Educational policies and adults returning to higher education in French-speaking Belgium: what models? What motivations? What obstacles and what types of resources are used?

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the problem of adults undergoing professional change. What educational policies can allow for the harmonious integration of these adults with little or no academic training and, above all, what are the motivations, obstacles and resources of these adults returning to studies (Carré, 2020)? There is a real challenge here in the fight against social determinism and a possibility of fully assuming the emancipatory social role of higher education. Through a series of interviews and questionnaires with more than sixty adults returning to higher education in French-speaking Belgium, we will highlight occurrences and recurrences in discourses, as well as data to understand the types of resources used, motivations, obstacles and the importance of educational policies for this specific audience due to their alterity and particularities. Finally, we highlight the training model most suited to the needs and expectations of adults returning to higher education.