50 Years of Success for the IUTs
They train talented future professionals who are highly sought after by recruiters. IUTs are celebrating their 50th anniversary: an opportunity to shine a spotlight on these university institutes, which offer young people a true passport to employment.
Training programs tailored to the needs of markets and industries, degrees that meet the expectations of future employers: the brilliant idea is called the IUT. It was founded on January 7, 1966. At the time, the goal was to address a concrete need in the economy: France was facing a shortage of mid-level managers—those who bridge the gap between the design and execution of professional tasks.“A new path,” stated the decree that led to the creation of the IUTs, which called for“appropriate teaching methods that involve collaboration with the professional world, and practical scientific and technical training well-suited to contemporary realities.”
A reliable choice for professional settings
From the outset, the new program was characterized by innovation: a prominent role was thus given to new disciplines such as computer science, industrial engineering, and civil engineering. It was an immediate success, and 50 years later, that success continues unabated. Since 1966 in France, nearly 2 million students have earned a DUT (university technology diploma) and built successful careers. These students enjoy a high rate of employment: 75% of recent graduates seeking to enter the workforce directly find a job within six months.
What are the reasons for this success? A dual academic and professional culture. Rooted in the university and linked to research, the IUT successfully bridges the gap between theoretical education and the professional world, which now recognizes it as a reliable institution. An IUT that is evolving to respond to changes in society. Originally created to train mid-level managers with a two-year post-secondary degree, it also provides a pathway to longer-term studies: today, this is the choice of many students who continue their studies after earning their DUT.
The 3 IUTs at the University of Montpellier
Among its 17 constituent institutions, the University of Montpellier includes three IUTs: the Montpellier-Sète IUT, the Nîmes IUT, and the Béziers IUT.
- The Montpellier-Sète University Institute of Technology (IUT) has nine departments: Chemistry (Montpellier campus), Chemistry (Sète campus), Biological Engineering, Physical Measurements, Electrical Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, Computer Science, Social Work (Paul Valéry University campus), Business and Public Administration, and Marketing Techniques. It enrolled 2,300 students at the start of the 2015 academic year.
- The Nîmes University Institute of Technology (IUT) has five departments: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Industrial Computing, Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Technology, Business and Public Administration, and Materials Science and Engineering. It enrolled 1,162 students at the start of the 2015 academic year.
- The Béziers IUT has three departments: Networks and Telecommunications, Marketing Techniques, and Multimedia and Internet Professions. It enrolled nearly 500 students at the start of the 2015 academic year.