Main expectations of « UMEI » program
Public authorities’ efforts concerning popularizing, modernization and transparency of access to higher education show a dysfunctioning that derives from a dephasing between an expressed political will and real situations in higher education institutions as they are experienced daily by socially vulnerable students, by further weakening them, and a lot of them leave these institutions without any degree or qualification.
Fostering the higher education reform in partner countries means to adopt a new vision related to inclusion that gives priority to transition from an integrative system to an inclusive process. Previously, it was up to the student to adapt and integrate himself to university requirements. From now on, it is up to the institution to ensure the conditions of his integration in an inclusive spirit.
This project proposes to reduce the shortness within structures of hosting, accompaniment and following up for categories of students of special needs and implement tools and processes for the reduction of these deficiencies and participate to the popularizing the access to higher education by making it accessible for all people.
University of Bejaia has established a cell of accompaniment, awareness, support and mediation -CASAM – since December 18th 2011.
1-Hierarchical position of the CASAM:
The CASAM of Bejaia is attached to the rectory; it acts as all involved structures:
- Vice rectory of external exchanges
- Vice rectory in charge of pedagogy
- Faculties
- Socio-economic partners.
2-The flow chart of the CASAM:
- Director of the CASAM;
- Hosting unit of students of special needs;
- Communication unit;
- Unit of listening and psychological assistance;
- Students tutoring unit (pedagogical tutoring, linguistic tutoring)
- Unit of students’ life assistance activities, of animation and leisure…
3-Objectives of the program
It proposes to implement tools and processes and participate to the popularizing the access to higher education by making it accessible for all people. The fact that inclusive teaching has been chosen is due to a working and awareness logic in order to implement an approach of consultation, cooperation and partnership between different stakeholders (presidencies of universities, students, teaching staff, administrations, NGO, etc.) in order to reduce difficulties and deficiencies.
4-Missions of the CASAM :
- To have available an updated assessment of the population of students of special needs and also all target groups and those who need support and accompaniment;
- Increase communication, information and awareness actions about this issue;
- implement strategies of accompaniment for students of special needs;
- Address the constraints and challenges faced by these students.
5-Objectives of the CASAM :
The expected results of the CASAM are the awareness and the fight of the constraints and the obstacles faced by students of special needs and the failure caused by these conditions (the dropout of education in university by the target students) and devote diversity within higher education by popularizing it (a significant increase of their number in the coming years). So, its role is to facilitate the good hosting that will enable to achieve these results.
6-Strategy of the CASAM:
The CASAM consults, coordinate and collaborate with:
- Teaching staff,
- Administrative and technical staff
- Students.
The CASAM of Bejaia ensures a role of:
- Providing information;
- Raising awareness;
- Making actions.
7-Vision of the CASAM :
Integrate concepts and tools of inclusive teaching in the global vision of Bejaia University.
