The University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) will finally have its own Faculty of Health Sciences. Pharmacology, nursing and nutrition: the institution has drawn up a list of programs that could be offered to students in the not too distant future.
What you need to know
- This fall, UQAM will submit a health sciences faculty project to its board of directors.
- UQAM rector Stéphane Pallage still dreams of a medical program, but Quebec is closing the door.
- The university wants to revive the Latin Quarter, which suffered greatly during the pandemic.
“The goal is to submit the project to the board of directors during the fall,” says its rector, Stéphane Pallage, about the new faculty.
UQAM did not even wait until it officially opened its doors to launch two first microprograms (short graduate training courses) in osteopathy this fall.
With a total of 50 places, the two programs are sold out, Stéphane Pallage rejoices in an interview.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Stéphane Pallage, rector of UQAM
We collectively asked ourselves the question: what could be our greatest contribution in the coming years? We looked at Quebec’s major needs, and one of the greatest, currently, is health.
Stéphane Pallage, rector of UQAM
To implement this ambitious project, UQAM sought out the former president and CEO of CHUM and CHU Sainte-Justine, Fabrice Brunet. “A very, very good recruit,” emphasizes Mr. Pallage.
Each session, new programs will be added to the offering, he says. “There are a number of things that are in the works, others that will require a little more time.”
Among the disciplines considered, UQAM is first considering creating programs in pharmacology, nutrition, and nursing.
“There is a great need in the field of nursing,” observes the rector.
Quebec closes the door on a medical program
Since taking up his post last year, Stéphane Pallage has made no secret of his ambition to provide UQAM with a medical program.
After campaigning alone, he joined the Université du Québec network, which also hopes to have its own faculty.
The objective: to train doctors throughout Quebec, particularly family doctors.
“When I arrived, I had a project for UQAM. But very quickly, I saw the potential to do it on a Quebec scale,” he explains.
A major challenge that he has already taken up in the past: he set up a faculty of medicine at the University of Luxembourg during his term as rector, from 2018 to 2022.
Meetings have been held on this subject with the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Health. “There is very good listening. The discussions are excellent,” he believes.
However, his speech contrasts with that of the office of the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry.
Currently, we are focusing on increasing cohorts in the four existing medical schools.
The office of the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry
“Regarding the deployment of a medical program, we have recommended that they instead focus on their current fields of expertise in the areas of health and social services,” it adds.
Reviving the Latin Quarter
The Montreal university also wishes to participate in the revitalization of the Latin Quarter, at the heart of various social crises since the pandemic.
“UQAM does not want to be a spectator of the decline of its neighbourhood. It wants to be proactive,” says Stéphane Pallage.
The university has also appointed a first vice-rector associated with the revival of the Latin Quarter, Priscilla Ananian, to collaborate with the various stakeholders in the district, such as BAnQ.
Social work, urban planning, design: the university has the expertise to respond to the different problems that the district has to deal with, believes the rector.
A concrete example? Last winter, she opened a warm shelter to accommodate the itinerant population, which is numerous in this sector of Montreal.
A ceiling of 31 million
Like all higher education institutions, UQAM received a directive from Quebec this summer imposing a ceiling on its spending on the renovation and expansion of its buildings.
Its budget was limited to 35 million, while the institution had planned to allocate “40 to 50 million” to various works this year. “We had signed contracts,” laments Stéphane Pallage.
At the beginning of September, Minister Pascale Déry had promised that the agreements concluded before the directive was sent would be honoured, but Mr. Pallage says that the issue has still not been resolved.
“For the moment, the limit is still 31 million,” notes Mr. Pallage.