ISAE’s project to broaden student intake socially

Even if no young student is barred from entering a "grande école" because of their social origin, the student population present is not representative of the social and cultural diversity of the society we live in.

This observation has led to thinking as to the causes of this reality. Thus, many young people with a level and the required competences do not get into the "Classes préparatoires" system. This is largely due to reasons related to their social background, lack of knowledge as to the existence of such tracks, the feeling they won’t succeed or fear of not having the resources to finance such studies.

ISAE SUPAERO Graduate Program has thus initiated a project to broaden intake socially to get to the root of some of these causes.

It has a considerable number of advantages to develop this project:

• it has built its own identity around projects that provide inspiration, that is conquering the sky and space;
• it is present in a rich and varied region with strong urban concentrations but also huge rural regions;
• the campus offers many opportunities thanks to well-provided sports infrastructures, high level laboratories, and opportunities to visit places of interest and enjoy life;
• the Institute is well integrated in its industrial environment and its partners are present and eager to accompany its development.

A number of working approaches have been opened out within the scope of the “equality of opportunity” call for projects Minister Azouz Bégag launched in 2006:

• developing individual tutoring with secondary school students selected by their teachers;
• providing information on the "grandes écoles " track by getting ISAE students to speak to classes of school students (lower or higher secondary) at schools targeted in rural areas in Midi-Pyrénées;
• getting people to discover our institute via open days for secondary school pupils;
• initiating privileged partnerships with institutions located in rural areas through our students’ associations (4l Trophy, Shell Marathon, etc.);
• taking part in local events directed towards rural lower secondary schools;
• creating an “aeronautical challenge” competition for rural lower secondary schools to make our Institute better known.

Contact: