France’s higher education sector is undergoing major growth and transformation. Today, more than 2.9 million students are enrolled across 72 universities, over 200 engineering schools, 220 business and management schools, and dozens of specialist art and architecture institutions. The number of students has doubled since 1980, reflecting both the demand and the ambition of France’s academic landscape.

Amid this expansion, one project stands out: Campus Condorcet in northern Paris, an ambitious hub for the social sciences and humanities. Unlike a traditional university or school, it is designed as a collaborative space where 11 founding institutions.

In this episode, Professor Pierre-Paul Zalio, president of Campus Condorcet talks about breaking down barriers between institutions, fostering collaboration, and advising the French president as part of the new Presidential Council for Science.