In recent months, tensions have intensified at Sciences Po Paris around the situation in Gaza. Behind this unease, some see the growing share of foreigners within the establishment. With half of its students coming from abroad, representing more than 150 nationalities, Sciences Po Paris illustrates its ambition to assert itself as a world-class establishment.
During the mandate of Richard Descoings, at the head of Sciences Po from 1996 to 2012, the institution embraced a more internationalized vision of its teaching, emphasizing its international openness to the detriment of a concentration on the training of majority French elites. This international orientation has manifested itself in the adoption of admission policies and the creation of scholarship programs specifically targeting students coming from abroad. At the same time, encouraging international exchanges has been a valuable contribution for France.
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Although this diversity is a source of enrichment, it also leads us to think about how to reconcile openness to the world and maintaining French identity. Welcoming 50% of students from abroad presents significant challenges. The question of cultural integration is central: linguistic and cultural differences can create a gap between international and French students, thus disrupting cohesion and community spirit. Furthermore, greater competition for already limited resources, whether in terms of academic support, financial support or housing, can increase tensions and pressure on the entire student community.
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Furthermore, mainly favoring the integration of international students risks reducing the place given to French particularities in teaching, potentially weakening the national identity of the school. This focus can also make the job market more competitive for local graduates. Particular attention must also be paid to equity and access for French students from less affluent backgrounds, who could find themselves at a disadvantage compared to international students often from more privileged backgrounds.
In son intervention, Chloé Morin also raises a concern regarding the influence of “woke” and “decolonial” ideas among international students (from Anglo-Saxon or Arab countries), questioning their role in intensifying tensions within the establishment, in context with recent events. This questioning of the nature of ideas and tensions reflects the complex challenges that Sciences Po Paris must face in its educational mission in an internationalized and politically charged environment.
2024-03-13 17:58:20
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