"Ironically for English speakers, one of the most prestigious forms of education in France is the 'école normale'..."
And then you have the ENS - the "Superior Normal School". There's always one that has to try outdo the other by coming up with a posher name ;)
BTW, the remark about it being a nightmare in France for offshoring unis would likely be due to the loi de Sauvadet which automatically converts a contracted position into a permanent position after 6 years. Not a bad system for private companies (prevents the eternal contract), but in higher education, it's a nightmare as your "employer" is the entire French higher education system. So impossible to go from from one uni to another as its the same "employer".
Biting the hand that feeds IT
