The AgroParisTech “Social Openings” mission

Annie Baroiller,Elisabeth Dumoulin

doi:10.7455/ijfs.v2i2.174

Abstract

Underprivileged secondary school and college students tend to demonstrate limited ambitions with regards to further education and acquiring superior qualifications. In a partnership with higher education schools, such as AgroParisTech, encounters have been organised between high school students and higher education students acting as volunteering mentors. The aim is to present the high school students with the opportunity to explore new opportunities as well as to provide them with information about high profile careers and higher level training through various activities led by the higher education students, as well as through meetings, visits, weekends organised around a specific theme. Examples of such initiatives show what benefits both the high school and higher education students can derive from them.

Highlights

High school students from a socially and economically underprivileged family or whose family background is impaired tend to have limited ambitions in the area of higher education, sometimes unconsciously, and this is often the case even for those whose school results are of an excellent standard
senior high schools with “preparatory classes” - designed for entering high profile further education schools - as well as other high schools, both junior and senior, located in areas designed as priority zones with students benefiting from the scheme;
We shall describe in more detail the activities undertaken by the Social Opening Mission of one of them, the AgroParisTech Institute, in the Paris area

Summary

Introduction

High school students from a socially and economically underprivileged family or whose family background is impaired tend to have limited ambitions in the area of higher education, sometimes unconsciously, and this is often the case even for those whose school results are of an excellent standard. senior high schools with “preparatory classes” - designed for entering high profile further education schools - as well as other high schools, both junior and senior, located in areas designed as priority zones with students benefiting from the scheme;. one or more higher education schools, with university-level students acting as “mentors”. In 2012, 326 “cordees” or ropes were organised, involving 50,000 junior and senior high school students in France

Organization

The aims

The activities proposed during the encounters

Other activities offered according to the groups

Conclusions