How did the university reforms of November 1968 change higher education in France?

Following the student protests of May 1968, the French government enacted significant reforms on November 12, 1968, to restructure higher education. These changes aimed to address the rigid, centralized nature of the university system by introducing a degree of autonomy.12

Key changes included:

• Structural Reorganization: The traditional system of faculties or colleges organized by subject was replaced by teaching and research units. These were regrouped into autonomous, multidisciplinary universities.13
• Shared Governance: Universities became co-managed by representatives elected from the administration, teaching staff, and students, providing the latter with a greater voice in institutional affairs.12
• Institutional Autonomy: These new institutions gained the authority to determine their own teaching methods, research programs, and assessment criteria.1

Despite these reforms, the system remained partially centralized, as the state continued to provide funding and validate much of the curriculum at the national level. This legislation marked the beginning of a broader movement toward decentralization in the French educational landscape.12