A personalised support
From the very start of the course...
And even before that, during the application process! The teaching staff at UCLy are on hand to take the time to answer any questions, provide reassurance and help candidates to find the best route to take for their future career!
Right from the start of the academic year, every school and department at UCLy helps new students to integrate through introductory meetings and a buddy system with students at later stages in their studies. A personal connection is forged right from the start of the course.
For international students, the International Student Desk has been created to make it easier for them to settle in, help them with administrative procedures and introduce them to the city of Lyon and French culture - not forgetting French food, of course!
At every stage...
All of the schools, departments and institutes at UCLy provide close guidance. This means thoroughly monitoring attendance and remaining available for everyone. This support has long been part of UCLy’s teaching and comes in various forms adapted to each course. Staff are on hand for every individual to listen, give advice and help with decision-making. This means that the basic skills needed for university study are passed on to students for a smooth progression to autonomy and to taking control of their academic and professional paths. Because every student is different, individual attention is needed to better overcome obstacles and bolster strengths.
With every aspect of their education...
Incorporating humanitarian, compassionate and demanding values, our courses are built on academic expertise, robust support from research and a constant link with professional applications. Real-life professionals and research-active teaching staff join forces to bring complementary perspectives to each course: academic fundamentals are combined with practical applications for an education that is robust, expansive and valuable for any career path.
This is a real hallmark of UCLy, common to all of the courses offered. They are characterised by their incredible diversity but also this shared foundation and how well-recognised the degrees are. Whether it is state degrees through agreements with our public university partners (Bachelor's/Master’s in Law, Psychology, Modern Languages, Philosophy, etc.), state degrees issued by an awarding committee (Bachelor’s in French Language and Literature or Life Sciences and Humanities), Diplômes Universitaires or Certificats (degrees or one-year diplomas issued directly by the university), canonical degrees, vocational qualifications registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Officer, IT Project Manager, etc.), the Master's-level Business Management degree within the Programme Grande École system or Manager in Biotechnologies degrees... UCLy has such a wide range of courses that everyone will be able to find the right path for them! Adding to this diversity is the possibility of multidisciplinary programmes or dual degrees (in law and management for example), with French or international partner universities! Courses can also be taken with short or long durations, alongside a job or work placement (alternance), directly following secondary education or as continuing education. They incorporate work experience and international opportunities (at universities or work placements).
Everyone can take the academic path that works for them, within a harmonious and ambitious environment!
A process helping students take control of their career journeys
The goal is for every student to receive the tools they need to prepare for their future careers. Information, listening, advice and practical work are the keywords in this process.
Illumination through support...
We’re stronger together! At UCLy, students can count on the support of the university careers adviser and psychologist and specialists within the teaching staff. They benefit from the teaching staff, real-life professionals and expert researchers sharing their professional experience.
Consolidation through practical work...
The courses are aimed to help students enter the world of work, so it is important to test learning through practical work wherever possible.
- In the teaching itself: real-life scenarios, case studies, trips, projects looking at a business problem, ‘business challenges’ and more; all ways to describe learning experiences firmly grounded in practical application.
- Through a combination of teaching and work experience: courses include work placements, starting in most cases in the first year. The duration quickly increases - one month, four months, six months... Work/study programmes or alternances (combining part-time study with part-time work) are available in many courses, through two different types of contract: a contrat d’apprentissage for continuing study or a contrat de professionnalisation for study directly following secondary education.
The goal is training through practical work, for practical work!
From student to entrepreneur...
UCLy has set up a student incubator, ‘Le Cube’ to provide concrete support for students’ projects. Located in the student associations space, this initiative is aimed at providing students embarking on projects with help and advice from established professionals.
Students can even use their project setting up a business as work experience and/or write a dissertation on it.
A robust education grounded in personal development
Personal development, wider learning, Humanities... All terms used to describe the development of students’ skills and knowledge outside the confines of the discipline they have chosen. More university teaching that widens perspectives gives students vital support: they can increase their knowledge, understand societal issues, challenge themselves and work as a team through sports, develop their emotional intelligence... All of these experiences contribute to creating well-rounded individuals by immersing them fully in a community of knowledge, expertise and soft skills.
This teaching comes within the courses, particularly through the programmes offered by the Wider Learning Department, a partner to UCLy's schools, institutes and subject departments. It offers all students the chance to experience arts and culture, link knowledge to experience, think about what is happening in society, cultivate self-understanding within their relationships with themselves, the world and others, develop their thinking and share it, etc.
The Careers Service supporting the work of the teaching units
The wide variety of university options and possible careers available is exciting but can also lead to uncertainty. Sometimes, doubts might crop up and students might think about changing courses. That’s why UCLy has created a dedicated service, called the ‘Mission Orientation’, (Careers Service) to support the work of the teaching teams and see students individually on request. The careers service carries out assessments with the students to clarify options within courses, for changing courses, for further study, etc.
Tools for successfully entering the world of work
Students at UCLy receive support with looking for work placements and can find job adverts on an easy-to-use platform (JobTeaser) that connects students with businesses in France and abroad. This platform has multiple functionalities: job advert management, events, meetings, statistics, a CV database, a mobile application, etc.
In addition to this, a huge number of career talks, careers fairs with businesses and other organisations and events where students have the chance to hear from former students are held on our campuses.
There are even events planned for our graduates to connect them with businesses!
With these tools and its strong local ties, in constant collaboration with its varied and long-standing partner companies, UCLy gives its graduates the best possible career opportunities!
Education accessible for all
UCLy places social inclusion amongst its fundamental values.
Financial aid...
Tuition fees can be adapted to students’ family situations by taking into account household income and the make-up of the household.
An Equal Opportunities Department, has also been created. It helps students to obtain grants or emergency aid. A large number of UCLy’s courses entitle students to the grants based on social criteria that are provided by the CROUS (regional centres for student affairs). UCLy has also developed its own merit-based grants (‘welcome’ grants for the first year at UCLy and ‘continuing studies’ grants). Through these, almost 100 UCLy students are exempted from all or part of the tuition fees each year. An emergency aid fund is also available for students whose financial situation suddenly changes.
Outside of this specific financial aid, the development of work/study programmes at UCLy is boosting social inclusion by providing funded access to studies and a wage.
Adapting to disabled students’ needs...
UCLy also differentiates itself through its individual and comprehensive support for disabled students, provided by the ‘Mission Handicap’ (Disability Service) which works to adjust their learning to their needs. This means students with specific learning difficulties, for example (such as dyslexia or dysorthography), have increased chances of success. All of the teaching units at UCLy pay close attention to the specific needs of each student.
Participation in student associations strongly encouraged
Exposure to culture
Ensuring student wellbeing
For students, watching out for their health is a recognised factor in the success of their studies.That is why UCLy has chosen to invest hugely in health awareness and prevention.
There is an effective preventive healthcare department in place, with a whole team on hand: a doctor, a nurse, a psychologist and a coordinator, working in collaboration also with the Disability Service. The health policy goes beyond standard check-ups with constant attention to student wellbeing, thanks to the creation of a listening service, run by the clinical psychologist, and the attention that has been given to developing community spaces (student spaces, music spaces, reading corners in the library, etc.) and rest spaces.
Student wellbeing is just as much of a priority for UCLy when it comes to life outside of their studies, supporting them with accommodation and food and drink for example. UCLy has two halls of residence (214 rooms), an agreement with the CROUS (regional centre for student affairs, which provides cafeterias) and a platform to help students find accommodation.
CAP’EA: boosting innovation in teaching
The development of teaching practices is focused on supporting all teaching staff and backing innovative pedagogical projects, for example through the use of active learning enhancing group work and the learning process.
UCLy trains its teaching staff in flipped classroom methods, free group-work methods and ways to motivate students. Its Learning Lab on the Saint-Paul campus is an important tool for this. The digital learning approaches used are robust, diverse and supported in their development and their adaptation to the students’ needs.
CAP’EA is an excellent driver of teaching innovation to the benefit of the students.