SCIENCES PO
The objective is to have 200 partners in high schools to cover all the French territory .
“ It ’ s very interesting to work with these students . They ' re really amazing . We are spending around € 11 million each year for diversity , scholarship and financial aid to students ; 35 % of them don ' t pay any student fees . We also have specific programmes for student refugees , such as those coming from Ukraine at the moment .
Berthet adds that it is important to prepare “ future managers that are representative of as many societies as possible ”. Why ? Because “ talent is everywhere , and our job is to help find them and to help them to transfer into higher education ”.
Auzanneau concludes : “ I say to all prospective students : if you have the talent and you have the will , we will do everything possible to support you . Our system is adapted to the income of families throughout Europe .”
It is a very selective process however , with standards high . Technology aids their search for the best talent , with admission interviews held not only in Paris , but also in several cities across Europe and the Americas as well . “ We put all these admission interviews online , and it represented 4,500 in two months .
“ It worked perfectly for students who are all over the world to have the possibility to interview with two different examiners from their home or their high school , for instance . We can remove the stress of going to a specific place , via a plane or train or hotel , and then to a specific building for that . The interviews are more comfortable for them ,” says Berthet .
In terms of social inclusiveness , Auzanneau says : “ I ' m very proud of this new system we implemented last year , because it is an example of digital services increasing student confidence in order not to self-censor themselves .”
According to Berthet , “ it ' s very simple for examiners to use it ”. “ Our digital services are simple and easy to use , helping people all over the world , without any problem . This is what we mean by making technology invisible .”
“ What is our next challenge ? To combine digital and sustainability transformations , not only inside our courses to prepare our students for these crucial challenges , but also at the heart of our daily practices .”
technologymagazine . com 303