Higher education institutions across France have taken part in a ¡°day of mobilisation¡±, with some campuses closing their doors and sharing the slogan ¡°universities in danger¡± to protest against government budget measures.

The government¡¯s 2025 budget bill includes a planned increase in universities¡¯ pension contributions, for which institutions would not be compensated. Funding for the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, meanwhile, would rise by about €90 million (?75 million), which universities say would not compensate for inflation.

French prime minister Michel Barnier currently faces a no-confidence vote after pushing through the budget without a vote, with both the left-wing France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally expected to support a motion that could see him removed from office.

The umbrella body ?the decision to mobilise came after a group of university presidents held an emergency meeting with higher education and research minister Patrick Hetzel last month, sharing their ¡°anger and incomprehension¡± about a budget that would force universities into ¡°extremely serious¡± financial difficulties.

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The ministry¡¯s response, France Universit¨¦s said in a statement, was to point institutions to their reserves, totalling €2.5 billion. However, the umbrella body said, ¡°since the majority of an institution¡¯s cash flow is pledged on targeted and contractual operations, it cannot be redirected to current expenses such as electricity bills, university staff salaries and even less so pensions¡±.

On 3 November, the University of Lille closed for the day to demonstrate ¡°what [the country] would be like if public universities could no longer function normally¡±, according to a press release, predicting a further ¡°decline in the quality of life, work and studies for both the student community and staff¡± should its financial difficulties continue.

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C?te d¡¯Azur University also suspended teaching, warning that ¡°the current situation remains unsustainable and threatens both the university and its ecosystem¡±, while universities including Paris Cit¨¦, Paul-Val¨¦ry Montpellier-III, Clermont Auvergne and Evry encouraged students and staff to assemble in protest. Other institutions displayed the ¡°universities in danger¡± banner on campus or online.

According to national higher education union SNESUP-FSU, four out of five French universities could end 2024 in deficit. The day of protest, France Universit¨¦s said, should prompt an ¡°unprecedented stage of awareness¡± about universities¡¯ financial struggles, which could lead to measures including the reduction of bachelor¡¯s, master¡¯s and PhD admissions, the closure of programmes, the shutdown of campuses and a decline in quality.

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com