This text is part of the special Philanthropy section
Whether it is to fund research or to support students, philanthropic donations allow the Université de Montréal (UdeM) to shine. The management of the establishment invites the community to reinvest in the university and, by extension, in the development of Quebec society.
“People need to be aware of the fundamental role that universities play, in general, in the fate of Quebec society. Not only in terms of its economy, but also of its culture and its international influence, believes the rector of the university, Daniel Jutras. Several UdeM graduates have contributed to the construction of modern Quebec in all fields. We can think of Brother Marie-Victorin, one of the greatest scientists in Quebec; Armand Frappier, the father of vaccination; Yoshua Bengio, a major player in artificial intelligence, and to several premiers of Quebec. “
The rector emphasizes that the city of Montreal, rich in educational and research establishments, is a very stimulating environment on a North American and global scale. “We must put this forward, to become aware of the way in which universities contribute very concretely to the construction of Quebec, but also to its development, to the revival of the province after the pandemic. And that’s what we want to nurture with philanthropy! “
Mr. Jutras goes on to explain why philanthropy is so important in academia: “The current financial framework means that there aren’t enough resources to do extraordinary things at a university. This culture of great philanthropy is growing, but it is still far from what we find in other models in English Canada or the United States, ”he illustrates. He underlines the importance of endowment funds, which generate interest and allow greater investments, particularly in the area of scholarships. The rector reveals that French-speaking universities in Quebec have endowment funds that hover around $ 300 to $ 400 million – only one tenth of what is accumulated by large English-speaking universities.
“It is exceptional that we have built a university which is among the 100 best in the world, with resources far from being equivalent”, exclaims Mr. Jutras on the international ranking of the UdeM. “Philanthropists play a very important role. We are very lucky in this regard at UdeM and we have made progress over the past ten years, ”continues the rector, who recalls that a major campaign ended in 2017 enabled the establishment to accumulate more than 600 million dollars – a record among French-speaking Canadian universities.
“We cannot think outside the box or go much further than we would like in research without the contribution of our donors. To achieve this, we must improve the resources available, ”says the rector, however, who relies on those who know the establishment closely: the graduates.
Michael Pecho, vice-president of alumni relations and philanthropy, agrees. “Several transformative projects are emerging at the University of Montreal,” he says. The vaccine race to counter the COVID-19 pandemic is also an eloquent example of the essential work of our researchers for a healthier society. Despite this, finding university funding remains a challenge. It is therefore philanthropy that must serve as a lever to see innovation emerge and knowledge to emerge from our walls. The support of our volunteers, donors and affiliated institutions consolidates our strengths and helps us forge a stronger University identity, here and elsewhere in the world. “
Invest in your university
In large universities, the contribution of graduates contributes to more than half of the philanthropic funds used for education and research, observes Hélène Véronneau, director general of philanthropic development at UdeM. While many of them are already reinvesting in UdeM, management wishes to further increase the culture of philanthropy by strengthening its links with graduates.
“We keep a fairly close connection with the graduates, who are involved in various university bodies or who do mentoring, in particular. We have the review The diplomas where we present what is done best by and for our graduates. There is the UdeM alumni and donor network, which has more than 400,000 members and is dynamic and growing, ”lists Frantz Saintellemy, chancellor of UdeM. The latter relies on digital technology to improve the establishment’s strategies to increase communication with graduates, who may have an interest in investing in a given field, as well as to establish recognition mechanisms to ensure more philanthropy. long term.
“The university is an extraordinary lever for society, and the strength of UdeM is also the strength of Quebec, Canada and the Francophonie,” says the Chancellor. I sincerely believe that a vibrant university and a strong and funded UdeM is also a living society that trains better individuals who, in return, reinvest in society. “