The Béziers University Institute of Technology is betting on the digital economy
The Béziers University Institute of Technology, a little-known component of the University of Montpellier, places new technologies at the heart of its identity. It is a hub of dynamism, focused on the economy of the future.
Plaza in front of the Béziers University Institute of Technology (IUT)
It has made digital technology its hallmark. From the very first glance, the high-tech identity ofthe Béziers IUT stands out. The ultra-modern building generates electricity via solar panels and recycles rainwater. At night, its facade—symbolizing networks—glows blue. Inside, a lecture hall with light-colored wood paneling and tutorial and lab rooms sit alongside a “learning lab,” a welcoming space for collaborative learning housed in a vast gallery featuring colorful rectangles, like a reimagined Mondrian.
The equipment available to the approximately 500 students is clearly state-of-the-art: a film studio, motion capture systems, virtual reality headsets, 3D scanners, drones, cutting-edge software… Starting in the fall of 2017, a learning center will open its doors—a modern, education-focused library equipped with tablets and acoustic partitions. The IUT even has a department dedicated to educational innovation, constantly on the lookout for new techniques to offer to faculty members.
Here, the selective curriculum is firmly focused on information and communication technologies. This is the common thread linking its three DUTs (university technology diplomas), which are two-year post-high-school programs: multimedia and internet professions, marketing techniques, and networks and telecommunications. Various three-year programs round out its educational offerings. These include a professional bachelor’s degree in networks and telecommunications, as well as two university diplomas (DU): a DU in entrepreneurship in new technologies, and the DUETI, which allows students to spend a year studying abroad after earning their DUT.
As a sign of its dynamism,the Béziers IUT was one of the first to host a Fab Lab, now in its fourth year of operation. With its 3D printer, connected devices, and botanical space, this venue fosters mutual support and the exchange of skills among people from different backgrounds and generations. To round out the educational experience, international outreach is a reality here. Each year, about twenty students study abroad, while the IUT welcomes about twenty international students.
The IUT Through a Student's Eyes
Romain Torres, a first-year student in multimedia and internet studies
“I’m from Toulouse, and I chose this program because I’m interested in communication, audiovisual media, and programming. The IUT is a small, intimate school, and the building is brand-new and nice to look at. The atmosphere is good, even though there isn’t much interaction between students from different programs.”
In the first year of the DUT program, we take a wide variety of courses; we haven’t specialized yet, but I find that we learn a great deal, especially about creative, audiovisual, and graphic design software. Another highlight, in my opinion, is the large amount of equipment available.
The student association, or “corpo,” which organizes events and parties, is very active. Since the start of the 2016 school year, there has been a student radio station that broadcasts online every Thursday evening. “There are two of us running it, and five or six people are participating in the shows for now. We cover all kinds of topics, and it’s open to everyone. We hope the radio station will grow with more participants next year.”
Key Figures
- 8,400 m²
- 487 students
- 35 affiliated teachers
- 19 administrative staff members
- 6 degrees
- 1992: Establishment of the Department of Marketing Techniques, a branch campus of the Montpellier University Institute of Technology (IUT)
- 2008: Establishment of the Béziers IUT as a fully-fledged IUT
- 2011: Inauguration of the new HQE building on Place du 14 Juillet
The Initiative: 48 Hours to Mentor Startups!
The Béziers business incubator asked them to do it, and they did. Students in the marketing technology program organized an entrepreneurs’ fair from June 8 to 10 on the IUT campus. The goal: to enable the Innovosud business incubator to mentor about ten project leaders from the Béziers region over the course of two days. This will help get the most promising future entrepreneurs from Béziers off to a strong start.