION

comments

report and10

institution’scomments on thewebsitePOST-EVALUATION

Feedback
SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

Evaluation standards for institutions
Evaluation standards for institutions consist of the major six areas below. The HCÉRES analyzes to what
extent expectations for the governance of higher education and research institutions are being met andcompares the self-evaluation reports written by each institution are achieved with the standards.
1. Institutional positioning and growth strategy
2. Governance and steering of the institution
3. Research and study programs
4. Student unit status and degree acquisition
5. Utilization of research results and academic knowledge
6. European and international relations

3-5-5) Evaluation of research (evaluation of research units and research field)
Regarding the outcomes of academic research, it is difficult to quantitatively measure their effects.
However, in societies where research is financed by the government or private enterprise, theeffectiveness of research must be evaluated; such evaluation is practiced on all kinds of groups
conducting academic research, ranging from the evaluation of individuals to that of universities orother institutions.
In France, before 2007, the Public Establishment of Scientific and Technological Character (the EPST)
such as the CNRS once every four years had evaluated institutions that were in partnerships or desireda partnership. These partnerships between research institutions and public establishments affectedfinancing and employment opportunities for new researchers. In 2007, the AERES, and subsequently the
HCÉRES, began to evaluate all education and research institutions, such as the CNRS and the National
Institute for Health and Medical Research (the INSERM) etc.
The department of the evaluation of research (Dept. 2) of the HCÉRES conducts research evaluations.
The department creates an average of 575 evaluations of HEIs and research institutions every year.
These cover the CNRS and the INSERM or the Atomic Energy Authority (the CEA), supervised by the
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

39

MESRI and other French ministries (e.g., Agriculture and Food).
Before the establishment of territorial coordination groupings, the evaluation of research units was
conducted to characterized potential research abilities and to clarify the status of its target research
institutions in light of the regional, national, or international context, in accordance with the research
institutions’ missions and strategic objectives. Furthermore, in addition to evaluation of research units,
evaluation of research fields (champs de recherché) was launched in 2017–2018 (vague D). Evaluation ofresearch units is targeted on small compositions of research units, and evaluation of research field isfor evaluating larger units, of structured research at the level of territorial coordination groupings.

1. Evaluation of research field
A research field 9 is defined by a competent authority for each research unit belonging to eacheducational institution and territorial coordination grouping based on consultations with the HCÉRES
before conducting evaluation. As of 2016, there are major differences in the grouping. Therefore,
evaluation of the research fields is conducted gradually and flexibly and the evaluation process isdifferent for each grouping.
Evaluation criteria
The evaluation criteria for a research field is as below:•

Positioning in the academic environment and strategic objectives•	Organization (consistency and synergistic and complementary action for each compositional
element) and steering system•

Quality of relevance between study program and research

2. Evaluation of research units
The evaluation process begins with the submittal of relevant materials and a self-evaluation by aresearch unit, and an expert committee writes a draft report based on the materials. After this, theexpert committee conducts a site visit to the unit and writes a draft report. After the validation of thedraft report by the HCÉRES, it is sent to the research unit for feedback. The final report is published on
the HCÉRES website attached to opinions submitted by the research unit.
Evaluation criteria
To conduct evaluations for various research units, six evaluation criteria have been set; these criteria
is reduced to three criteria in 2017–2018. In evaluation of research units, past practices and theiroutcomes as well as prospective activities and strategies for implementation of them are preferentiallyevaluated.
1.	Research activities and qualities for research outcomes, which are divided into three groups as
below.
－ Activities and outcomes relating to the creation of knowledge－ Activities and outcomes extracted from utilization of research results, relocation,
		and interaction with the surrounding environment－ Education using research and related activities and outcomes

92.

Organization of research units and research life

3.

Quality and feasibility of the academic projectResearch Field is various structured form that is summarized as an aggregate that each research unit belongs toterritorial coordination grouping defined in accordance with consistencies of themes and departments etc.

40

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

3-5-6) Evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools
Since 2007, the AERES had been evaluating all the existing programs in universities and HEIs (except
programs granting the title of engineer) from bachelor’s to master’s and doctoral programs. After the
reorganization of the AERES in 2013, the HCÉRES took over the evaluation.
The scope for evaluation that the department for evaluation of study programs and doctoral schoolsof the HCÉRES (Dept. 3) includes all bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs at public or private
HEIs, mainly those supervised by the MESRI, as well as those supervised by other French ministries (ofCulture, Agriculture and Food, Armed Force, and others). Evaluation objectives are set for each of thethree levels: bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The HCÉRES evaluates the appropriateness ofeducation and research outcomes in terms of the resources that are invested knowledge acquisition andcapacity development, the integration of doctorates into the job market, and continuation of studies.
Evaluation of field of study program1 0
Before 2013, the HCÉRES (in its existence as the AERES) had been conducting evaluations for all specificfields and all bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Self-evaluation reports had to include thedescriptions in each field of study programs for the degrees and each specific field and major thatare its substructures and showed advantages, disadvantages, and improvements. The organizational
units of each specific field were subdivided according to their evaluation results. Since 2014, to reducethe burden of the evaluations, the organizational unit for the self-evaluation report was changed. As
for the outlines of the upper level field of study programs (domaine/champs de formations) by eachorganizational unit such as Art, Literature, and Linguistics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Science,
Technology, and Health; and Law, Economics, and Management, it is required to collate information oneach program that makes up HEIs or territorial coordination groupings.

10

In this article the word ‘Field of Study Program’ means coherent aggregate of study programs that each institution
which composes a territorial coordination grouping present as strategies. A definition and an object scope areestablished by each educational institution. Accordingly, it is different from the definition of ‘multidisciplinary’
that means the field itself as a disciple field (p.5)

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France41

Flow of evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools

Flow of evaluation of study programs and doctoral schools

Evaluation of bachelor’s, vocational bachelor’s and master’s degree program
Evaluation of bachelor’s, vocational bachelor’s and master’s degree program
Carried out by the HCÉRESCarried out by

1

Preparation of

educational institutions

campaign

11

2

Sending lists

Carried out by experts

Submittal of plansof fields andof organizing study

study programs

programs :to be evaluatedfield of study
programs

Hearing demands

3of study programsby territorial
coordinationgroupings

6

Conducting

Analysis of files

andWriting summarized

and writing

assignment of files

evaluation report onprovisional

each territorial

9

Sending

4

7

Submittal of files ofAnalysis of files andactual performance ofwriting provisional

study programs:

evaluation report on- field ofactual performance

evaluation reporton the plans

the report

Sending

to institution
and13

SITE VISIT

8
Consultation of

Establishment of

the report andcommittee of experts

consensual validation

PREPARATION

coordinationgroupings

institution and18

asking comments

16

Publication of

Writing evaluation

Publication of

the report with

report on the plans

the report withinstitution’sand consensual

institution’scomments on thevalidationcomments on thewebsitewebsiteSendingsummarized reports

14

10- study programs15

the report toasking comments

study programs

5

17

12

training for experts

EVALUATION OF ACTUAL PERFORMANCEEVALUATION OF PLANS

AND POST-EVALUATION

AND POST-EVALUATION

to Department of
the evaluation of
territorial
coordinations forthe integrated
evaluation

INTEGRATION

Feedback
SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

44
42

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education:
ce Fran

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceEvaluation of doctoral school
Carried out by the HCÉRESConducting training

7

Carried out byof site visit for experts

educational institutions
Carried out by experts

8
Presentation of territorial
coordination grouping and1

Preparation ofits doctoral study programs

15

by its representatives

campaign

Writing summarized

2

Adjustment ofschedule with

SITE VISIT BY THE
COMMITTEE OF
EXPERTSinstitutions

Hearing demands

3of doctoral schools by
territorial

Establishment

coordinationof committee ofgroupings

experts

Submittal of files ofdoctoral school

evaluation report on

9

4
Organization

5

Interviews with:- Management team- Board of doctoral schools- Board of members

each territorial

10
evaluation report

Consultationgroupings

11

Submittal of

13
Sendingcommentssummarized reports
to Department of

14

validation

12

territorialof the report withcoordinations for

institution’s

the integrated
evaluation

Sendingetc,

the report tocomments on theinstitution

websitePREPARATION

SITE VISIT

the evaluation of

Publication- Doctoral representativesof site visit

16

institution’sof the report and- Head of the institution

6

coordination

Writing provisional

POST-EVALUATIONINTEGRATION

Feedback
SourceThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

Criteria for study programs and doctoral schools
The criteria for study programs and doctoral schools clearly explain the perspectives of the expert
panels, in addition to the objectives and the initiatives that the evaluated educational programs should
produce. The criteria for evaluation of bachelor’s, vocational bachelor’s, and master’s degree programsand evaluation of doctoral schools consists of the following sections:•

Evaluation of bachelor’s, vocational bachelor’s, and master’s degree program		 1.

Purpose of study program		 2.

Position of study program		 3.

Organization of faculty members

		 4.

Operation of study program•

Evaluation of doctoral school

		 1.

Functions and academic support of educational institutions

		 2.

Guidance and education of doctoral students

		 3.

Follow-up courses for doctoral students

3-6) Impact of HCÉRES’s evaluation results
While it has a responsibility for evaluation, the HCÉRES cannot make decisions on allocation ofbudgetary resources for HEIs based on their evaluations. The results are distributed to regulatory
ministries and institutions. The government and the universities individually discuss the results ofevaluation based on their contract policy.
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

433-7) Validation of HCÉRES’s evaluation
The HCÉRES considers that the quality of its evaluations is key for ensuring its credibility and earning
the trust of HEIs, research organizations, public authorities, students, and all stakeholders. The
HCÉRES applies the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education
Area (ESG), adopted in Bergen in 2005 by the ministers of higher education of the Bologna process
member states. In this context, the HCÉRES undertakes to:•	Implement quality assurance based on the process approach that is adapted to the end goals of
the agency’s action throughout its various departments and activities.
•	Give it the necessary resources.
•	Provide a lasting framework for setting and reviewing quality objectives, evaluating theirfitness to meet the requirements of the various stakeholders and making necessary changes
and improvements•	Continuously improve the effectiveness of its methods and procedures.
This quality policy declaration is submitted by the Management to the Agency Board and madepublicly available. The quality policy set by the management is also sent to all of its staff members.
Everyone’s adherence to the continuous improvement process is a major aspect of the agency’s quality
management system.
SourcesThe High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/
	Thierry Chevaillier: The Changing Role of the State in French Higher Education : From Curriculum Control to
Program Accreditation
European Committee : Eurydice – Organization of the education system in France, 2009/2010
The CampusFrance : http://www.campusfrance.org/
Legifrance: http://www.legifrance.fr/
REseau quaLIté en Enseignement superieur et Recherche: http://www.relier-univ.fr/
	Ayaka Noda: Evaluation of Program and Degrees in French Higher Education (2015), National Institution for
Academic Degree and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)

4. Internationalization and quality assurance4-1) J oint recognition and accreditation of academic degrees/qualifications incooperation with other countries
Joint recognition of international joint educational programs
As the EU becomes more entrenched, the promotion of cooperation between HEIs becomes increasingly
important. Building up mutual trust from the perspective of the recognition of quality assurance
and accreditation assessments is a necessary element of enhancing European unity. International
accreditation facilitates the mobility of students and academics while ensuring quality throughcompliance with QA legislation in each nation and in the European framework. As a result, the numberof joint accreditation projects involving quality assurance agencies from various countries and regionsis increasing, and French institutions are determined to be at the forefront of these efforts.
The ENIC-NARIC (European Network of Information Centers – National Academic Recognition
Information Centers)
Since 2004, the ENIC-NARIC France, which is attached to the International Center for Pedagogic Studies(CIEP), has been responsible for providing information on diploma recognition. The CIEP preparescertificates of recognition of study levels for foreign diplomas, obtains information regarding
procedures for recognition for French diplomas in other countries and information regarding foreign
education systems, and provides information concerning procedures to be followed to exercise aregulated profession. In addition, the ENIC-NARIC France is associated with the MESRI, the Conferenceof University Presidents (CPU), the Commission for Engineer Titles (CTI), Conference of grandes écoles

44

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

(CGE) and other institutional partners. Moreover, the ENIC-NARIC maintains regular contacts with the
HCÉRES to exchange good practices. International collaboration is also a key area for ENIC-NARIC; suchactivities include a project with the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education (Nuffic) on
the recognition of qualifications gained as a result of professional experience and work with UNESCO
on the creation of the MERIC network (Mediterranean Recognition Information Centers).

4-2) The HCÉRES’s international activities
The AERES, a predecessor of the HCÉRES, was established in the midst of a trend marked by theincreasing international application of higher education and research activities. The HCÉRES intends
to play a key role in this development, particularly through its cooperation with other evaluation
stakeholders worldwide. The HCÉRES views its own international reputation as an innovative quality
assurance agency as essential for boosting the credibility of the French higher education system tomake it attractive to potential international students and potential employers of French graduates,
particularly in the context of the increasingly competitive European market. The HCÉRES is therefore
involved in pan-European Quality Assurance initiatives such as the EQAR (European Quality Assurance
Register for Higher Education), which was set up by the 47 European countries participating in the
Bologna process, and the ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education).
In May 2010, ENQA evaluated the AERES in terms of its adherence to European Higher Education Area
standards and it passed with flying colors. In May 2011, the AERES was listed on the European Registerby EQAR and recognized as an agency that substantially complies with common set of principles for
quality assurance adopted in Europe by the 47 ministers in Bergen in 2005 (known as the ESG (theStandards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in European Higher Education Area)). Accordingly, the
HCÉRES has been registered by the EQAR as the successor of the AERES since the cycle of 2015–2016.
HCÉRES renewed its membership of ENQA as a full member and registration of EQAR for the next five
years in 2017.
Collaborations with other bodies
The HCÉRES also works to respond to European and international calls for tender. For example, the
HCÉRES signed an agreement with the CIEP, with which it shares its expertise as a reviewer and is also
considering partnerships with other French and/or European collective bodies and forging links withother quality assurance agencies, including those in Spain, Italy, Vietnam, China, Senegal, Mali, Angola,
Argentina, and Japan. Such collaborations include holding international seminars to promote theexchange of ideas and practices between agencies. The HCÉRES is working to promote its activities insuch forums as the ENQA, the EUA, or the G8.
Evaluation of non-French institutions
The HCÉRES has commenced evaluation of non-French institutions in an effort to broaden its
experience; it has been conducting evaluation of HEIs in other countries, overseas branch campuses,
joint programs and overseas programs. These institutions are found in Vietnam, Armenia, Costa Rica,
Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Sources
The International Center for Pedagogic Studies (the CIEP): http://www.ciep.fr/
The High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

45Appendix. The Commission for Engineer Titles (the CTI)
1. Overview of the CTI
Year of establishment

1934
The Commission for Engineer Titles (the CTI: Commission des Titresd’Ingénieur) is a nonprofit organization officially recognized as theindependent body in charge of performing program accreditation ofCharacter of theorganizationengineering degrees in France. The CTI was established in 1934 according to
the education Code L242-1 to 12.
Its missions are to evaluate and accreditate programs in the fields ofengineering and applied sciences in France and abroad (i.e., Germany,
Switzerland, Bulgaria, Vietnam, and others in process), develop quality inengineering education, and promote engineering curricula.

Location

44 rue Cambronne, 75015 PARIS

Representative

Laurent Mahieu (President)• N ine-member Executive Board, including a president and two vicepresidents• T he commission members come from the following three organizations:academia, employee’s union, and labor union. There are 32 members, andthey have a tenure of four years. The members are appointed by the MESRI
and are allowed one reappointment. Administrative staff is also designatedby the MESRI.
<The first organization>
Organization

1. Members of public institutions of a scientific, cultural, or
professional character (four members)
2. Members of schools and institutions (four members)
3. Members of scientific and technical skills (eight members)
<The second organization>

4. Members of employer organizations (eight members)
<The third organization>

5. Members of associations and professional organizations ofengineers (eight members)
Sources
CTI: La Plaquette de la CTI
CTI: http://www.cti-commission.fr/

46

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

2. Mission and goals2-1) Mission
The missions of the CTI are as follows: evaluation and accreditation of HEIs and its curricula in thefields of engineering (e.g., computer science, applied mathematics, and project management); thedevelopment of quality in engineering education; and the promotion of engineering curricula andcareers in France and abroad (i.e., Belgium, Switzerland, China, Morocco, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Lebanon,
Tunisia and Burkina Faso).

2-2) Goals
The CTI sets as a goal supporting higher education engineering institutions in the implementation ofeffective internal quality assurance and fostering competence-based engineering education to offer its
experience to foreign universities wishing to increase their international visibility.
Sources
CTI: La Plaquette de la CTI
CTI: http://www.cti-commission.fr/

3. Main areas of activities
3-1) Evaluation and accreditation
The CTI evaluates and accredits programs only at the master’s level. (In France, the engineering
programs are organized as an integrated five-year master program. Currently, engineering bachelor
programs do not exist in France.) There are about 220 French institutions accredited by the CTI,
awarding yearly about 30,000 engineering master’s degrees. Each year, the CTI evaluates about 150
engineering programs.
Procedures and evaluation criteria
The evaluation and accreditation of engineering curricula by the CTI are conducted according to the
ESG (the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in European Higher Education Area) and to
the standards of EUR-ACE label (European Accreditation Consortium of Engineering Programs). The
accreditation is valid for a maximum of six years. This period may be shortened to three years or evenless if the evaluation reveals important problems which need to be resolved rapidly.
Procedures
The procedures for the institutional accreditation consist of:•

A preparatory stage in which a self-evaluation report must be made by the HEI•

An audit stage,•An accreditation stage, and•A communication stage.

Evaluation criteria
The CTI sets criteria for each institution to practice self-evaluation, as follows:
A. Mission and organization
B.

Openness and partnerships

C. Student admission
D. Education and training for the integrated master’s degree
E.

Employment of graduate engineersF.

Quality management and ongoing quality development
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France473-2) The CTI’s international accreditation
Worldwide, the CTI is known as one of the most experienced bodies in evaluation and accreditation ofengineering curricula and institutions. The CTI has progressively widened its activities and has been
fully involved in the development of the European Higher Education Area.
Procedures
Foreign research institutions that have received positive judgment of the CTI are able to ask the
French government for official recognition of their curricula. The first step is accreditation by the CTI
according to its procedure and based on its standards, fitted to the academic and industrial context
of the country concerned. A list of accredited foreign engineering degrees is published annually in
the French Official Journal. Graduates holding a foreign engineering degree from an institution thatis published on this list are entitled to have the same professional rights and levels of recognition in
France as graduates from French institutions. The CTI is also entitled by the ENAEE (European Network
for Accreditation of Engineering Education) to deliver the EUR-ACE label (European engineering
accreditation label) (p.48) to all accredited engineering programs which increases awareness of CTI’s
accreditation.
Accreditation criteria
Engineering graduate schools from abroad must also globally comply with the criteria mentioned
above.

3-3) Other international activities
Collaboration with other overseas accreditation bodies
The CTI signed agreements for the mutual recognition of accreditation results with the NVAO
(Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders) and the OAQ (Center of Accreditation
and Quality Assurance of Swiss Universities) as bilateral recognition. They have also provided joint
accreditation for some master’s programs through the authorization by each organization. Their legal
framework is a combination of the European Standards and Guidelines, the ECA Code of Good Practiceand the ECA Principles for the Selection of Experts. The accreditation process involves self-evaluation,
on-site visit (done jointly), and decision-making (done separately).
The CTI has also implemented joint accreditation with the ASIIN (German Accreditation Agency for
Degree Programs in Engineering, Informatics/Computer Science, the Natural Sciences, and Mathematics).
Their work toward the accreditation of bi-national engineering degree programs includes writing a joint
accreditation report and if this is successful, a joint certificate, together with undertaking a reviewof the procedures and criteria for the joint accreditation process at regular basis. This partnership isbased on the ASIIN-CTI cooperation agreement of 2005, regarding criteria and procedures facilitated bycooperation in the framework of the EUR-ACE project. Further, the CTI participates in the ECA-MULTRA(Multilateral Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Accreditation Results regarding Joint Programs)
as multilateral recognition. In addition, the CTI also acts as a professional body, because there is not aboard of engineers in France. The agency has signed an agreement of professional recognition with theboard of engineers in Canada and is preparing a similar accord with the board of engineers in Malaysia.
The EUR-ACE Project
The EUR-ACE project (September 2004/March 2006) has formulated and proposed a European systemof accreditation of engineering programs at the First and Second Cycle level (but allowing also
accreditation of integrated programs, i.e., programs leading directly to a SC degree). To this end, a setof framework standards to be respected by all participating organizations has been formulated and48

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

published. To operate this system, an international nonprofit association (the ENAEE: the European
Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education) has been established. The ENAEE supports the
EUR-ACE Implementation project, which is intended to make these proposals operational by setting up
the necessary organization, planning, and supervising the award of the first EUR-ACE labels, favoring
the spread of the system to other countries, establishing a fee policy that can rapidly make the systemself-supporting. On November 2008, after an external review of its standards and procedures, the CTI
was authorized until 31 December 2019 to award the EUR-ACE label to accredited engineering programsof master’s degrees.
Sources
CTI: La Plaquette de la CTI
CTI: References and guidelines 2009 (Références et Orientations 2009)
CTI: http://www.cti-commission.fr/
	The Rolex Learning Center: Welcome to Swiss Tech Lausanne (EPFL), a Learning Technological University (powerpoint presentation) (2010)
The European Consortium for Accreditation (the ECA): http://www.ecaconsortium.net/

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France49Appendix: Glossary
Abbreviations & Glossary
Certain words and abbreviations that appeared in the text are defined here in alphabetic order. For
abbreviation, next to the abbreviation comes the full title in French (in italics), after which the full title
in English and a description of the organization are given.
AAI: Autorité administrative indépendente, Independent Administrative Authority
AERES: Agence d’évaluation de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur, Evaluation Agency for
Research and Higher Education (a predecessor of the HCERES)
ANR: Agence nationale de la recherche, National Agency for Research
The ANR is a research funding organization established by the French government law in 2005. The
role of the organization is to fund research projects, based on competitive schemes giving researchers
the best opportunities to realize their projects and contribute to groundbreaking new knowledge.
BTS: Brevet de technicien supérieur, Higher Technician Certificate
CEA: Commissariat à l’énergie atomique, Atomic Energy Authority
Certificat, Certificate
Certification is a generic term which applies to a wide number of subjects and actions, official or not
CGE: Conférence des grandes écoles, Conference of Grandes Écoles
CIEP: Centre international d’etudes pédagogiques, International Center for Pedagogic Studies
CIO: Centre d’information et d’orientation, Center for Information and Orientation
CNCP: Commission nationale de la certification professionnelle, National Commission for Vocational
Certification
CNE: Commission nationale d’évaluation, National Commission for Evaluation
CNED: Centre national d’enseignement à distance, National Center for Distance Education
The CNED is an establishment primarily in charge of providing correspondence teaching at all levelsof academic teaching, including university training and the presentation of competitive administrative
exams.
CNES: Centre national d’études spatiales, National Center for Space Studies
CNESER: Conseil national de l’enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, National Council for Higher
Education and Research
CNRS: Centre nationale de la recherche scientigique, National Center for Scientific Research
CNOUS: Centre national des œuvres universitaires et scolaires, National Center for University and School
Works
CNU: Conseil national des universités, National Council of Universities
CPGE: Classes préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles, Preparatory Classes for Grandes Écoles
CPU: Conférence des présidents d’université, Conference of University Presidents
CTI: Commission des titres d’Ingénieur, Commission for Engineer Titles
DAEU: Diplôme d’accès aux études universitaires, Diploma for Access to University Studies
The DAEU provides the same rights as the baccalauréat for those who wish to enter higher education
studies to increase their opportunities of promotion or return to the job market, to acquire a diploma
to allow them to take the administrative competitive examinations requiring the baccalauréat, andobtain a diploma certifying their general competence.
DEUG: Diplôme d’études universitaires génerales, General University Studies Diploma
DEUST: Diplôme d’études universitaires scientifiques et techniques, Scientific and Technical University
Studies Diploma

50

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceDiplôme, Diploma
A written document establishing rights (as applicable: access to competitive examinations, thecontinuation of studies, or others). It is issued by a relevant authority under the control of the state. It
determines access to certain occupations and certain training programs or competitive examinations.
It acknowledges the verified skill level of the diploma holder.
DNTS: Diplôme national de technologie spécialisée, National Diploma for Specialized Technology
DU: Diplôme universitaire, University Diploma
DUT: Diplôme universitaire de technologie, University Diploma of Technology
The DUT is a two-year diploma awarded by France’s 111 IUTs (University Institutes of Technology).
Designed to train mid-level technical personnel in two years, IUT programs also allow graduates tocontinue on for a more advanced degree, such as a vocational bachelor. The types of courses offered
are the DUT for Legal Careers, the DUT for Corporate Management and Administration (GEA), and the
DUT for Information and Communication.
ENA: École nationale d’administration, National School of Administration
ENS: École normale supérieure, known as teacher a training college
EP: Établissement public, Public Establishment
EPA: Établissement public à caractère administratif, Public Establishment of Administrative Character
EPCSC: Établissement public à caractère scientifique et culturel, Public Establishment of Scientific andCultural Character
EPSCP: Établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnelle, Public Establishment of
Scientific, Cultural, and Professional Character
EPST: Établissement public à caractère scientifique et technologique, Public Establishment of Scientificand Technological Character
EPIC: Établissement public à caractère industriel et commercial, Public Establishment of Industrial andCommercial Character
ESEU: Examen spécial d’entrée à l’université, Special Examination of Entry to the University
ESU: European Students Union
HCÉRES: Haut conseil de l’évaluation de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur, the High Council for
the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education
IAE: Institut d’administration des entreprises, Institute of Business Administration
IEP: Institut d’études politiques, Institute of Political Studies
INRA: Institut national de la recherche agronomique, National Institute for Agrocultural Research
INRIA: Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique, National Institute for Research in
Computer Science and Control
INSA: Institut national des sciences appliquées, National Institute for Applied Sciences
INSERM: Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, National Institute for Health andMedical Research
IUP: Institut universitaire professionnalisé, University Institute for Vocational Training
IUT: Institut universitaire de technologie, University Institute of Technology
LMD: Licence-master-doctorat, Bachelor’s-Master’s-Doctorate
LOLF: Loi organique relative aux lois de finances, Law Relative to the Finance Laws
LP: Licence professionnelle, Vocational bachelor
LRU: Loi sur les liberté et responsabilités des universités, Law for the Liberties and Responsibilities of
Universities
MESRI: Ministere de l’Enseignement superieur, de la Recherche et de l’Innovation, Ministry of Higher
Education, Research and Innovation
PRES: Les pôles de recherches et d’enseignement supérieur, Centers of Research and Higher Education
RNCP: Répertoire national des certifications professionnelle, National Register of Professional
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

51

Certifications
SCUIOP: Services communs universitaires d’information et d’orientation
STS: Section de technicien supérieur, Higher Technician Section
This is a form of technical training for two years after the baccalauréat that provides access to the BTS.
UFR: Unité de formation et de recherche, Training and Research unit
UNEF: Union nationale des etudiants de France, National Students Union of France
VAE: Validation des acquis de l’expérience, Validation System of Acquirement of Experience
SourcesHigh Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCÉRES): http://www.hceres.fr/
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE): http://www.insee.fr/
National Commission for Vocational Certification (CNCP): http://www.cncp.gouv.fr/grand-public/glossaireCampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/

52

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceSources and references
Publications
・	Agence d’évaluation de la recherché et d’enseignement supérieur (HCÉRES) (2016): Rapport
d’autoévaluation – 2016
・	Agence d’évaluation de la recherché et d’enseignement supérieur (HCÉRES) (2016): PLAN
STRATÉGIQUE 2016 -2020・	Agence d’évaluation de la recherché et d’enseignement supérieur (HCÉRES) (2010): THE HCÉRES
2010
Analyses régionales des evaluations réalisées entre 2007 et 2010
・	Agence d’évaluation de la recherché et d’enseignement supérieur (THE HCÉRES) (2009): Le
référential qualité de l’THE HCÉRES・	Agence d’évaluation de la recherché et d’enseignement supérieur (THE HCÉRES): Vague A guide del’évaluation 2009・	Delegation internministerielle a l’amenagement du territoire et a l’attractivite regionale (Datar),
Centre d’analyse atrategique (CAS), Agence francaise pour les investissements internationaux(AFII), Ministére de l’economie, de l’industrie et de l’emploi: Tableau de bord de l’attractivité de laFrance Édition 2010’
・	Dèpartement de la valorisation et de l’édition, Ministére d’education nationale (2006): The state of
Education from nursery school to higher education, n.16
・	European Commission (EC): Eurydice - The Structure of the European Education Systems 2014/15:
Schematic Diagrams・	European Commission (EC): Eurydice – Organisation of the education system in France 2009/2010
・	European Commission (EC) (2008): Explaining the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong
Learning・	Fabrice Hénard, Alexander Mitterle, OECD (2009): Governance and quality guidelines in Higher
Education A review of governance arrangements and quality assurance guidelines
・	Manel BENZERAFA, Laurent GARCIN, Patrick GIBERT, Jean-Francois GUEUGNON, Universite paris
ouest nanterre-la defense: Public management ambiguity and performance budgeting ‘how canthey coexist?, The French financial constitution case’・	Pierre Glorieux, Director for Research Units, THE HCÉRES (2010): Section des unites de recherché(presentation material in Tokyo)・	Rolex Learning Center (2010): Welcome to Swiss Tech Lausanne (EPFL), a Learning Technological
University (powerpoint presentation)・	Stefanie Schwarz and Don F. Westerheijden eds.,(2004): Accreditation and Evaluation in theEuropean Higher Education Area, Kluwer Academithe CPUblishers・	Thierry Chevallier: The changing role of the state in French Higher Education: From Curriculum
Control to Program Accreditation・	
Toulouse/ Albi/ Auch/ Castres Iut Paul Sabatier 2010-2011・	University of Lyon: Research at ENS LYON 2007-2009・	University of Toulouse: Universite de Toulouse Research and higher education cluster・	Tatsuya Natsume, Jun Oba: Vocational education and degrees in French higher education (2016),
Vocational education and degrees in higher education: Comparative research report on sevencountries - United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Korea and Japan, National
Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

53

・	Jun Oba: Establishment of COMUE(communaute d’universites et etablissements) in France (2015),
Strategic Research Project on University Reform Series IX of Research Institute for Higher Education,
Hiroshima University
・	Ayaka Noda: Evaluation of Program and Degrees in French Higher Education (2015), National
Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE)・	Jun Oba: Promoting Cooperation and Integration of Universities in France (2014), Strategic Research
Project on University Reform Series VIII of Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima
University・	Tatsuya Natsume: The structure of Degrees and Diplomas in French Higher Education (2014),
Research on Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, No.16, National Institution for Academic
Degrees and University Evaluation・	Jun Oba, Tatsuya Natsume: The university and degree in France (2010), Gakui to Daigaku (Degrees
and Universities), National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE)・	Jun Oba: Reform of doctoral education system in France (2009), Bull. Grad. School Educ. Hiroshima
Univ., Part III, No.58
・	Jun Oba: The HEIs and Degree Granting Authority in France (2008), The 14th report of SOCIETE
FRANCO-JAPONAISE DES SCIENCES DE L’EDUCATION

54

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceWebsites・	Admission Post-bac: http://www.admission-postbac.fr/・	Agence 2E2F (Europe Education Formation France):
http://www.europe-education-formation.fr/・	Agence d’évaluation de la recherché et de l’enseignement supérieur (THE HCÉRES):
http://www.hceres.fr/
・	Agence Nationale de la recherche (ANR): http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/・	Bologna Process: http://www.ehea.info/・	CampusFrance: http://www.campusfrance.org/
・	Center d’études et de recherches sur les qualifications (Céreq): http://www.cereq.fr/
・	Centre Inffo: http://www.centre-inffo.fr/・	Centre national de la recherché scientifique (CNRS): http://www.cnrs.fr/
・	Centre international d’études pédagogiques (CIEP): http://www.ciep.fr/
・	CNOUS: http://www.etudiant.gouv.fr/pid33797/cnous-crous.html
・	Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA): http://www.cea.fr/・	Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur (CTI): http://www.cti-commission.fr/・	Conférence des grandes écoles (CGE): http://www.cge.asso.fr/・	Conférence des présidents d’université (THE CPU): http://www.the CPU.fr/・	Conseil national des universités (CNU): http://www.cpcnu.fr/・	Documentation française: http://www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/・	École centrale paris: http://www.ecp.fr/・	École normale supérieure de Lyon: http://www.ens-lyon.eu/・	Embassy of France in Japan: http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/
・	European Association of International Education (EAIE): http://www.eaie.org/
・	European Commission (EC): http://ec.europa.eu/
・	European Commission, Eurostat: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/・	L’info nationale et régionale sur les formations et les métiers (ONISEP): http://www.onisep.fr/・	Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM): http://www.inserm.fr/・	International Monetary Fund (IMF), Public Financial Management Blog: http://blog-pfm.imf.org/
・	Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) France: http://www.jetro.go.jp/
・	Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST): http://www.jst.go.jp/
・	Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS): http://www.jsps.go.jp/
・	Legifrance: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/・	Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/・	Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche:
http://www.education.gouv.fr/
・	National Institute of Informatics (NII): http://www.nii.ac.jp/
・	National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE): http://www.insee.fr/・	Quality Network for a European Learning Resource Exchange (eQNet): http://www.eqnet.eun.org/
Union nationale des etudiants de france (UNEF): http://www.unef.fr/

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: France

55

56

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: FranceNIAD-QE’s publication

What’s Information Package?

Published by NIAD-QE in cooperation with partner organizations both in and outside Japan, this Information
Package provides comprehensive information on both Japan’s and overseas quality-assurance initiatives and on
their systems, terminology and background as related to quality assurance in the higher-education domain.
In working to promote mutual understanding between the Japanese higher education institutions and theircounterparts, NIAD-QE considers it imperative to provide information to the Japanese higher education sector.

NIAD-QE’s evaluationmaterials

NIAD-QE Glossary of Quality Assurancein Japanese Higher Education

English translations of documents :- the principles and standards
applied by NIAD-QE in its certified
evaluation and accreditation
processes (For 2nd cycle: AY2012-(4th edition, 2016)

In a Japanese-English bilingual format, the Glossary
defines and describes the terms used in Japan’s highereducation and quality-assurance systems and in NIAD-QE’sevaluation system.

2019)- the Institutional Thematic
Assessment: Internationalizationof Higher Education

Indispensable for quality-assured international
collaboration with partner universities and institutions.

Overviews of Quality Assurance Systems in Higher Education
Compiled in bilingual format, these publications provide basic information on their respective
countries’ higher-education and quality-assurance systems.

Japan(2nd edition)

UK

USA

(2nd edition)(2nd edition)*1 NIAD-QE published theJapanese version of Korea’s
Overview based on the English
original version made by KCUE
(Korean Council for University
Education).

Germany*2 NIAD-QE published theJapanese version of China’s
Overview based on the
Chinese original version madeby HEEC (Higher Education
Evaluation Center of the
Ministry of Education) and its
publications.

Australia(2nd edition)

The
Netherlands

France(2nd edition)

Korea※1

China※2

Quality Assurance System in Asian Higher Education
Introductory materials regarding quality assurance system of higher education in
Asia. Compiled in Japanese and publshed via NIAD-QE’s website.

Basic information on QA in
ASEAN countries (Table format)

QA briefing

Briefing on

Briefing on

Briefing on

Briefing on

Briefing on

Briefing on

VietnamHong Kong

Malaysia

ThailandIndonesia
TaiwanProject Reports
CAMPUS Asia Pilot Program
Joint Monitoring Report & Joint Guideline
A report containing good practices and a guideline
for monitoring international cooperative academic
programs by the joint monitoring committee fromJapan, China, and Korea.

Evolving Institutional Certified Evaluation
and Accreditation

Verification Report on the First Cycle (2005-2011) andImprovements for the Second Cycle (2012-2018)
The English version of the report covers the essential parts of theJapanese original report.

All of these publications are available on our website:

http://www.niad.ac.jp/english/
For more information or materials, please contact:

International Affairs Division,
National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)
1-29-1 Gakuen-Nishimachi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8587 Japan
Tel: +81-42-307-1616 Fax: +81-42-307-1559 E-mail: kokusai@niad.ac.jp（October 2017）

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education
FranceSecond edition (2017)

Published by:
National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education
1-29-1 Gakuen-Nishimachi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8587 Japan
http://www.niad.ac.jp