Motivations of high school students toward university: evaluation of a pedagogical experience at UFLO, Buenos Aires

Abstract

The early engagement to university has become an increasingly common practice, allowing high school students to establish direct contact with the university environment. In the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, this approach has been institutionalized permanently through the mandatory implementation of the Activities for Approaching the World of Work and Higher Education (ACAP). These constitute concrete pedagogical experiences, carried out in the field, aimed at connecting final-year high school students with the world of work, culture, and higher education.

This article analyzes an experience developed within the ACAP framework, titled “City of Buenos Aires: walking towards sustainability”, organized by the University of Flores and carried out during 2024. Around 100 students from privately managed (both secular and religious) high schools participated. The article describes the workshops conducted, coordinated by professors from various programs at the University of Flores, focused on training related to environmental sustainability in metropolitan contexts.

The relevance of this topic lies in Argentina's predominantly urban character, where most of the population lives in cities facing major socio-environmental challenges. Understanding these issues and proposing solutions is essential for the development of active citizenship. The analysis of this experience shows that high school students value early engagement with the university as an opportunity that provides them with tools to explore their academic interests and guides them in making decisions about their education and career futures.