The Cordées de la réussite initiative is aimed at fostering young people’s access to higher education whatever their socio-cultural background, through a mentoring arrangement between higher education and high school students. In 2021, secondary school students will also be joining the initiative. Four new programs of excellence are thus beginning, between the ENSTA Bretagne general engineering school, the high schools of Tristan Corbière in Morlaix and L’Elorn in Landerneau as well as the Brest-based secondary schools of Pen ar C’hleuz and La fontaine Margot.
Based on the principle of solidarity between secondary and higher education, the Cordées de la réussite initiative seeks to promote equal opportunities. It takes the form of support lent to secondary and high school students by higher education students.
For Cécile Plaud, Professor of Humanities at ENSTA Bretagne:
Mentoring is particularly effective at encouraging and guiding high school students towards scientific careers, when many feel reluctant as they doubt their potential.
At the same time, we have continued to extend this initiative to secondary schools and partnered up with two schools where we are particularly raising girls’ awareness of the digital professions. Through the project "L codent L créent", the girls at secondary school, mentored by our female students, learn that they are in fact just as capable as boys when it comes to computer development and coding, and can envisage much broader prospects in terms of higher education options for themselves.”
Cordées de la réussite therefore seeks to guide secondary and high school students in their study choices by identifying the various engineering programs available and the wide array of professions.
For Valéria Vasilache, a 2nd year engineering student at ENSTA Bretagne:
Engineering students can also provide invaluable support, to convince the "mentored" secondary and high school students that they are capable of success and can confidently undertake 5 years of studies after their high school diploma.
In all, nearly one hundred school students will be mentored by ENSTA Bretagne engineering students, giving them an insight into the sectors and professions, as well as a broader social and cultural experience, tips with public-speaking, tuition and greater self-confidence. This will enable these youngsters, in turn, to embark on academic paths of excellence which they would be less inclined to pursue without these invaluable encouragements.
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