La JANE—short for “New Student Orientation Days”—which was originally scheduled to take place on September 21 and 22 at the Jardin des Plantes, was ultimately shortened by one day due to the weather. That didn’t stop the new students from coming out to pick up some useful tips. Here’s a photo recap of this annual event bringing together student organizations, university administrators, and cultural partners, featuring Amal Qobaa, student vice president atUM.
No one dared to believe it would happen on that gloomy Thursday morning, yet “Jane”—short for “Journées d’accueil des nouveaux étudiants” (New Student Orientation Days)—did indeed take place at the Jardin des Plantes on September 22. Although the first of the two days had to be canceled due to rain, this shortened version was nonetheless a success thanks to the many booths set up along the garden’s paths.“People often tend to reduce student integration to the activities of the Office of Student Life (BVE) or student organizations. In reality, university life is much broader and encompasses the activities of central administrative departments and numerous cultural and social partners. This event gives students a glimpse of all their potential points of contact,” explains Amal Qobaa, student vice president at the University of Montpellier.
A truly collective effort that contributes each year to greater success and a better quality of life for students at the university.“We often see them hesitating in front of the booths; they’re a little shy. But when you’ve just arrived somewhere, there are no silly questions—it’s normal not to know, ” observes the young vice president. You have to take the plunge and make the most of this unique opportunity to get information and answers to all your questions. Plus, the atmosphere is really fun and the venue is one-of-a-kind!” To relive the day, we’re offering a photo recap of the three booth areas, along with commentary from Amal Qobaa.
What It's Like to Be a Student atUM
“Right from the moment they walk in, the merchandise comes into play. These items are a way for students to show their pride in being part of the University of Montpellier, and that sense of belonging is important for them to feel comfortable in their studies.”
At the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, the first students are waiting their turn to receive the traditional goodie bags and explore the three clusters of booths.Giveaways distributed by the Office of Student Life (BVE): a health kit, pens, bamboo cutlery, a BVE T-shirt, and a tote bag to hold all the informational brochures students receive as they make their way through the three villages.Here it is! TheUM indispensable student guide,UM by the BVE and the Communications Department. It’s the essential resource for exploring the university campus and making the most of your student life—whether it’s cultural, athletic, or social activities. Download it here.Arrival in front of the booths accompanied by music provided by the students of the Med’ley association
The Village of Departments and Services
Amal Qooba:“About ten university departments and offices are present at La Jane every year. By meeting with students in person, they can inform them about the services or workshops they offer throughout the year, such as stress management workshops or linocut workshops. They can also explain their roles within the university, as well as acronyms such as DVC (Campus Life Department) or SFC (Continuing Education Department), which students will then find in their student handbook.”
Within theUM Services and Administration Division, the Office for Student Monitoring and Career Placement (SCUIO-IP) provides students with information about the academic programs offered atUM offers student contracts to assist with surveys conducted by Osipe.The International Relations Office also offers promotional items and job openings.Welcome Week, the orientation week for international students, is back for its fourth edition. It’s a great opportunity to discover the activities offered by the Office of International Relations.The steering committee took the time to explain to the students the actions theUM has takenUM part of its commitment to the ecological transition.Caroline Loup and Véronique Bourgade from the Office of Scientific Culture and Historical Heritage brief new students on the office’s activities and showcase a few specimens from theUM’s many scientific collections.The staff of the university health center and its new director, Jeremy Estèves, were on hand to discuss health issues.
Student clubs for every taste
Amal Qobaa: “La Jane is an opportunity for student organizations on campus to showcase their activities, explain what it means to be a member of a student organization at the University of Montpellier, and, of course, recruit new members.”
Among the student organizations are, of course, the student fraternities and sororities, including the Montpellier Midwifery Students’ Association and the famous “faluchards” and “faluchardes” of the medical school.The University of Montpellier Neuroscience Association during the traditional tour led by Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, accompanied by Alexandre Vernhet, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Agnès Fichard-Carroll, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Life.Student organizations are also about taking a stand, particularly in support of LGBTQI+ rights and values, with UMCalling all musicians: the University of Montpellier Symphony Orchestra is hiring!After all that hard work, it’s time to relax with the Licorne club, which invites students to get together to play board games and role-playing games.The Magnus Association and its dragon Eldur, meanwhile, offer life-size games!Want to do something for the environment? The CLOPE organization invites you to participate in large-scale cigarette butt collection campaigns to recycle them.Before heading over to the Culture Village, a quick ice cream break with “the frosty brothers”…Before heading over to the Culture Village, a quick ice cream break with “the frosty brothers”…
Culture on Every Floor
Amal Qobaa:“This section brings together all of our cultural partners, such as theaters, museums, movie theaters, and the various programs dedicated to youth—whether run by the city, the region, or the CROUS… This section aims to showcase all the services available to students as well as cultural venues, since many are new to Montpellier.”
Cinéma Diagonal, Théâtre des 13 vents, the Cinemed Festival…All of these are available to students to inspire them to incorporate culture into their studies.We hadn’t forgotten about the “Art and Culture” and “Campus Life” departments, but it was only natural that they found their place in the “Culture Village” to offer a wide variety of workshops for students. This provided an opportunity to try their hand at collage, drawing, linocut, ceramics, comic books… as well as computer-assisted music.We hadn’t forgotten about the “Art and Culture” and “Campus Life” departments, but it was only natural that they found their place in the “Culture Village” to offer a wide variety of workshops for students. This provided an opportunity to try their hand at collage, drawing, linocut, ceramics, comic books… as well as computer-assisted music.The CROUS booth gave new students the opportunity to learn about all of its services, including its cultural offerings—such as the Yoot card, which provides them with discounted tickets.As a key partner ofUM, MOCO presented its artistic ecosystem—which combines education, production, exhibitions, and outreach—through the collaboration of an art school and two contemporary art centers.
