Professionalisation of studies: improvement and development of University Institutes of Technology

Students, Institutions

In the French university system, University Institutes of Technology play a critical role to answer the new needs in professional skills, and particularly in occupations of the future, under stress or currently changing. So the French ministry of higher education wants to improve its regional coverage by creating new University Institutes of Technology departments in several regions and support the implementation of the 3rd year in BUT course.

Since 2021, the Bachelor universitaire de technologie (BUT, University Bachelor of Technology) is a three-year undergraduate technical diploma granted exclusively by Instituts universitaires de technologie (IUT, University Institutes of Technology). This diploma results from a study course of 180 ECTS in a three-year course, and is equivalent to a Licence level.

Answering the needs

As the ministry underlines, the Bachelor universitaire de technologie (BUT), resulting from a reform of the previous Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT) is a “major component of professionalisation” of part of the 1st university study course. To amplify this effort, the government has decided to direct 15 million euros per year in favour of IUTs.

Here’s a breakdown of the fund allocation: One million euros will be dedicated to the creation of new BUT departments in several IUTs to reach 600 places, including in the IUTs of Nantes, Besançon, Sarcelles, Lorient and Béziers. These credits, say the ministry, will be allocated to affected institutions as soon as 2023 and will allow to “better answer the needs regarding occupations under stress: packaging and processing, business, data science, energy and eco transition, smart robotics for industry”.

Improving supervision rate

The biggest part of the budget, (14 million euros) will be used to allow the deployment of the 3rd study year of BUT cycle over the country, by “specifically supporting about 40 IUTs where the supervision rate must be improved”.

Payment of this subsidy will be divided into two steps: a first 8 million euros batch by the end of 2023 to bring a first support, and the rest in 2024 depending on the “changes in cohorts for the next academic year”.

Changing the offer of study plans

According to the ministry, these two support actions, designed to last, are “a first action in the changes of the training offer of higher education institutions”.

The ministry explains that support to the trend also relies on the deployment of new Objectives, Means and Performance Contracts (COMP in French). These contracts, launched in March 2023, will help change “the offer of training and strategically connect it to the major challenges faced by each institution at local, national and international level”.

IUTs in France

According to ADIUT, the assembly of presidents of IUTs, the Instituts Universitaires de Technologie are “fully part of Universities”. They grant national diplomas and offer many opportunities to continue studies.

In France, 108 IUTs welcome 120,000 students in 24 specialities:

services: business, management, communication, computer science...
Industry: biology, chemistry, electronics, civil engineering, physics...

Assets and specificities of IUTs:

training courses combining theory (classes, theory and practical course, projects) and professionalisation through at least one internship in a company;
different educational guidance: very few lecture classes, with work in small-scale groups (28 students by group), which “facilitates exchange, sharing and learning know-how and know-be”;
recognition by recruiters of flexible skills acquired in late course;
the possibility to continue studies in a school of engineering, business school, or a master’s course, and even a doctorate.

Source: https://www.iut.fr/programmes-pour-les-etudiants-etrangers/