Education is highly centralized with three main stages: primary, secondary, and higher education. School year runs from September to July in metropolitan France. Preschool starts at age 2, primary education begins at age 6. All teachers are state civil servants, regulated by Ministry of National Education
Academy derives from Plato's school at Akademia, founded in 386 BC. Academy means institution of higher learning with public authority. Plato established academy in olive grove dedicated to Athena. Academy survived through Neoplatonic revival in late antiquity
Founded in 1773 as Royal School of Naval Engineering. Became Engineering Academy in 1847 and Civil Engineering in 1883. Gained university status in 1928, became ITU in 1944. Became autonomous in 1946 with four engineering faculties
UK education ranks second globally after USA in U.S. News Report. Comprehensive education starts in first grade with 10 compulsory subjects. Early specialization begins in high school, students choose 3-5 subjects. Teachers earn higher wages than in other developed countries
MIT remains world's best computer science university. Carnegie Mellon and Stanford tied for second place. NUS leads Asia, ranked sixth overall. Oxford ranks fourth in Europe
Germany has approximately 400 universities, including 118 private institutions. 240 universities are public, 39 are church-run. 15 private universities offer doctoral programs