East-West Crosscurrents in Higher Education Cui Bian International Students in French Universities and Grandes Écoles: A Comparative Study East-West Crosscurrents in Higher Education Series editor Ruth Hayhoe, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada This book series focuses on higher education crosscurrents between Asia and the West, including traditional comprehensive universities, normal universities for teachers, higher vocational institutions, community colleges, distance and on-line universities and all the differing approaches to higher education emerging under processes of massification and diversification. It gives attention to the ways in which the Asian context shapes the internationalization of higher education and the response to globalization differently from that of the West, as well as new phenom- ena that are arising in the interface between these two broad regions, such as higher education hubs and regional networks of collaboration. Lastly, it will highlight the growing reciprocity between these two regions, whose higher education systems have grown from such deeply different historical roots. Higher Education has deep roots in the cultures and civilizations of diverse regions of the world, but perhaps the most influential models shaping contem- porary globalization come from Europe and China. Universities established in Europe in the Middle Ages have developed into what is now described as the “global research university,” a model profoundly shaped by 19th century Germany and 20th century America, and spread around the world both through colonization and the emulation of its scientific achievements and contribution to nation build- ing. A millennium earlier China spawned another influential model, characterized by close integration within a meritocratic bureaucracy that entrusted governance to those who could demonstrate their knowledge through written examinations. The Chinese model was greatly admired in Europe from the time it was introduced in the 16th century, and one can see its contours in what Burton Clark described as the “continental model” in contradistinction to the “Anglo-American model” epit- omized in the global research university. What has become clear in the maelstrom of globalization, which has stimu- lated the growth of a global knowledge economy and created circumstances where nations consider higher education as crucial to remaining competitive, is that the integration of core features from both models would be optimal: from Asia, a tra- dition of strong state support for and involvement in higher education, which is crucial for good governance and social advancement; and from Europe and North America, the ideas of university autonomy and academic freedom, which are essential to promoting scientific creativity and innovation. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/13844 Cui Bian International Students in French Universities and Grandes Écoles: A Comparative Study 1 3 Cui Bian Institute of Education Xiamen University Xiamen, Fujian China ISSN 2364-6810 ISSN 2364-6829 (electronic) East-West Crosscurrents in Higher Education ISBN 978-981-10-1132-0 ISBN 978-981-10-1134-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-1134-4 Jointly published with Higher Education Press Library of Congress Control Number: 2016942789 © Higher Education Press and Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2017 This work is subject to copyright. 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Neither the publishers nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Science+Business Media Singapore Pte Ltd. Foreword What has a book about international students in French higher education to do with East–West Crosscurrents in Higher Education? Much more than meets the eye, as I explain in this preface to a fascinating new book that compares the way in which France’s elite and influential grandes écoles attract international students in contrast to its more populist and accessible universities. The first point to note is the striking difference between France’s higher education system and that of the Anglophone world. Burton Clark, a leading theorist in comparative higher educa- tion, distinguished between continental patterns where higher education is closely coordinated with the state and indeed integrated within the state bureaucracy and Anglo–American patterns that are characterized by greater autonomy and stronger legal person status. France’s grandes écoles in a sense epitomize the continental model, with their highly selective recruitment system through a unified written examination and close affiliation with major state ministries, which are commit- ted to employing the majority of their graduates. Although these institutions were largely created after the revolution to serve a purposeful process of moderniza- tion, there can be little doubt that they were indirectly influenced by the Confucian model of civil service examinations for the formation of scholar officials who held important responsibilities within the imperial bureaucracy. France’s strong com- mitment to education as a public good, serving the higher interests of the state, has given it a very different approach to the recruitment of international students than that of the Anglophone world, which is increasingly oriented towards viewing international students as a commercial good. Where East–West Crosscurrents are evident in this volume is in the story of the author, a young scholar from China, fluent in both English and French, who completed both MA and Ph.D. degrees in France, with a particular focus on understanding the international student experience. Her MA thesis compared the experience of international students in France and China, two renowned countries of culture that attract large numbers of students from around the world who are drawn to the richness of their history and civilizational influences (Bian 2013). In her doctoral thesis, Dr. Bian focused her attention on the experience of interna- tional students in France, as she had become aware of how little understanding v vi Foreword there was in international higher education circles of France’s unique dual-track system of higher education. Beginning with a compelling historical account of the development of France’s dual system, she goes on to create a framework for comparative analysis that draws on neoinstitutionalism, world-system the- ory, international relations theory, and concepts of branding. In the case studies of two grandes écoles and two universities, comparison takes place on two lev- els: between the approaches to international student recruitment adopted by these two distinct types of institution on the first level, and then between the French approach and that of the Anglophone world. Rich empirical data drawn from inter- views with institutional leaders, faculty, and international students themselves provides a profile that shows both the persistence of strong elements of France’s unique tradition and adaptations in response to the external pressures coming from both Europe’s Bologna Process and the broader forces of globalization. Readers will find this remarkable effort of a young Chinese scholar to create a bridge of understanding between the Francophone and Anglophone higher educa- tion system both engaging and illuminating. Toronto, Canada Ruth Hayhoe References Bian C. (2013). Study abroad as self-development: an analysis of international students’ experi- ences in China and France. Frontiers of Education in China, 8(3), 448–477. Creswell, J.W. (2012). Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Preface As with every artistic creation, in order to understand the product, especially the hidden message, we should focus on the artists’ intention and the creation process. No studies are value-free and the values of the inquirers and their biases in qualita- tive research should be detailed as well as the “value-laden nature of information” collected from the research field. (Creswell 2012, p. 20) The research topic in this book didn’t come from nowhere; it is closely related to my personal experience abroad and has evolved as a research interest during years of study. I’ve been studying in France since 2008 and the longer I’ve stayed here, the more I’ve realized how little knowledge of the higher education system I had acquired before coming to France. I succeeded in my application to study in France thanks to an intermediary agency that helps Chinese students prepare all the documents, language tests, and interviews; sometimes it even chooses the university for applicants. To be honest, until the moment of my arrival at the air- port in Paris, I just knew that I would take intensive French courses for a year in a language training center affiliated to a French university. As the majority of my classmates at that time followed the same trajectory as mine, I used to think it was the only way. Later when I enrolled in postgraduate study, I luckily got a part-time job in the student service center, helping international students who had just arrived in France with their problems related to the resident card application, accommoda- tion, social insurance and health care, and so on. Thanks to this job, I realized that in addition to my type of international students, there were “others” such as exchange students, students for courses taught in English and “do-it-yourself” students who prepared the application all by themselves. Meanwhile, their indi- vidual experiences and their difficulties had aroused my personal interest in the international student population. Moreover, considering my previous studying and teaching experience in universities in China, it seemed interesting to con- duct a comparative study and that was how my Master’s thesis was initiated. With the guidance of my supervisor Dr. Régis Malet, we analyzed with a comparative approach, data collected in interviews with two groups of international students in France and in China. The study analysis showed that the process of students’ vii viii Preface preparation abroad, their experiences in the host country, and their personal trans- formation were closely related to the different profiles of international students. Considering that the study concentrated on the students’ individual experiences, we realized that the profiles of the interview participants might influence the find- ings and more important, we found that the hosting contexts both at social and institutional levels had had an important impact on the students’ experience. We thought more profound study should be conducted on this research subject from different perspectives. However, the complex problems that could be encountered by the many differences in terms of social, political, economic, cultural, and edu- cational aspects in France and in China, made us give up the international com- parative perspective. After having discussed this with my doctoral supervisors Dr. Régis Malet and Dr. Ruth Hayhoe, we decided to work on an intranational comparative scale of international student populations in grandes écoles and uni- versities in France. To sum up, the study was initiated by personal curiosity and conducted with an exploratory and reflective attitude, during which cumulative knowledge and practice were considered indispensable. The book is divided into five chapters and starts with the presentation of the research background, central research questions and objectives, and the signifi- cance and limitations of the study. The introduction includes as well a snapshot of the international students in France and French policies in promoting inbound student mobility at the national, European, and global levels. The second chapter of the book contains a major review of studies related to three main research sub- jects: internationalization of higher education, the French higher education system, and international student mobility. The third chapter explains the process of build- ing a conceptual framework, and then presents and justifies the theories employed in this study. The fourth chapter analyzes the empirical data collected from the research sites to reveal the internationalizing process in the selected grandes écoles and universities. The final conclusion summarizes the main answers to the research questions obtained from the empirical data analysis and points out some interesting and potential research pistes. The book is mainly derived from my doctoral thesis and based on an over five-year research interest in French higher education and international student mobility. This amazing journey could have never been achieved without the support and guidance from my two extraordinary thesis supervisors, Dr. Régis Malet and Dr. Ruth Hayhoe. I’ve been working with Dr. Régis Malet since my Master’s studies and during these years, I’ve benefited enormously from his guidance both in my academic develop- ment and career building. He showed me the French academic world and taught me how to conduct research and become a qualified researcher. His insightful criticisms and thought-provoking ideas have pushed me further in seeking better understanding and more possibilities. I would like to give him my true gratitude. Along this jour- ney, the presence of my cosupervisor, Dr. Ruth Hayhoe has made it more exciting and she is more than a mentor for my research. Her encouragement has comforted me a lot at some difficult moments during the last several years and her inspirational advice has enlightened my path in pursuit of knowledge. I feel very honored to have shared this experience with both of my supervisors. I would also like to give many Preface ix thanks to all the participants in the four institutions who generously shared their time and perspectives. I couldn’t have completed this work without their help. I would also like to thank all my friends, in particular, Dr. Marie-Christine Deyrich for her kindness and advice for my thesis, and Olivier Bégin-Caouette and Leila Noui for their s upport and encouragement. Finally, I would like to thank my family. My parents trust me with every decision I’ve made and have been always supportive. My dear boyfriend, Han YueKang joined me in this journey several years ago and his confidence in my competences propels me to keep fighting. Xiamen, China Cui Bian September 2015