Plan for degree courses in English is deluded

By Ben McPartland. The French government is planning a controversial change in the law to allow more university courses to be taught entirely in English, in a bid to attract foreign students. Author Frederic Werst, one of a group of writers against the project tells The Local why the idea is "deluded". France’s Minister for Higher Education, Geneviève Fioraso, provoked anger among a group of writers, as well as the famous protectors of the French language the Academie Française earlier this year when she announced plans to permit university courses to be taught entirely in English.
Fioraso wants to change the famous Toubon law - which states that French must be the language of all teaching - a move that would enable universities to attract more students from across the globe. The government wants to bring the level of foreign students from 12 percent to 15 percent at French institutions, whose reputation, according to a recent report, has suffered on a global scale. They believe courses in English hold the key. Many academics, including Jean-Loup Salzmann, president of the Conference of University Presidents are in favour. "English has become the international Language no matter what the pessimists think," he said. Read more...