LE MORVAN--CHEVESTRE Mila

This PhD thesis focuses on the daily mobility of students in the context of ecological, digital, and social transitions. As a key population for the adoption of environmentally friendly travel practices, students remain relatively understudied. The aim is to understand how young adults develop and evolve their mobility choices, and to what extent public policies can support these transformations.

The first research theme will address the housing–transport trade-offs made by students. It will analyze the compromises between housing costs, campus accessibility, and mode choices, taking into account social and spatial diversity. The goal is to assess the effects of local public policies (transport supply, student housing, pricing) on residential and travel behaviors, and to highlight the coherence of policies implemented in these areas.

The second theme will examine generational and temporal dynamics in student mobility. Based on surveys conducted over several years, the research will analyze how travel practices (motorization, use of active modes or public transport, cycling, and carpooling) evolve, as well as their socioeconomic determinants. This approach will distinguish structural effects linked to the economic and urban context from behavioral changes specific to student generations, in a context marked by growing environmental awareness and rapid transformations in mobility systems.

The third research theme will explore inter- and intra-personal variability in student mobility practices. It aims to understand how students adjust their travel behaviors over time, across different life contexts and daily constraints, distinguishing between differences across individuals (social, residential, academic profiles) and variations within the same individual over time. This axis will combine quantitative and qualitative approaches (econometric modeling, sequence analysis, use of GPS traces, digital travel diaries, interviews) to better capture the real dynamics of practices and to assess the room for maneuver students have in the face of economic and spatial constraints.

Finally, the fourth theme will focus on the psychosocial dimensions of mobility behaviors, studying the role of habits, social norms, environmental awareness, and peer influence in mobility transitions. Campuses, as dense spaces conducive to the diffusion of collective behaviors, represent privileged settings for observing the emergence and spread of sustainable practices such as active or shared mobility. The analysis will also examine how public measures (discounted fares, carpooling incentives, cycling infrastructure) interact with these social and behavioral dynamics, and how long the observed effects persist beyond the university period.

This PhD research seeks to deepen the understanding of student mobility at the metropolitan scale and to provide insights useful for designing more coherent public policies regarding housing, transport, and campus planning. By linking economic constraints, spatial choices, and social dynamics, the thesis offers a comprehensive analysis of student mobility as an economic, social, and environmental issue, contributing to the transition toward more inclusive and sustainable forms of mobility.