Nothing seems to be able to stop the mayor of Orléans from his intention to form a partnership with the University of Zagreb, in Croatia, to train future doctors intended to fight against the shortage of practitioners which affects the Centre-Val de Loire region. A report published in mid-April by the general inspectorates of social affairs, and education, sport and research, had multiplied the reservations, advocating the abandonment of the project. But Serge Grouard (Les Républicains) does not see it that way.
The city councilor wants to carry out, from the start of the 2022 school year, the opening in Orléans of a support structure intended to support 50 French students who will follow the courses half at a distance and half face-to-face and in English at the Medical Studies in English , the international branch of the Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb.
During a press conference on April 28, Serge Grouard motivated his initiative – already attempted with the same university, in 2016, but in vain, for lack of agreement from the rectorate – by the urgency to act. According to the mayor, the new faculty of medicine in Orléans, the creation of which has just been announced by the Prime Minister, cannot be enough to fill the shortage of doctors by welcoming 105 first-year students in September, in anticipation of a full faculty of medicine “by 2025”.
“Bringing the Lines”
The first candidates for the partnership with the University of Zagreb must send a registration file to the Croatian establishment and pass an online entrance examination on June 7. The town hall undertakes to finance up to 50% of the tuition fees, which amount to 12,000 euros per year, in exchange for which the student, once graduated, will have to practice in Orléans for five years.
Serge Grouard has denied any intention of opening a “antenna” of the Croatian faculty, a legally untenable decision in the absence of approvals from the Ministries of Health and Higher Education. The municipality therefore wants to create an association, entitled Loire & Orléans en santé, responsible for distributing scholarships and offering tutoring sessions to students returning from Zagreb in the second semester.
In addition to the city, other communities are among the founding members, including the department of Loiret. “Everything is good to take, we have to move the lines, including taking a little freedom against administrative burdens”, supports Marc Gaudet (Union of Democrats and Independents), president of the departmental council, who will offer an additional grant.
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