2025 adapted discovery tour: explore biodiversity differently at Micropolis

[Flash] - Published on July 9, 2025 in Health, social & disability

Every year, students with disabilities are invited to take a break from university life. It's a day like no other, spearheaded by the UM's Vice-president for Education and University Life, and organized by the Handiversité department, where accessibility is the watchword. After a scuba dive with the Odyssée school club in Sète in 2024, the students took a trip to the Micropolis edutainment theme park.

The adapted discovery outing offers an experience that brings people together, stimulates the senses and helps them to surpass themselves.  

Pushing back your own limits, discovering new things, forging links and living this collective adventure to the full: that's the challenge taken up by the students, and the whole point of this inclusive action by the University of Montpellier.

The aim of this outing is "to take into account all the needs that students with disabilities may encounter, both in terms of physical accessibility and in terms of understanding the environment in which they will be working during the outing", explains Isabelle Pecquenard, head of the Bureau Suivi des Étudiants en situation de handicap at the Handiversité department.

This year, the focus was on Micropolis, an edutainment theme park dedicated to insects and biodiversity, where those curious about nature, particularly in the scientific field, were able to immerse themselves in this rich, living universe.

In a light-hearted way, far from the daily grind of classes, these students, along with part of the Handiversité team, discovered the fascinating world of insects, with activities designed for all profiles. "For the UM, it's important to offer inclusive events like this one. During this day, there are no limits, no difficulties, no obstacles, they can be completely themselves," says Isabelle Pecquenard.

This outing is just one example of the year-round work carried out by the Handiversité department, which supports staff and students in their career paths and university life in a variety of ways: pedagogical, professional, human... " I couldn't have had my first year without the Handi service. I couldn't have had my first year without the Handi service. It wouldn't have been possible without support. I'm really grateful," confides Léon, a student at UM.