Learn to succeed
The move from secondary education to university is a big change: new subjects, new working methods, new requirements, new environment, new relationships. Succeeding in the first year doesn’t happen on its own. There are as many strategies as there are students. But it is also possible to learn to succeed. For that reason, a team provides support to new students at UCL Mons and organises different activities throughout the year..
Preparatory courses
This week of courses comprises an immersion into university life before the start of the academic year. It familiarises the student with their new surroundings. It introduces the student to the learning methods best suited to the new context and advises them of the support available throughout the year. On the agenda: seminars on the different aspects of university work (taking notes, working methods, time management, etc.), maths revision sessions, introduction to the student associations…
Passport for the BAC
From the starting week, all new first-year students will complete a questionnaire relating to the required mathematical skills, called “Passport”. The educational support team also provides another questionnaire to identify how the university is perceived by students, their learning strategies and motivation to undertake the type of study chosen. From late September to mid-November, students will then be invited to a private meeting to discuss any problems adapting to the study and time management methods at university. If necessary, coaching is provided each week in languages and in quantitative fields from October.
Give maths a boost
Held during the first two weeks of teaching, this comprises a revision of the mathematical concepts taught in secondary school in the form of exercise sessions in small groups. Students are in this way made aware of any weaknesses very quickly and are more responsive to the educational support available.
Formative tests in November
Tests on some subjects taught in the first semester allow students to make an initial assessment of their knowledge and understanding of the academic requirements before the January session. A student who scores 12/20 in one subject is awarded a bonus point, which will be added to the score on the January examination. Students who obtain unsatisfactory results may take up the coaching already mentioned.
Analysis of examination results
The support team sends each student a personalised letter to propose tailored support based on the results achieved (methodological support, weekly mentoring in the second semester, additional tutoring specifically linked to fails in January, summer tutoring provided by student monitors during the holidays to encourage success in August, etc.).
Joint projects
Joint projects are included in the academic curriculum, are valued in the same way as other educational activities and allow students to face real problems and to acquire the skills necessary for their personal and professional development.
There are several educational aims of these joint projects:
- to develop the ability to take the initiative, creativity and personal commitment;
- to learn how to bring ideas to life by designing and executing a project from start to finish;
- to experience joint action by taking decisions together and evaluating them..