Ottawa, Ont. – Laurentian University and La Cité collégiale signed an articulation agreement that will increase opportunities for health studies in French, and facilitate student mobility between both institutions.
As of today, students who complete a diploma in respiratory therapy in Ottawa will be able to enroll in the bachelor of arts in health studies – public health option, in Sudbury, and receive advanced standing for credits according to their grade point average. The need for public health specialists in Ontario is growing, hence the importance of such unique partnerships for the province. The bachelor of arts in health studies is the only program of its kind entirely offered in French in Ontario. Meanwhile, La Cité collégiale is the only institution that offers a diploma in respiratory therapy in French in Ontario. Through this partnership, students will be able to follow courses by distance education or on the Laurentian University campus.
“College-university collaborations are crucial to better meet students’ needs, and La Cité collégiale is a prime partner for Laurentian to develop French-language education opportunities in Ontario,” said Dominic Giroux, Laurentian University president. “Facilitating access to postsecondary programs increases study opportunities for youth who contribute to the development and vitality of our communities.”
Andrée Lortie, La Cité collégiale president, is thrilled to see this new initiative come to fruition. “This partnership, which facilitates transition from college to university, is excellent news for our students who wish to pursue their studies. This collaboration will meet the workforce’s needs, always in search of qualified bilingual professionals with leading-edge knowledge and expertise. It fits perfectly in La Cité collégiale’s new 2008-2013 strategic plan that aims to increase mobility for the student clientele in the French education continuum.”
This articulation agreement responds to the mission and objectives of the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS). The added value of this learning opportunity will give students the chance to pursue university studies and conclude them earlier.
The only bilingual and tri-cultural university in Canada, Laurentian University has been ranked fourth, since 2000, in terms of growth among Ontario universities, and currently serves some 9,000 students, including more than 800 graduate and international students. Admissions to its French programs are up by 18 % this year, as are admissions of students from the eastern Ontario region.
Laurentian offers 141 programs, in French and English, including six PhDs. Its School of Medicine awarded its first degrees in June 2009. Throughout its 49-year history, Laurentian University has graduated over 40,000 students.
La Cité collégiale, the first and most important French college of applied arts and technology in Ontario, has been ranked 2nd for the past four years in student satisfaction with an 84.6 % average. Also, employer satisfaction obtains a score of 90.3 %.
Since it opened in September 1990, the college has welcomed more than 135 000 students and offered diverse programming that evolves according to the needs of the workforce. This year, enrolment at La Cité collégiale is up by 8 %. In September 2009, nearly 4,000 students will attend the college. In 2010-2011, La Cité collégiale will offer more than 90 programs annually, and 58 of them will be offered exclusively in French in Ontario.
Reference :
Mona Fortier, MBA
Director – Development of Regions
Recruitment and Communications Sector
La Cité collégiale
T: 613 742-2493, ext. 2381
C: 613 818-9899
mforti@lacitec.on.ca
Guylaine Tousignant
Communications and marketing
Laurentian University
T: 705 675-1151, ext. 3406
C: 705 690-8125
gj_tousignant@laurentian.ca