If a tourist were to ask, "How do you get to the University of Paris?" the response would likely be a shrug of the shoulders and a look that says, "Don't ask me!"

It might be Parisian indifference or the person might really not know, but the chief reason for the lack of response would probably be that the question displays so much ignorance in and of itself that the person doesn't know how to begin giving an answer.

"There are thirteen national universities in the Paris metropolitan area, each of them called the University of Paris," explains Li Pingtzu, director of the Alliance Francaise de Taipei at National Taiwan Normal University. Each university has its own history, background, characteristics, and fields of expertise, so that even the students themselves don't necessarily know all the ins and outs of it.

The predecessor of Paris University, a group of schools associated with the Church, arose at the end of the ninth century and achieved international recognition during the first part of the twelfth century, under the direction of the renowned scholar Peter Abelard. In 1180 Louis VII formally conferred on the school the title of university, making it one of the world's earliest, along with the University of Bologna. In 1253 Robert Sorbonne founded the Sorbonne, and the two universities in the Sorbonne district, numbers three and four, are still considered the most traditional.

As at other medieval universities, the chief fields of study were theology and philosophy, and the medium of instruction was Latin. After the French Revolution, Napoleon set up a central organization in charge of all universities in the Empire, and the University of Paris ceased to exist in reality although not in name. Its reorganization and recovery came nearly a hundred years later, under the Third Republic.

"Separation and reunion" have always been chief characteristics of the university's development. The student movement of 1968 was mainly a protest against an antiquated curriculum and inflexible teaching methods and a call for more academic freedom and democracy. In response, the university was divided into thirteen separate institutions, based on the locations and strengths of the earlier colleges and institutes.

Another major reform of 1968 was reorganizing the traditional departments into what is called the Unit?s de formation et de recherche. The resulting interdis-ciplinary approach is designed to provide students with a broader perspective, but for students from Taiwan accustomed to more traditional academic divisions, it often means a hard time knowing what to choose.

"The knowledge that many Taiwan students acquire or the degree that they earn is often a far cry from what they originally intended," notes Genevi?ve Li, a lecturer in the French department at Fu Jen University, who warns students to be clear about the contents and limitations of their course of study before setting out.

Besides the difficulty of selecting a field, differences in the French educational system also require some adjustment.

French universities adopt a system of three cycles. The first cycle covers the first two years (at most three) after a student passes the baccalaureate exam and enters a university. After completing the required amount of courses (700 to 1,000 hours) and passing a test, the student can obtain a DEUG, or Diplome d'etudes universitaires generales. Many students quit their studies and join the work force with this.

The second cycle, in principle, also lasts two years. The student can obtain a Licence, or bachelor's degree, after the first year and a Maitrise, or master's degree, after the second.

The third cycle involves truly advanced research. After one year (foreign students may take two), if candidates meet all the requirements of their adviser, they can obtain a DEA, or Diplome d'etudes approfondies. After that comes a four-year doctoral program with dissertation, aimed at a Doctorat. Further study is required for an Agregation, to apply for a university professorship.

For students wanting to study in France, the University of Paris is no doubt their first choice among the country's 71 univer-sities. The best professors and students all want to go there, especially to the eight universities within Paris proper (numbers one through seven, and nine).

According to 1986 statistics, some 180,000 students are enrolled in those eight universities, with nearly 30,000 each at numbers one, three, five, and seven. And a considerable number are foreigners: 28 percent of the students in number three, and around 20 percent in numbers six and seven.

Besides having no campus, the universities are tight on funds. A language instructor at number seven, for instance, points out that his department still doesn't have a language lab with modern equipment; they don't have enough books; and most beginning classes, where correcting pronunciation is essential, are large in size.

Be that as it may, the quality of teachers at the University of Paris is first-rate. "The professors are all noted figures in society, many with a certain standing in both academia and the government," says Yin Pi-chun, a student in number three. In fact, outside commitments often take up much of their time, and "self-study" is one of the university's characteristics.

"The main point is not how the teacher teaches, but how the student studies," says Yen Hsiao-p'ing, who is enrolled in number two.

"In France the university is a place to seek knowledge," Genevi?ve Li says. "You come if you want to study, and if you don't, you go--and nobody will say much about it." French universities charge no tuition, and miscellaneous expenses come to just 600 or 700 francs (about US$100). On the other hand, this is perhaps just the reason why the dropout rate for new students is 40 to 50 percent.

If you ask them why the University of Paris ranks among the top universities of the world, many students have a hard time answering. "Maybe just because it's in Paris!" several reply, after a moment's reflection.

Paris is a world center of politics, economics, diplomacy, and the arts, with a diversity and level of culture hardly matched by New York, Washington, London, or Berlin. When you study at the University of Paris, what you learn is more than what's taught in the classroom.

[Picture Caption]

Young university students strumming for sous on neighboring streets.

Towering high-rises and bustling crowds give Paris University VII an act ive, vibrant look.

Lotus ponds and palm trees make up a typical campus scene on Taiwan. In Paris it's glass office buildings.

A poster with a simple design yet full of creativity.

Only the Sorbonne district still retains the venerable air of a famous institution.

This little square is used by students as a place to chat.

This lecture hall at Paris University IV, hung with a huge oil painting, is often visited by cameratoting tourists.

A class in Chinese at university VII.

Located in the Sorbonne district, the university bookstore is one of the best in Paris.

Many students at Paris University have worked before and are particularly diligent in their studies.

Towering high-rises and bustling crowds give Paris University VII an act ive, vibrant look.

Lotus ponds and palm trees make up a typical campus scene on Taiwan. In Paris it's glass office buildings.

A poster with a simple design yet full of creativity.

Only the Sorbonne district still retains the venerable air of a famous institution.

This little square is used by students as a place to chat.

This lecture hall at Paris University IV, hung with a huge oil painting, is often visited by cameratoting tourists.

A class in Chinese at university VII.

Located in the Sorbonne district, the university bookstore is one of the best in Paris.

Many students at Paris University have worked before and are particularly diligent in their studies.