How to Accompany the First-Year Student in Massified Higher Education? the Example of a Semester to Bounce Back

Since the Bologna Process (1999), Europe has positioned itself as a major player in higher education. At the same time, France is experiencing a massification of higher education. One of the significant consequences of these transformations is the inability of the French higher education system to cope with these students. We wonder about the capacity of institutions to individualise courses and give students breathing space to reflect on their personal vocational or study plans. The Institut National Universitaire Champollion has been proposing an innovative and flexible diploma whose objective is to prevent students from dropping out of university if they do not wish to continue their studies. After five years of its deployment, we propose to review this educational “experiment”. Firstly, we will examine the pedagogical engineering process, which is based on an alternative, skills-based approach. Secondly, we will present the recruitment procedures for this re-engagement and an analysis of the group, the success rate and the rebound rate (continuation of studies) to measure the impact of this new scheme. This agile and supportive pedagogical approach can provide us with important insights and contribute to our reflection on the current state of the French and European higher education systems It shows us that the personalisation promoted by the French government must be accompanied by individualised support in order to limit any drift. The role of the guidance counsellors and the time allowed students to reflect on their projects are decisive.