15 student life: integration and sociability

Although a majority of students in 2013 said they were happy with their integration in their peer group, one-third of students did not feel integrated in the institution. This experience of integration is not only down to participation in social, cultural or association activities in the institutions, but the social and academic characteristics of the students themselves.

In 2013, 61% of students said they were quite or very satisifed with their integration in the group of students on their course (chart 15.01a). This percentage is higher among students in classes preparing for admission to the Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) (81%), among students enrolled in University technology institutes (IUT) (76%) or Advanced technician's section (STS) (72%), or again among those following an engineering course (74%). Among students on university courses, those who were satisfied or very satisfied with their integration in their peer group was 52% on "Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences" courses, 53% on "Law, Economics" courses, and 55% on "Healthcare" courses. The feeling of integration in the peer group was also higher among men than women (65% compared to 58%) and more common among students living at home (63% compared to 60% of students living outside the home) not exercising any paid activity (62% compared to 60% of wage-earning students).

The feeling of integration in the life of the institution is less widely shared, with 34% of students in 2013 saying they were satisfied or very satisfied (chart 15.01b). This percentage is higher among students at a business or engineering school (respectively, 50% and 55% of students said they were quite or very satisfied with their integration) than among university students, where 26% of students were satisfied or very satisfied with their integration on "Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences" courses, 29% on "Law, Economics" courses, and 32% on "Sciences" or "Healthcare" courses. Men (38% compared to 31% of women) and un-waged students (37% compared to 32% of wage-earning students), plus students from higher social categories (36% compared to 35% and 34% respectively of students whose socio-economic category is average or low) have a higher probability of feeling quite or very satisfied with their integration in the life of the institution.

The feeling of integration also varies according to the students' participation in the social, cultural or association life of their institution (chart 15.02a and chart 15.02b): students who took part in cultural events in their institution were more likely to say they were satisfied with their integration in the life of the institution (48% compared to 27% of those not participating in cultural events) and in their peer group (70% compared to 56%). The feeling of integration in the life of the institution and the group of students on the course was also higher among students who belong to student associations (49% and 71% satisfied compared to 29% and 58% respectively), visit the student welfare office (46% and 67% compared to 30% and 57%), take part in student evenings (45% and 71% satisfied compared to 24% and 51%) or use sports equipment (42% and 67% compared to 30% and 57%) or cultural amenities (45% and 65% compared to 31% and 58%). This participation, which is crucial to the feeling of integration, is itself dependent on the type of course followed (table 15.03), with students at university in particular being more involved in these different activities than STS students, are who the least involved, for reasons that may also relate to the different activities on offer for these courses.

Feres Belghith & Odile Ferry