“UBS was created by students for students”: a new student association in Béziers

Le bureau de l’UBS regorge d’idées pour améliorer le quotidien des étudiants biterrois. Midi Libre – Rodrigue Delpas

Depuis sa création en juillet dernier, l’Union biterroise du supérieure (UBS) a pour objectif d’améliorer le quotidien des étudiants.

"L’UBS, c’est un peu notre bébé", smile the three young students who make up the office. Last July, the "Union Biterroise du Supérieur" (UBS) was born. It was an initiative desired by the public higher education institutions (IUT, IFMS and the university) of Béziers as well as the Occitanie Region.

"Perdurer dans le temps"

Thus Clément Montagné, its president, is a student at the IUT  Thomas Ramos, the vice-president, studies at ISOGM (the osteopathy school); and Léa Ponce, the treasurer, at IUT. All three of them at the base of this project, they want to make it “last over time”.

But UBS, what is it ? “UBS was created by students for students," explains Clément Montagné. Thomas Ramos continues:“We want to include all students in Béziers, as well as the Biterrois – as transcribed in the name – both private and public, i.e. 3,400 students this year.”

All three aged 20, they have lots of projects for this brand new association: “We want to address different themes, suggests Clément Montagné. Citizenship, student rights, ecology, meals… Everything that comes out of the evenings, that, we leave to the BDE (student office). We rely on two pillars: support for associations and for students. We conduct surveys to target the desires and needs of each person.

“Developing a membership card”

An initial structure has already been set up with nine active members as well as six student associations that are already members (IFSI, IUT, BDE Copupo master, Corpo fac, UFEL and the osteopathic school." In addition to "very good relations with the various BDEs".

In terms of funding, the project is still in the discovery phase. "For the moment, we only have subsidies from the Region, indicates Léa Ponce, the treasurer. We will try to develop a student card to join UBS. In return, members will be entitled to discounts in businesses that agree to play the game."

And since we don't stay students all our lives, they are already planning for their succession. "We would like to renew the office at the end of the school year, says Clément Montagné. But we want to prepare all this well in advance. We want to make UBS last over time, we will support the next office as best we can."

The next deadlines

Already present at the “Welcome” day on Thursday, September 26, UBS will also be at the “Health Village”, an event organized by Paul-Valery University. The launch of a website is also in the pipeline. “This will allow us to have more visibility and compile all the help sections for students. Like this, it is easier for them to access, they will be able to find out about everything that is happening in Béziers in just a few clicks."

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