A former president of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, Maud Cohen, becomes general manager of Polytechnique Montréal, has learned The Press. She is the first woman to occupy the post of this 149-year-old institution which was marked by the feminicide of December 6, 1989.
Posted at 5:07 p.m.
The appointment was approved Wednesday afternoon by the Quebec government’s council of ministers during its weekly meeting.
“I’m thrilled,” says M.me Cohen in interview with The Press. Polytechnique is my alma mater (she graduated in industrial engineering, 1996) and it’s also where my social commitment began. Polytechnique Montréal is an organization that has a significant impact on society through its mission and I believe it can have an even greater impact. I’m a mission-oriented woman and I’m really excited about this challenge. »
When she talks about her interest in “organizations with a mission”, let us specify that Ms.me Cohen was, until March 31, 2022, Executive Director of the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, a position she had held since 2014. She was President of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec from 2009 to 2012.
“Maud Cohen impressed the consultation committee and the members of the board of directors with her varied experience in management and philanthropy, and also with the leadership she has demonstrated throughout her career,” said Pierre Lassonde. , President of the council. She has what it takes to rally the community around a unifying and promising vision that will allow Polytechnique to pursue its quest for excellence in teaching and research. »
“It is a great pride for me to be Director General and very proud to be the first woman to lead the institution in nearly 150 years,” continues Ms.me Cogen about this first in the history of the institution. It is highly symbolic. I’m not necessarily saying it was time; it is a profession that is basically masculine. »
She notes that 30% of young women currently form the baccalaureate cohort. “It takes time to make young women aware of pure and applied sciences,” she says. Certainly it was time, but at the same time, the context means that universities or faculties of engineering are more led by men. However, any organization needs diversity in the broad sense. This is something to consider for our public institutions. »
Sustainable development
What projects, what issues, does she want to put forward?
“In an interview for the position, I repeatedly mentioned that I am a leader who relies heavily on bringing teams together to develop the organizational vision,” she says. It is important to have a great collective vision and to take into account what people want to see as a collective vision for the School. »
At the dawn of the organization’s 150th anniversary, she believes that Polytechnique has something to think about for the future. “How are we going to reinvent ourselves? How to tackle the challenges of the new century? How are we going to bring about teaching methodologies centered more on the student? How to develop the future engineer according to future needs and challenges. »
Research, the lack of space compared to other Quebec institutions and diversity, both among students and faculty, are other challenges that concern her.
In addition to her engineering degree, Maud Cohen holds an MBA from the École des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) in Montreal in 2004 and a certificate in governance from the College of Corporate Directors of Laval University.
Until May, she chaired the committee of independent experts on the architectural and urban integration of the REM East of Montreal. This committee ceased its work when Quebec and the City of Montreal took over the file from CDPQ Infra.
The new director general of Polytechnique Montréal was a candidate (loss against Léo Bureau-Blouin) of the CAQ in Laval-des-Rapides in the general elections of September 4, 2012 in Quebec. She had been president of the CAQ 2013-2014.
On this subject, she affirms that her appointment is not political. “The Minister of Higher Education (Danielle McCann) has no influence in the process. I had to pass two solid interviews requiring a lot of work. It was done rigorously like good engineers,” she laughs.
Maud Cohen will take office on August 10 for a four-year term. Polytechnique Montréal has 9,930 students and more than 300 professors. Its annual budget is 275 million including 105 million dedicated to research.