Globalisation : threat or opportunity for French higher education ?

France is the fourth most popular country for foreign students after the United States, England and Australia. However, the French system is beset with difficulties : its grandes écoles and universities are complicated; it is difficult for students from foreign programmes to gain access to the most prestigious courses; and generally speaking, conditions to help students begin their studies in France are poor. Apart from general necessary improvements, which to a large extent have already been implemented, there are two fundamentally opposite questions which remain outstanding: should we bring our teaching methods into line with international standards, in other words American standards, and thereby run the risk of abandoning our traditions of excellence ? Or should we preserve the best elements which we have to offer, while at the same time attempting to become more internationally orientated ?