This text is part of the special section Higher education
What will Quebec universities look like in the future? Without being completely reformed, they will become more inclusive, more flexible and open up more to society, experts say. Portrait of the situation.
The university hasn’t changed dramatically over time, and it shouldn’t be much different in structure in the future. “On the other hand, the important thing is to see how we can ensure that it is as close as possible to the reality of our society”, explains the chief scientist of Quebec, Rémi Quirion, who chaired the creation. of a report on the question, tabled last February.
“The university of the future already exists,” adds Guy Laforest, Director General of the National School of Public Administration (ENAP). “It is not about dismantling the university as it has been until today and starting all over again. “
Access open to all
The document makes 12 recommendations, including that of better access for all. “There are still deficits on this side, in particular for certain minority groups,” observes Mr. Quirion. These include certain immigrant populations, First Nations and young women wanting to start a family.
For the year 2020-2021, they were only 443 Aboriginals and 285 refugees out of more than 350,000 university students, according to provisional data from the Quebec Ministry of Higher Education.
Greater flexibility in the programs would allow a higher rate of admission to studies for these segments of the population. This may involve a more extensive offer of part-time programs, or even a relaxation of the rules regarding obtaining a bachelor’s degree by accumulation. “We must also ensure that, if someone stops studies and comes back, they will be able to have access to scholarships,” adds Mr. Quirion, who also wants to give life-long training a boost. “A lot of times it’s seen as second-class education. “
More partnerships
Quebec universities will have to rely more on multidisciplinary training in the future. “It is not everyone that we want to fit into the same mold, and that makes it possible to face the major challenges of society”, explains the chief scientist.
The report also recommends increasing partnerships with non-profit organizations, private sector and government companies. “These are extremely important things for all universities that have science and engineering faculties,” observes Mr. Laforest. He cites the example of the École de technologie supérieure (ETS) whose motto is “Engineering for industry”.
Such agreements offer the possibility for students not only to obtain an internship in a practical environment, but also to enter the labor market afterwards. “It allows them to learn how it works in a structure. It takes a good level of training, but having a link with reality in society is not necessarily bad, ”believes Mr. Quirion.
The report also concludes that financial support for universities must be stepped up in a sustainable manner. An ENAP researcher, Pier-André Bouchard St-Amant, also obtained a sum of $ 127,000 in October. This money will be used to compare the funding model of Quebec universities with that of institutions elsewhere in Canada and around the world.
Openness to the world
For Guy Laforest, the universities of the province are nothing less than “the backbone of the autonomous Quebec nation” which consolidates the collective identity in all regions. He also considers that these establishments are “Quebec inc. “Of XXIe century in terms of international influence.
However, having a signature typically Quebecois is a challenge for universities, believes Mr. Quirion. He observed a trend towards anglicization of certain establishments, in particular with more classes in the language of Shakespeare to meet a certain clientele. “We have to stay in a certain Francophonie. It sets us apart from the rest of the world, ”he notes.
The different realities between establishments in large urban centers and those in the regions must also be taken into account. “It’s a tremendous force, which we may not be using enough. The role that universities in the regions can play is sometimes more important than it can be in Montreal or Quebec, ”believes Mr. Quirion. Thus, universities located in smaller municipalities act as an economic engine by contributing to the development of small and medium-sized businesses nearby. Some establishments also have programs specializing in regional realities.
“We have made a lot of progress over the past 50 years, but there is still a long way to go,” he concludes.