Information Sessions for guidance practitioners celebrate 25th edition online

The principal of the University of Valencia, Mavi Mestre, welcomed the attendees to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Conèixer programme, although she expressed her regret at the current circumstances caused by the pandemic that, nevertheless, “cannot be an obstacle to communication and for young people to come study at our university”. She also thanked the guidance counselors for their “work in accompanying students, a much-needed task at the moment”.

Isabel Vázquez, vice-principal of Studies and Language Policy, then valued the joint work and contact between the agents working at the different educational stages and introduced the two speakers, Alícia Villar and Francesc J. Hernández, specialists in Sociology of Education and professors of the University of Valencia. Professor Alícia Villar, recently appointed head of Initiatives of Academic Careers, clarified the concept of career and referred to theTrajectòries, abandons i canvis de titulació en la Universitat de València(2017) study as a precedent and starting point for the work she has been entrusted with.

Disorientation, relocation, extension of studies and dropping out

Villar and Hernández presented the four types of academic careers developed in the study: disorientation, relocation, extension of studies and dropping out. All four are linked to social conditioning factors, which cause the careers to not be uniform or linear. At the moment, the work is focused on reviewing the study and implementing it in order to turn it into concrete actions, such as “monitoring the careers by reviewing and creating new indicators; adjusting the guidance received by students who come to the university; reviewing the training proposal before entering the university, and improving the selection and training of student mentors in the Entreiguals programme".

Hernández underlined the current breakdown of the feeling of belonging to a group or year, which is more difficult to achieve due to diversification and decrease of attendance. He also pointed out that those who drop out or extend studies by no means fit stereotypes, since these situations involve different scenarios, and that “in no case should someone be blamed, but we should study the dropout rate and how to minimse it: sometimes it is just a question of maturity”.

Hybrid teaching and educational planning resources

The vice-principal, Isabel Vázquez, focused her speech on hybrid teaching brought on by the pandemic and spoke about the efforts to maintain, with the new model, the same education, following the protocols established by the measures against COVID. She also pointed out that on-campus teaching for first-year students is a priority, because they need it most. Moreover, she expressed the University’s intention to maintain as much on-campus teaching as possible for classes (which will be made up during March) and exams. If this model is not possible, synchronous teaching and a combination of exams with continuous assessment will be used. Lastly, she stated that, in order to implement this teaching planning, the Virtual Classroom has been improved (Office 365, Blackboard Collaborate, Teams, Kaltura, etc.), classrooms have been equipped with cameras and recording systems and various tools for online learning have been made available to the university community.

News for the next academic year in the UV degrees and University Entrance Examinations (PAU)

Isabel Vázquez announced that there willl be a new double degree in the academic year 2021/2022, Law + Economics, which will last 5 years with a maximum of 75 credits per year. 50 places will be offered for the first year. Antoni Gil, PAU coordinator of the Valencian university district, explained that development of entrance examinations will be similar to previous years, with a structure that increases the options of exams without offering two alternative choices. He suggested visiting the website where the Management Committee has posted the PAU Guide 2021and a list ofFAQ, documents which will help solve the most common doubts. Finally, he noted that this year’s exams will take place on the university’s campuses, in accordance with the contingency plan established for COVID, and that there is a procedure planned for those hospitalised or in lockdown during the exams.

SeDi (Information and Promotion Service) announced the dates for the guided tours of the University (23rd to 31st of March). The University of Valencia will present its degrees and facilities through webseminars, videos made by students of the different degrees, and web resources. Theonline visitshave the collaboration of the University centres and the Web and Marketing Unit.

Uvcommunication and the Audiovisual Workshop (TAU) have also participated in the online production of the 25th edition of theInformation Sessions.