2027 Presidential Election: Universities are one of France’s greatest assets

With just a few months to go before the presidential election, France Universités is continuing the work it began in early 2026 to ensure that universities have a powerful say in the public debate. Meeting at the University of Toulon for their General Assembly marking the start of the new academic year, university presidents brought their perspectives into dialogue with those of local and regional authorities, before continuing their work on proposals for 2027

What if, when considering the university of tomorrow, we started by asking local and regional authorities what they expect from academic institutions?

This was the approach taken for the round table entitled “What University for the next Presidency?” France Universités gave two representatives of local and regional authorities free rein to share their views – Aurea Cophignon, representing Régions de France, and Pascaline Lécorché, representing AVUF (the association of French university towns).

Universities and local authorities have interests in common

 Setting university autonomy against strong local and regional ties would be a mistake – this proved to be one of the key outcomes.

For Régions de France, university autonomy must go hand in hand with strong territorial embeddedness. The State ought to guarantee the funding of public service missions and equality across the country universities retain control over their academic and scientific strategies, while local and regional authorities support investment, vocational training and economic development.

France’s regions invest more than €800 million in higher education and research each year. In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region alone, more than €74 million was committed between 2023 and 2025, in addition to nearly €97 million under the Contrat d’avenir programme to support 156 strategic projects.

Cities and metropolitan areas delivered a similar message. As Pascaline Lécorché put it, “Strong universities need strong territories—and strong territories need strong universities.”  A university does not develop independently of its local environment, but in connection with transport facilities, housing, economic development or innovation: “Having said that, she stressed, local and regional authorities must not become substitute funders for the State.

The challenge, therefore, is to reshape this relationship: “We need to move from support to co-construction.” In other words, universities and local authorities need to engage earlier to jointly define long-term priorities. 

Some very concrete issues for 2027

Discussions with university presidents quickly moved beyond institutional issues alone.

What qualification levels would be needed to meet employers’ needs? How can universities be funded sustainably without turning local authorities into substitute funders for the State? How should university buildings and campuses be maintained? What role should PhD graduates play in the local economy? How can university research be better integrated into public policymaking?

On several of these issues, a shared understanding emerged around the necessity of preserving university autonomy while strengthening dialogue with local and regional authorities; maintaining the State’s responsibility for university funding; involving metropolitan and inter-municipal authorities more closely in strategic planning; and making higher education and research funding a national priority, sustained through long-term and predictable resources.

 Universities must be part of the presidential debate 

The discussion with local and regional authorities was followed by a working session among university presidents devoted specifically to the 2027 presidential election.

This forms part of a process launched by France Universités early in 2026 through a dedicated working group. In Toulon, discussions continued to shape the proposals that France Universités is to put forward in the coming weeks.

The discussions provided an opportunity to compare priorities and further develop the work already under way, regarding university funding and autonomy, research, international attractiveness, the younger generations, environmental transition, academic freedom and democracy.

This collective effort will continue within France Universités over the coming weeks, leading university presidents to develop the proposals that will be put forward ahead of the 2027 presidential election.