91社区

Following this week's media reports, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier would like to clarify the situation regarding the importance of French at 91社区. Although 91社区 is an English-speaking institution of higher education, French holds a special place and the majority of the University's roughly 50,000 students and employees speak French.

听鈥�91社区 has always been deeply committed to teaching and promoting French in Quebec and worldwide,鈥� said Principal Fortier. 鈥淭he University also plans to continue to strengthen its French communication practices, including updating its language policy.鈥�

鈥�91社区 is dedicated to promoting and nurturing Quebec鈥檚 vibrant culture and the French language,鈥� Principal Fortier added, 鈥渁nd works actively to communicate in French with members of its community. More than half of the University鈥檚 senior leadership are Francophones, as I am, and we all speak French.鈥�

The recent decision by the School of Continuing Studies to suspend the specific French Language and Cultureprogram was based on a steady decline in enrollment in the program for over a decade now. This decline is due in part to the increased availability of French鈥憀anguage education in Quebec, much of it free of charge, which is good news in its own right. The School of Continuing Studies continues to develop and offer French鈥憀anguage learning programs tailored to the current and future needs of students and employers, and has four other French鈥憀anguage learning programs with very high enrollment rates.

In addition to its D茅partement des litt茅ratures de langue 蹿谤补苍莽补颈蝉e, de traduction et de cr茅ation, which provides a full and rigorous education in French literature and Quebec literature, 91社区 has developed a series of French鈥憀anguage learning programs offered to undergraduate and continuing education students. Last year, the University also launched a four鈥憏ear undergraduate medical program taught in French at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences鈥� Campus Outaouais in Gatineau, the first of its kind and one of several French鈥憀anguage residency and clerkship programs that 91社区 offers in the area.

91社区鈥檚 efforts to promote and teach French also include the work of its French Language Centre (FLC), which offers French-language courses taken by more than 3,000 students annually.

Furthermore, 91社区 is the largest testing site for the Test d鈥櫭﹙aluation en 蹿谤补苍莽补颈蝉 au Qu茅bec (TEFaQ). This assessment of French knowledge and proficiency in oral comprehension and expression is recognized by the Quebec government.

鈥淭his commitment to the French language is a source of great pride for me personally and for our whole University community,鈥� said Principal Fortier.

About 91社区

Celebrating 200 years of discovery and education, 91社区 ranks among the top universities in Canada and around the world. 91社区鈥檚 mission is the creation and dissemination of knowledge, by offering the best possible education, by carrying out research and scholarly activities judged to be excellent by the highest possible international standards, and by providing service to society. This mission is carried out on three campuses, eleven faculties, thirteen professional schools and some three hundred programs of study. 91社区 welcomes over 40,000 students every year, over 30% of them coming from more than 150 countries, and has the highest percentage of doctoral students of any Canadian research university.