‘The Future of Higher Education in 21st Century’
‘Need to bridge gap between sciences, humanities’
KUWAIT CITY, Nov 25: Prof Frédéric Mion, the President of Science Po University, delivered a public lecture on Sunday evening on “The Future of Higher Education in the 21st Century” at KFAS, during which he shed lights on various topics such as the globalization of academic education, social and demographic diversity of student, the increase of competition among countries to attract students of higher education, encouraging easy mobility between countries as well as science diplomacy. He has also stressed the need to bridge the gap between sciences and humanities as a mean to equip the future generations to be able to confront the challenges ahead.
At the end of the lecture, Prof Mion highlighted the experience of Science Po University in evolving its strategy and establishing itself as the third largest university in the world in the field of international and political studies.
Prof Mion touched upon the importance of international academic cooperation initiatives and presented the Kuwait Program at Science Po University, supported by KFAS, as an example;he cited the role of this program in promoting knowledge and academic exchange among researchers and students in Kuwait and the Academic and Student Body at Science Po University.
Science Po University was founded in 1872 to promote a new class of French politicians in the field of social sciences. Since its establishment, the University has expanded and developed to become one of the most prestigious international research and educational universities in the field of social and human sciences. Science Pohas seven postgraduate colleges with more than 53 master’s programs: School of Management and Innovation, the Paris
School of International Affairs, the School of Public Affairs, the School of Journalism, Law School, Urban School and the Doctoral School.
There are around 32 presidents of state or governments who are Science Po University graduates; 7 out of the last 8 former presidents of the Republic of France, three former heads of the International Monetary Fund and the heads of many international organizations of the United Nations were the graduates of Science Po. Currently, the university has 14,000 students;around 49% of them are international students from 150 countries.
Mion is an alumnus of Sciences Po, the École Normale Supérieure, Princeton University and the École Nationale administration.
Prof Mion studied Public Law at Sciences Po and he was the Head of Public Administration Department from 1996 to 1999. He occupied various roles in the French government; at first he was a Technical Advisor to the French Minister of Education in 2000 & 2001, then he occupied the role of Deputy Head of the General
Department of Administration and Public Service from 2001 to 2003.He was a partner of the British law firm Allen & Overy during 2003-2005. In 2007, he was assigned as the General Director of Canal+, France’s largest media group; he occupied this position until he has been assigned as the president of the University.
Since assuming his current position as President of Science Po, Prof Mion has presented a number of significant initiatives, including the reform of the University’s governance and bylaw, developing the regional colleges of the university, restructuring graduate programs to become independent colleges as well as supporting the globalization of the university.
Prof Mion has also overseen the formulation of the Scientific Development Strategy of the University, which aims to strengthen the position of Science Po University as one of the leading international universities while preserving all relevant matters that boost its identity and success since its founding 150 years ago.