Claire Michot

The Vocationalisation of University Programmes in France: its Consequences for Employability and Mobility

France has a multi-track higher education system which includes four key components: Grandes Ecoles, short vocational training tracks, specialised higher education institutions (in social work, healthcare and the arts), and universities. Access to higher education is traditionally defined by the contrast between universities (which enrol all holders of the baccalaureat without any selection process) and the extremely selective Grandes Ecoles. The other tertiary courses are not directly accessible to all baccalaureat holders who wish to enrol because the number of study places is limited; applications to these tracks involve a selection process (based on educational records or a competitive entrance exam, test, interview, etc.).