Universities: Danger!
Universities in danger!
Press release from Friday 29 November 2024 :
Committed to the defence of a public university serving its young people and its region, the President of Avignon Université fully supports the unprecedented action initiated by France Universités, which brings together the heads of universities and higher education and research establishments, with the Minister for Higher Education and Research.
On Thursday 21 November 2024, the Presidents alerted the Minister to the untenable financial situation of the universities as a result of national salary measures taken by the State without compensation. They expressed both their fear and their anger.
For Avignon Université, these salary measures represented an additional cost of more than €1 million in 2024. The Minister made a commitment to the Presidents that he would not deduct an additional 1 % from the 2025 budgets of the institutions in order to create a solidarity fund. However, if the government confirms its intention to increase, without compensation, the Compte d'Affectation Spéciale (CAS) pension fund - set up to recover and manage the State pension scheme - it will be deducting an estimated €820,000 from our institution's 2025 budget.
Avignon University plays a major role in promoting young people and the economic dynamism of its region. Over the last few years, it has developed a range of courses that lead its students to success and professional integration, with integration rates of over 92% after a professional bachelor's or master's degree. It has supported research that is strongly connected to its socio-economic environment, with research partnerships whose turnover has tripled in just a few years. It has supported projects that have a structuring effect on ecosystems and makes a decisive contribution to the economic and cultural vitality of its region.
This momentum has developed despite the drastic savings it has had to make in order to finance uncompensated government measures. Today, Avignon Université is no longer in a position to support the additional savings likely to cover the new drop in public funding. If this drop were to be confirmed, it would be impossible to maintain the momentum, and the institution would be forced to close courses and abandon projects that are crucial to the future of its students and its region.
Closing the doors of higher education to some of our young people and reducing our capacity for innovation is not an economy. It is an economic and social debt that we will have to pay off in the years to come.
The Chairmen and Chairwomen have warned the Minister that the Government must now take responsibility for the decisions it makes.
Georges Linarès
Chairman AVIGNON UNIVERSITY
Classes on Tuesday 3 December have been cancelled. Examinations will continue and services will remain operational.
The financial situation of universities has deteriorated dramatically in recent years. The salary increases introduced by the government have only been partially compensated for, in a context of inflation which naturally has an impact on the operating costs of universities.
On a national scale, the so-called "Guerini" measures represented almost €500 million in additional costs borne by university budgets. The 2025 Finance Bill provides for an increase, without compensation, in the special pension appropriation account (CAS) for financing State pensions.
This additional levy will amount to €180 million. The Minister also announced his intention to deduct 1% from the public service grants by 2025 to create an inter-university solidarity fund.
Universities can't bear this drop in public support by drawing on working capital, some of which has already been used up. Others will soon be.
This situation is now untenable. The university presidents expressed their concern and anger on 21 November with an impromptu visit to the Minister.
At the same time, it undertook to waive the 1 % deduction intended for the solidarity fund. The fact remains that, despite the efforts made by the universities and the drastic cost-cutting measures they have imposed on themselves, they are still unable to meet their commitments, they will soon have no way of withstanding a fall in public support which, if nothing is done, will lead to dramatic measures for young people, for our regions and for the country as a whole.
Universities want to keep the doors of higher education open to all their students. They want to maintain their decisive contribution to research and innovation.
Giving up these missions is not an economy. It is a social and economic debt that we will have to pay off in the years to come. The university presidents united in France Universités have decided to take collective action with elected representatives and the general public.
It is in this context that a national action is planned for Tuesday 3 December, which should lead establishments to suspend a significant part of their activities.
We need to be part of this movement - above all, we owe it to our students, both current and future, who will bear the brunt, one way or another, of the State's failure to support its universities.
⚠️Les classes on Tuesday 3 December will therefore be cancelled. Examinations will continue and services will remain operational.
Mis à jour le 3 December 2024