2026

Reform of physiotherapy training : From four to five years of study as of next September : 02/03/2026

The Government of the French Community has approved, in second reading, the preliminary draft decree extending physiotherapy studies.
The physiotherapist and rehabilitation qualification will now be awarded upon completion of a 120 credit master’s degree, representing five years of study (three years of a bachelor’s degree and two years of a master’s programme).
Currently, this training is organised over four years (three years of bachelor’s studies and one year of master’s). Nearly two thirds of students follow the programme in a university college, with the remainder enrolled at a university.
This reform is based on needs identified by the sector and also complies with European professional qualification recognition requirements.

Introduction of a progressive and transparent tuition fee system in July 2026 : 11.02.2026

As part of its budget conclave, the Government of the French Community has decided to end the mechanism freezing tuition fees and to introduce a new progressive tuition fee system starting in the 2026–2027 academic year.
This new system is based on catching up with the indexation frozen since 2011 for the tuition fee currently applicable in universities and the ceiling applicable in university colleges and arts colleges. By introducing progressive tuition fees, the French Community aims to protect lower socio economic categories from the impact of this financial adjustment.
The introduction of this progressive tuition system also provides an opportunity to implement commitments relating to administrative simplification :

• Ending the mechanism of “actual cost” ancillary fees for goods and services in university colleges and arts colleges ;
• Clarifying which authorities are competent to grant the status of “student of modest means” ;
• Strengthening the Study Grants Directorate to improve processing times for student applications and ensure automatic communication of data to higher education institutions.

The legislative process surrounding this reform is still ongoing, but the circular aims to already give all the developments relating to this progressive tuition fee system, the different conditions for benefiting from a special condition and the implementing rules.

€200 million for the renovation of university college and adult education buildings : 23.01.2026

The Government of the French Community has approved the ranking of applications submitted by the Organising Authorities of higher education (outside universities) and adult education under the second call of the exceptional school building investment plan.
From the call launched in January 2024, 47 admissible applications were analysed, representing nearly €400 million in potential subsidies.
Following assessment and evaluation by the administration, 21 projects were selected, representing a total of €200 000 000.

2025

Fighting sexist and sexual violence in higher education : A priority, a decree, and dedicated resources : 07.11.2025

The Government of the French Community has adopted, in first reading, the preliminary draft decree aimed at ensuring the prevention and protection of students against all forms of harassment, sexist and sexual violence, and discrimination in higher education institutions.
This decree establishes a framework designed to protect students and guarantee, as far as possible, a safe and supportive learning environment.
It is structured around five priority areas, defined by practitioners during working group consultations :

1. Commitment : ensuring firm, professional and proactive engagement from academic authorities through the implementation, from next year, of a strategic plan in each institution to fight harassment, sexual harassment, sexist and sexual violence, and discrimination, in line with the recommendations of the Behaves study ;
2. Prevention, awareness and training : organising proactive measures to raise awareness and train the academic community ;
3. Support : guaranteeing psychological, legal and administrative support for students ;
4. Reporting procedures : establishing accessible mechanisms for reporting incidents and lodging complaints, protection against retaliation, and clear and effective internal disciplinary procedures ;
5. Communication : providing clear and adapted information on available support and assistance services.

The draft decree also provides for the development of two victim support mechanisms :

• A harassment contact point in each institution, which previously existed without dedicated funding. These contact points will now be made permanent and funded ;
• A listening and support unit situated outside individual institutions, within academic clusters.

In addition, stakeholders will be connected through a network to share experiences, practices and spaces for dialogue.
To ensure swift and structural implementation of this decree and political priority, a budget of €2 million per year has been allocated during the recent 2026–2029 budget conclave.

Pupil mental health : a strengthened partnership between Education and Public Health : 16.09.2025

Young people’s mental health has become a major concern. Anxiety, school disengagement, depression and, in the most serious cases, suicidal behaviour : warning signs are increasing. In a social and international context that can be worrying, many young people express a loss of meaning and growing difficulties in looking to the future with confidence. Psycho Medico Social Centres (CPMS), which play a frontline role in supporting pupils, are seeing a continuous rise in requests for psychological support and are now reaching their limits.
In view of this, the Minister for Education and Adult Learning and the Federal Minister for Public Health are joining forces to ensure rapid, accessible and high quality support. Collaboration between the CPMS and first line psychologists will be strengthened. The objectives are :

• Free access to psychological sessions for young people up to the age of 23 ;
• Enhanced support for pupils, parents and teachers, individually or in groups ;
• A coordinated approach, respectful of each actor’s missions, centred on the pupil.

Clarifying roles and reinforcing complementarity

• The CPMS remain the key point of contact within schools, with a central role in detection, listening and guidance ;
• First line psychologists provide short term clinical psychological support.

This structure is designed to avoid overlapping responsibilities : CPMS do not provide therapy and first line psychologists do not intervene in schools without going through them. Schools thus retain their educational mission without shifting towards systematic therapeutic roles.

2024

There have been no reforms to date in this area.