THE COURTS OVERRULE THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND DELIVER JUSTICE TO SFU PARIS
In violation of applicable law and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the French Ministry of Higher Education has so far resisted recognition in France of the Master’s degree awarded by SFU Vienne, for which SFU-Paris is preparing.
However :
In a judgment handed down on July 19, 2024, the Paris Administrative Court ruled that, having carried out a control that went beyond what was permitted by the texts in force and the case law of the CJEU, “the administration committed a fault likely to engage its responsibility”. Consequently, it ordered the French State to compensate SFU-Paris for the damage it had suffered, in the amount of €185,703.
Previously,
In a judgment handed down on June 29, 2023, the Administrative Court of Rouen had ordered the Minister of Higher Education and Research to grant an SFU graduate authorization to practice as a psychologist in France.
In a decision handed down on February 20, 2024, the Douai Administrative Court of Appeal ruled that “the training provided by the Paris branch of the SFU is equivalent to the diploma issued by French universities, enabling the professional use of the title of psychologist, and that it therefore meets the conditions laid down in article 44 I of the law of July 25, 1985”.
In two rulings handed down on May 24, 2024, the Paris Administrative Court ordered the Minister of Higher Education and Research to grant two SFU graduates authorization to practice psychology in France.
To date, 10 rulings have been in SFU’s favor (10 out of 10 judicial decisions).
We are confident in the wisdom of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research to comply with the law, to recognize the SFU diploma as equivalent to national diplomas, and thus to generalize the authorization for our graduates to practice the profession of psychologist in France. Our teams remain mobilized.
And, anyway :
ECTS credits
SFU-Paris is the French branch of SFU-Vienna. Since SFU-Vienna is duly accredited by a member state of the European Union, Austria, the ECTS credits it issues are transferable to all public and private universities in the E.U., subject only to the agreement of the host university, especially insofar as places are available. (See the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research website: https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/fr/eees-les-instruments-de-la-politique-46489). As a result, at any time during their studies, SFU-Paris students can use their ECTS credits to continue their studies at a public university. Thus, a student who has completed a first year at SFU-Paris can apply to enroll in the 2nd year at any other institution, etc. Every year, many SFU-Paris students obtain bridges to public universities.
Bachelor “ Psychology ” : 180 ECTS credits | Bac +3 | UNESCO ISCED Level 6
Thanks to the ECTS credit conversion system (see above) resulting from the Bologna Process (https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/fr/eees-les-instruments-de-la-politique-46489), SFU is authorized to award ECTS credits corresponding to the Bachelor’s degree (Bac +3). To date, several SFU students have benefited from this system and are enrolled in Master’s programs at public universities.
Master “ Psychologie clinique et Psychothérapie ” : 120 crédits ECTS | Bac +5 | UNESCO ISCED Level 7
- The ECTS credits obtained at SFU at Master level enable their holders to enroll in postgraduate studies and pursue doctoral studies.
- To use the title of psychologist in France, authorization must be obtained from the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.