François Bayrou, newly appointed Prime Minister, faces the challenge of the 2025 finance law, with significant attention on the funding for higher education. Socialist deputy Fabrice Roussel highlights a concerning trend: despite a budget increase, real funding per student has declined nearly 15% since 2017 when adjusted for inflation. This analysis reveals the complexity of the financial landscape, particularly as student enrollment continues to rise amid static budget allocations.
François Bayrou’s Challenge: Navigating the 2025 Finance Law
Freshly appointed to Matignon, François Bayrou faces a significant challenge with the upcoming review of the draft finance law for 2025. The pressing question on everyone’s mind is whether the new Prime Minister will take steps to support universities. Socialist deputy Fabrice Roussel has expressed hope on social media, emphasizing that “the budget for higher education has been on a downward trend for seven years,” a situation he finds concerning given that “the number of students has surged by 12%.”
Understanding the Budget Allocations for Higher Education
When examining the raw numbers, it might appear that the budget has indeed increased. However, Roussel’s observations draw from research conducted by economists Thomas Piketty and Lucas Chancel, whose findings are shared on Chancel’s website through a series of graphs established back in 2013.
These experts illustrate the growth in student enrollment in higher education through a blue curve, which highlights a steady increase since 2008. This trend has persisted since Emmanuel Macron’s election, as also noted by the ministry.
To accurately assess the budget for higher education, it’s crucial to look beyond the overall budget of the ministry, which encompasses more than just universities and post-baccalaureate programs. The focus should be on the evolution of funds allocated to program ‘150’, specifically targeting ‘higher education and university research’. Piketty and Chancel dedicated a particular graph to this aspect, deliberately excluding funds from program ‘231’, which pertains to ‘student life’ financing.
The orange curve in their findings indicates a consistent annual increase in the budget since 2015. However, it’s important to consider that these amounts are presented in ‘current’ euros, which do not account for inflation. Incorporating inflation reveals an alternative curve, depicted in green, which indicates a decline in budget resources.
This analysis is essential: much like a household, higher education institutions are also affected by the rising costs of living, whether it pertains to energy or other essential services. Evaluating the budget in constant euros provides a clearer picture of inflation’s impact.
Moreover, the per-student funding has seen a downturn. Piketty and Chancel conclude that “between 2017 and 2023, the budget allocated per student, adjusted for inflation, has dropped by nearly 15%.” This finding encourages a deeper look beyond the surface figures of the successive budgets, which have shown year-on-year increases since 2017.
In conclusion, it is vital to interpret the remarks made by PS deputy Fabrice Roussel with care. While the absolute budget for higher education has increased since 2017 when viewed in current euros, a more nuanced perspective reveals a decrease when inflation is factored in. This disparity is further complicated by the significant rise in the student population, which has remained robust throughout Macron’s seven-year tenure.
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