Volunteering and involvement

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Student involvement is crucial both for students and for the HES-SO Genève, whether through volunteering, academic or institutional contributions. Key to thriving in your life in Geneva, student involvement can have a considerable impact on integration, gaining experience, success in your studies, as well as on the life of the school as a whole. This involvement also encourages exchange and dialogue with school administrators.

Student associations

Take advantage of the numerous resources (advice, practical sheets, writing models) and the interassociative network set up by the HES-SO via its support platform dedicated to all HES students involved in the associative environment!

Find your school’s student association:

HEPIA – Haute école du paysage, d’ingénierie et d’architecture

AEH

Office located in the gallery, building A

Tel. +41 22 546 24 18

ae.hepia@hesge.ch https://www.hesge.ch/hepia/aeh

HEG – Haute école de gestion

AE-HEG

Office FR34

Battelle Campus Building F

Rue de la Tambourine 2

1227 Carouge

https://www.hesge.ch/heg/etudier-heg/associations

HEAD - Haute école d'art et de design

Awaiting information

HEM – Haute école de musique

ADEHEM

Rue de la Synagogue 35

1204 Genève

ade.hem@hesge.ch

HEdS – Haute école de santé

La Sonde

Office 115

47 avenue du Champel

1206 Genève

ae.heds@hesge.ch

https://aeheds.wixsite.com/lasonde

HETS – Haute école de travail social

ADES

Office D001

28 rue Prévost-Martin

1211 Geneva 4

Tel. +41 22 388 95 27

assoc-etudiants.hets@hesge.ch

Open badges student involvement

Are you formally involved in a student association, elected to the "Conseil de concertation", in a Participatory Domain Council, in a participatory body of the HES-SO Genève or selected as a HES mentor for the Academic Horizon program?

Take advantage of the “Open Badges” developed by the HES-SO to recognize student engagement in the broad sense. At the end of your activity, you can also request a badge allowing you to promote the skills acquired, particularly with employers.

Information and methods for obtaining badges.

Solidarity initiatives

La FARCE, an association set up by two students from the Haute école de travail social (HETS), offers free food distribution to students of the HES-SO Genève and the University of Geneva.

Online registration required in advance.

Horizon Academique: support for asylum-seeking people

Since the 2020-21 academic year, the HES-SO Genève has been officially collaborating with the University of Geneva's Horizon académique program, designed to promote the academic and social integration of immigrants and asylum seekers. Offered in partnership with the Canton of Geneva's Bureau de l'intégration et de la citoyenneté (BIC), this unique program provides a bridge to university studies or a suitable professional orientation. Participants can resume their studies by enrolling in one of Geneva's higher education institutions (University of Geneva, HES-SO Genève, IHEID).

At the same time, the HES-SO Genève is actively involved in the INVOST project, launched in 2021 by the HES-SO Rectorate in collaboration with UNES (Union des Etudiants-es de Suisse) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (HT FHNW). This program offers refugees and asylum seekers who wish to study and have the potential to do so, preparatory measures to help them obtain a HES diploma.

Admission procedure for the Horizon académique program

The program is intended for :

Asylum-seekers (S, N, F, F-refugee or B-refugee permits)
Holders of family reunification permits (B or Ci permits, FDFA legitimation cards)
Swiss nationals returning from abroad

For information on admission criteria and application procedures, please visit the University of Geneva's Horizon académique web pages.

Bridge year as an auditor at the HES-SO Genève

As part of its partnership with Horizon académique, the HES-SO Genève offers a bridging year to participants who are eligible for the HES Bachelor's or Master's program of their choice, and who can prove a B1 level of French. Three types of support are offered:

Access to courses as an auditor (unregistered student)
Mentoring program
Recognition of acquired ECTS credits (depending on the chosen course of study)

Attending classes as auditors enables participants to familiarize themselves with the environment, teaching methods and practices of universities of applied sciences (HES), while supporting them in their academic integration process.

For detailed information on the auditor program at the HES-SO Genève, please consult the practical guide designed for Horizon académique auditors.

Registration procedure:

Participants interested in HES training must first evaluate their study project with their Horizon académique program coordinator. If the project is approved, applications are forwarded to Student Affairs at the HES-SO Genève.

If the conditions for becoming an auditor are met:

Successful candidates receive notification of acceptance from the HES-SO Genève Student Affairs.
They must complete an enrolment form and select courses in their chosen field, based on a catalog of courses available at each university of applied sciences (HES).

Application deadlines :

August 31 for the fall semester or full academic year
January 31 for the spring semester

Admission support:

During the bridging year, participants are accompanied by the Horizon académique program as they apply for admission to their chosen university of applied sciences (HES). They also benefit from information sessions on admission requirements organized by the HES-SO Genève.

Admission is confirmed if participants :