Discover Université Grenoble Alpes

What is a connected campus?

Supported by local governments, in partnership with universities and regional education authorities, the “connected campuses” offer students the opportunity to pursue, close to home, the distance learning program of their choice (bachelor’s, master’s, etc.) offered by a French university. Learning takes place in a group setting, with tutors on hand to provide individualized academic and methodological support.

The goal of this program is to reduce regional and social inequalities in access to higher education. It is aimed in particular at students who are unable to commute daily to a university campus due to geographic, social, or professional constraints. It is a complementary program designed to recruit and support students who face barriers to attendance and to enable them to eventually enroll in on-campus programs at major university campuses.

These centers are accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation and complement the existing regional network alongside major university hubs.

Our Commitment in Isère, Drôme, and Ardèche

We partner with four connected campuses located in Isère, Drôme, and Ardèche:

• The connected campus in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme).
• The "Ardèche Campus Connecté" network, based in Privas and Aubenas (Ardèche).
• The connected campus in Saint-Marcellin (Isère).

These four campuses are among the 87 “connected campuses” established nationwide with support from the “Investment for the Future” program.

Since the start of the 2021 academic year, about 40 students have been benefiting from this program at UGA’s partner campuses. The goal is to eventually accommodate about 50 students per campus.

University services for all stakeholders

As part of our partnership with each of the local communities that host these third places, we offer not only our distance learning programs but also a range of services for students, tutors, and local communities.

For students enrolled at participating campuses

• "Visiting student" status, with a special card providing access to the university's digital resources and services.
• Access to career counseling and job placement services (individual interviews, workshops, and seminars).
• Access to digital collections and the ability to borrow books from the university libraries in Grenoble and Valence.
• Access to student life (sports, culture, health) and tours of the Grenoble and Valencecampuses.

For tutors at connected campuses

• A specialized training program (individual and group sessions, webinars, MOOCs, etc.) on tutoring practices, led by the UGA.
• Access to the full range of training courses offered to UGA staff.
• Participation in forums promoting educational programs, such as the Forum Post Bac Drôme Ardèche.

For partner local governments

• Joint development of a regional strategy centered on the program.

Testimonial: A Year at the Connected Campus in Privas to Better Prepare for the Next Stage of My Journey at UGA

Léa, a third-year education sciences student, is enrolled at the University of Lyon 2 through the CNED. Due to health issues and after a year of studying at the Privas online campus, Léa feels ready to return to UGA for in-person classes at Valence to pursue her master’s degree, with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher—a career she has aspired to since she was 5 years old…