The FOPES programme is aimed at university training in agents of change in economic and social domains. Focus is therefore placed on the scientific quality and the capacity to develop economic politics and social alternatives alike. This orientation towards action leads to a maximum linking of the study programme with professional or social experience. This implies, as far as the pedagogical methods are concerned, according special attention to the central role played by the student as being a responsible agent in his own learning.

The FOPES programme addresses adults who have not had the possibility to undertake university studies by the regular path and who are not necessarily holders of a first study cycle diploma ("candidature") or a non-university higher education diploma. It addresses people principally involved in economic problems (regional development, employment politicies, etc) or socio-cultural problems (popular education, literacy, education, etc). To qualify for admission, the candidate must possess the necessary capacities, knowledge and social, economic or political experience. Completion of previous studies must already date back several years. A jury examines each application for admission and deliberates each and every single case. It validates professional experiences and personal assets further to the evaluation procedure organised to verify if the student's capabilities and knowledge are sufficient to successfully accomplish the study programme.

The admission procedure for the FOPES programme is rather long, but aims to optimalise the student's chances of success during the studies by taking into account the special particularities of the target public.

The procedure begins in November. Requests for information must arrive by March, at the latest, for the following academic year starting in September.

The stages of the admission process are as follows :

a) Anybody requesting information from the FOPES and who gives their name and addresse is registered on the waiting list.

b) In November of each year, the people who live in the regions concerned by the openings of the following year (or who belong to a sector of activities or involvement concerned) are invited to information sessions which are held between November and March.

c) A questionnaire admission application form is made available for those who so wish, during the information sessions. This questionnaire helps both the candidate student and the FOPES to weigh up the experience, centres of interest and the study request.

d) In March-April, those candidates who have submitted the questionnaire are invited to do a written exam followed by an oral exam and an orientation interview. During the oral exam, the candidate's knowledge is assessed to see whether he can undertake the study cycle ; the orientation interview helps assess the experience and aspirations of the candidate student. The oral exam and the orientation interview generally take place on the same day.

e) The FOPES will then decide whether or not to invite the candidate student to an launching workshop. An appeal procedure exists for those candidates not invited to interview.

f) The launching workshop last 30 hours. It helps the students to better define their study project as well as their aspirations and provides them with more detailed information on the possible activities of the FOPES.

The launching workshop, which requires the participation of every student, also helps the group and sub-groups to form. It takes place during the last fortnight of June and sometimes the first 2 weekends of September.

During the course of the workshop, the students work on their study project. This project will set the main direction throughout the programme and will conclude with the end of course thesis.

At the end of the workshop, the students will confirm their application to the FOPES Council who will take a decision based on tevery aspect of the application.

Currently, 3 new groups are opened every year.

The "licence" programme in Economic and Social Politics lasts 3 years (for 180 credits).

The compulsory courses are spread over the 1st and 2nd year. The free-choice courses are chosen by the groups during the second and organised in the 3rd year.

The programme also comprises specific and methodological seminars, operationalisation seminars organised in groups for a total of 47 hours per year and in sub-groups for a total of 102 hours (3 hours per week). The groups also consacrate 15 hours a year to the pedagogical coordination of the programme.

Concretely speaking, the students must participate in :

- 32 sessions of 6 hours in a group (generally on Saturdays but certain groups meet up on Tuesdays or Thursdays).

- 2 residential week-ends ;

- 34 sessions of 3 hours in sub-groups, generally in the evening.

The timetable is communicated to the students by the study advisor. The activities take place from the beginning of septembre to the end of June, following the calendar for secondary schools.

So as to give the student a central role, formative evaluation is by no means neglible in the FOPES programme. The courses also conclude by means of a certificative evaluation, the responsibility of which is left up to the lecturer. The totality of the study year is evaluated by the group council, composed of students, a professor-coordinator, a study advisor and a director or his delegate. The global management of the different aspects of the evaluation is entrusted to the study advisor.

The "Licence"diploma in Economic and Social Politics is delivered regularly by the Catholic University of Louvain. It validates a basic second cycle university training programme on the lines of the decree concerning academic certificates of the French-speaking Community in Belgium. It entitles access to the teacher-training certificate for upper secondary school years (Economics, Social and Political Sciences) as well as to second study cycle diplomas (eg.: Anthropology, Management, etc) and to University certificates (Economic and Social Ethics, Philosophy, etc).