Faced with the student housing crisis and regional inequalities in access to higher education, distance learning appears to be an alternative worth exploring. In this article, Olivier Morvan, founder and director of LiveCampus, shares his analysis of the opportunities offered by this learning method, particularly in terms of accessibility and cost reduction for students.
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Rising rents in major university cities and the saturation of student residences are making access to affordable housing increasingly difficult. A survey conducted in September 2024 by Ipsos for the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council revealed that 58% of French people report difficulties accessing housing, placing this issue at the top of their list of concerns, ahead of access to healthcare, employment, justice, and public transportation.
(Interprofessional Association of Student Residences and Services), there is currently a shortage of approximately 250,000 student housing units. With nearly 3 million students, demand for housing has steadily increased in recent years, while supply is struggling to keep up. The Student Union estimates that half of them, or 1.5 million, live in precarious housing conditions, including substandard housing, temporary accommodation, and even homelessness. This situation particularly disadvantages students from rural or remote areas, who are often forced to move abroad to continue their studies.
Distance education as a solution to these challenges
Distance education provides a concrete and effective response to these challenges. It offers unprecedented geographic accessibility, allowing students to take courses from any location, including rural areas. For example, at LiveCampus , the median population of the cities where our students reside is approximately 20,000 ( LiveCampus data from October/November 2024 ), demonstrating great geographic diversity.
Additionally, distance learning offers significant savings on housing and transportation costs . Students no longer need to relocate or commute daily, significantly reducing costs and logistical constraints.
Work- study programs make training more accessible by offering students a salary and covering their tuition fees. According to the Ministry of Labor , as of the end of November 2024, 842,800 new apprenticeship contracts have been signed since the beginning of the year, an increase of 2.4% compared to the previous year. Currently, 1,036,800 people are on apprenticeship contracts, representing an increase of 1.8% compared to the end of November 2023. With training costs covered by the company and the student receiving a salary, higher education becomes more accessible.
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Educational and logistical benefits
Distance learning offers considerable educational and logistical advantages. By eliminating the need for daily commuting, it allows students to save valuable time that they can reinvest in their studies or personal activities. This flexibility facilitates a better work-life balance, reducing the stress and fatigue associated with travel.