Argument and themes of the conference

Professionalization has made its way into initial and continuing education, as well as professional development (Bourdoncle, 1991), driven by a social intention (Wittorski, 2005) linked to changes in the workplace and the effectiveness of training. This has led to the development of conceptions of social spaces and a closer relationship between schools and businesses (Dubar, 2001). This closer relationship is actually a "social construct" (Dubar, 2001, p.25) that aligns with the overall professional integration of individuals, and more specifically with university graduates. Although professionalization has been established in Anglo-Saxon countries for the past half century and in European countries for about fifty years (Wittorski, 2008; Bourdoncle, 1991) with several conceptual associations and aims, professionalizing university education is still in search of "adequacy" (Ghouati, 2015, p.165) between the training provided and employment opportunities, the transformation of individuals into professionals, and the construction of a research field (Wittorski, 2016).

This triple aim of professionalization can be pursued within the three conceptions of the university (Bourdoncle and Lessard, 2016), which can also constitute three levels of analysis for addressing the issues related to professionalizing university education in this symposium. The first conception refers to the liberal university (Bourdoncle and Lessard, 2016) whose purpose is education through multidisciplinary knowledge exchange and intellectual training. The second conception concerns the research university (Bourdoncle and Lessard, 2016) whose role is to establish truth through scientific research and academic freedom, following an epistemology and ethics appropriate to each disciplinary field. Thus, according to this conception of the university, research and teaching are inseparable and mutually nourishing. The last conception places the university at the service of society and its progress (Bourdoncle and Lessard, 2016). This is only possible if scientific research and knowledge taught in university education are implemented to solve societal problems.

Taking into account this parallel between the goals of university and professionalization, it is necessary to take stock of the professionalization of university education and the professional development of actors as social and theoretical objects, their definition(s), their role(s), their respective stakes in relation to the various contextual developments (national and international), as well as their next challenge(s) that are emerging in light of contemporary issues such as the digitization of social spheres, economic, social and educational equity and inclusion, scientific advances related to cognitive sciences, and the increased competitiveness of higher education systems around the worldwide.

 These objectives can be examined primarily through three non-exhaustive axes:

1-  The reality of professionalizing university education and professional development in national and international contexts in terms of research and on-the-ground impacts (various implementations in higher education systems).

2-  Societal stakes of professionalizing university education and professional development in national and international contexts in terms of conception(s) of work and training(s).

3-  Prospects of professionalizing university education and professional development in national and international contexts in terms of new organizational frameworks of social spaces, work, etc.

 The main objective of this scientific meeting is to initiate reflections around these axes in order to benefit academic training and professional development in the field of languages with the various theoretical advances and field expertise achieved in other domains.

Bibliographic references

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-  Dubar, C. (2001). The social construction of occupational integration. Education and Societies, no. 7, 23-36. https://doi-org.sndl1.arn.dz/10.3917/es.007.0023

-  Ghouati, A. (2015). Professionalization of Higher Education and employability in Algeria. [Research report] IREMAM (Institute of Research and Studies on the Arab and Muslim World - CNRS-Aix-Marseille University). Laboratory Communication et Sociétés. https://hal.science/hal-01588796

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-  Marcel, J-F, Tardif, M., Piot, T. (Eds.) (2022). Thirty years of teacher professionalization policies. International perspectives. Presses Universitaires du Midi.

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-   Wittorski, R. (2016). Professionalization in education: Foundational texts. Mont-Saint-Aignan, France: Presses universitaires de Rouen et du Havre.

-   Wittorski, R. (2013). Professionalization. In: Anne Jorro (Ed.), Dictionary of professionalization concepts (pp. 233-236). Louvain-la-Neuve: De Boeck Supérieur.

-   Wittorski, R. (2008). Professionalization. Savoirs, 17, 9-36. https://doi.org/10.3917/savo.017.0009

-   Wittorski, R. (2005). Professionalization and professional development. Paris: l’Harmattan.