The range of higher education

Fields of study

The Académie of Aix-Marseille offers a wide range of higher education programmes and belongs to one of the main clusters of higher education in France.

The Study Programmes under the auspices of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research (MENESR)

Their are four universities within the territory of the Académie:

• Université de Provence
• Université de la Méditerranée
• Université Paul Cézanne
• Université d’Avignon et des pays du Vaucluse

They offer the traditional disciplines and also the following curricula :

• 4 university-level institutes of technology (IUT),
• 2 engineering schools: 
  • the university polytechnique school of Marseille (EPUM)
  • the engineering school of higher education of Luminy (ESIL).

The university programmes

•  Arts
  • Arts, Letters, Languages and Civilisation
  • Human and Social sciences
  • Information and Communication Sciences
•  Sciences- Sciences and Technologies
  • Sciences and Technologies of Physical and Sports Activities
  • Engineering Sciences
•  Law
  • Law and Political Science
•  Economics
  • Economic Sciences and Management
•  Health

To the list of universities can be added:

• the Ecole Centrale de Marseille (ECM),
• the university institute of teacher training (IUFM),
• the institute of political science (IEP),
• the national school of arts and crafts (ENSAM).

Finally, this picture is completed by the post-baccalauréat curricula of the lycées, namely:

•  advanced engineering sections (STS),
• preparatory classes for the Grandes Ecoles (CPGE).

Training outside the aegis of the MENESR

Several other ministries (Culture, Agriculture, Equipement, etc.) are responsible for higher education.

The range of programmes offered is based on a fairly wide spectrum of vocational schools:

• business schools;
• school of architecture;
• art schools;
• paramedical training schools

Student numbers

 More than 100,000 students in the Académie of Aix-Marseille in 2005-2006

 The cities of Aix, Avignon, and Marseille attract the majority of the students.

Aix : 38,405 - Avignon : 9,085 - Marseille : 46,156

The rest of the student body is divided among short vocational programmes in the medium-sized towns of the Académie (Arles, Aubagne, Salon de Provence, Digne, Gap, la Ciotat, etc.).

The "LMD" (licence - masters - doctorate

The four local universities (Université de Provence, Université de la Méditerranée, Université Paul Cézanne, Université d’Avignon et des pays de Vaucluse) are active players in the process of European harmonisation. They have been fully committed to the LMD scheme since September 2004.

The structure of LMD studies consists of three major levels of post-baccalauréat studies, which lead to the degrees of licence (L) (BA/BS equivalent) after three years (or six semesters), Masters (M) after five years (or ten semesters), and Doctorate (D) after approximately eight years. The study programmes are organised into semesters and teaching units (UE) recognised by other universities. The implementation of the European system of recognised and transferable units will not only improve students' ability to transfer to other academic institutions, but will also ease student transfers to other countries.

The challenges

The challenges and strategic objectives for the Aix-Marseille Académie can be summarised as follows:

• Strengthening skill centres and making the potential of the Académie more attractive to students
• Rebalancing the range of study programmes - Relaunching scientific and industrial technology tracks
• Improving student studying and living conditions in order to increase their chances of success
• Expanding equality of opportunity as part of the policy of urban renovation.
• Promoting the development of higher education and research as a part of urban issues
• Strengthening the cognitive development of the regional territory