What rank for Paris-Saclay?

[UPDATED on 21/05/2024 with the 2021-2023 positions (Figures 1 and 2)]
The Paris-Saclay University was officially created on December 29, 2014, but in some shape or another the project had started as early as 2010 or even in 2008, depending on the point of view. Among the declared goals of this endeavour was improving (by the year 2020) the position of the new university in the Shanghai (ARWU) ranking with respect to the Paris-Sud University, which is the main partner to the project.
In 2020, Paris-Saclay was finally ranked in the ARWU, and it jumps to 14th place overall (and to first place in mathematics!) Congratulations to my (former) colleagues for this tremendous progress!

It is interesting to compare the current and predicted ranking of Paris-Saclay (letters and red error bars).

A) The first prediction was made in 2012 by Dominique Vernay, chair of the Foundation for Scientific Cooperation (FSC) Paris-Saclay Campus (top official of the project at the time), who was confident that the new institution would reach the top 10 "of the most attractive universities in the world" [1,2]. This declaration was generally understood at the time as referring to the ARWU ranking, where the size increase of the institution would have the largest effect.

B) The 2017 objectives of Paris-Saclay were more modest, only aiming for the top 20 of the ARWU ranking. This estimation is supported by 2015 projections that predict a rank between 18 and 26 [1,2]. For reference, the same calculation for the COMUE Sorbonne Universités (resulting from the merger of Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) and Université Paris-Sorbonne) predicted the 40th place in 2016. Sorbonne Universités was finally ranked in the ARWU in 2018, at the 36th place, dropped to 44 in 2019 and oscillates around 40 since (see the Figure below.) As expected, there is no improvement with respect to the UPMC position.

 

Paris-Saclay and the Sorbonne are joined in the top 50 by the PSL University (ranked 41st) and followed by the University of Paris (ranked 69th). In France the Paris region really dominates this ranking: fifth on the list is Grenoble Alpes Universit, in the 101-150 pack.

How scientific is forensic science?

[UPDATE 19/04/15:] Similar problems affect forensic hair matches.

A recent New Yorker article discusses the use of cell-phone call records in criminal trials, and in particular the precision with which a user can be located. Unsurprisingly, this precision is much lower than claimed by some prosecutors and, when overestimated, can lead to wrongful convictions.

Some days ago I read [via Soylent News and Slate] about a 2009 report of an NAS Committee: Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward. The Slate article also mentions the numerous convictions overturned by DNA tests and draws bleak conclusions about the current state of forensics (in the US, at least.) How did we get here?

One obvious answer is that the courts of law are ill-equipped to deal with scientific subtleties (in the same way scientists are not prepared to interpret fine legal points.) In particular, it is quite difficult for judges to identify sound scientific evidence (although some standards do exist) and to assess its reliability. A very useful introduction to this point is "How Science Works", by David Goodstein, in Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence (2nd ed.)

Another possible reason is the lack of a "checks and balances" mechanism. Scientific results (important ones, at least) are scrutinized by an entire community, with similar expertise and resources as the authors. During trial, evidence introduced by the prosecution should be questioned by experts for the defendant, but the latter may not have the necessary resources. This disparity is even stronger in the case of plea bargains (as in the New Yorker story), where the evidence is never actually introduced.

French science reform: Hollande's speech

Yesterday, French President François Hollande gave a speech at the Collège de France in honour of Serge Haroche (laureate of the Nobel prize in physics, 2012.) A substantial part of the talk addressed the changes in the French research system to be introduced by the new government.

The talking points were of course in line with the documents already made public: the Berger report, the Le Déaut report and the law project to be introduced this spring, but the tone of the speech (calm and conciliatory) was very different from that of former President Nicolas Sarkozy. An instructive comparison can be made with Sarkozy's speech of January 2008, given in very similar circumstances: announcing science reform, at the beginning of his mandate, on the occasion of celebrating a Nobel prize in physics (Albert Fert, 2007.)

 Hollande's message can be summarized as follows:

1. Research and higher education are a priority, as proven by the constant funding for the relevant ministry (alongside that of national education), while all other ministries had to deal with budget cuts. This way, 1000 new positions per year will be opened in higher education. The "investments for the future" program launched by the Sarkozy administration will be maintained and accelerated.
2. Increase the undergraduate success rate and avoid premature specialization.
3. The system must be restructured, with fewer and more visible institutions, at all levels. A memorable quote: "We cannot keep on adding structures on top of structures, layers upon layers. Here, as elsewhere, we need to simplify". Build federations of universities!
4. The universities and the grandes écoles must be brought together, "without however mixing them up".
5. The professional status of PhD holders must be improved. First of all, we should make them more attractive for the private sector, but this will never happen until we also recognize the PhD as an asset in the selection process for state employees.
6. The autonomy [of the universities] is the foundation of this reform. Some changes will be made to the election procedures within the universities.
7. Student exchanges will be facilitated, in particular by easing the administrative procedures for foreign students in France. Teaching in foreign languages.
8. Improve the perspectives of young researchers, especially in fundamental research.

Links above are in French. Some background information in English is available:

• On the French system of higher education and research: 1
• On the relation between universities and grandes écoles: 2 
• On the reforms of the Sarkozy administration: 3, 4,  5
• On the current reforms: 6