Community Report

1 / 9

A heavy-hitting nanoprogram

Université Laval has a new nanoprogram that helps people with research backgrounds develop soft skills. Students in the program develop their capacity for adaptation, collaboration, and communication through a reflective process of self-awareness and self-knowledge and with the help of personalized support. Registration for the first cohort was full within just a few weeks.

2 / 9

Young cooks in the kitchen

The love of cooking starts at a young age. The proof is in the pudding—spots for the Aliment’terre and Jeunes foodies culinary camps go fast. Now in their seventh summer of operation, these camps in a professional culinary complex have been attended by a total of 108 kids age 10 to 15. With chef Jean Soulard as their guide, the young apprentices set out on a kitchen adventure that runs the full gamut, from farm to table.

3 / 9

Music for all occasions

Even in the midst of the pandemic, Université Laval’s music students felt inspired to perform. They delighted audiences at various public venues, including the Summer Campus, Place Sainte-Foy, and the Alphonse-Desjardins Building, as well as at official University events, all while respecting public health guidelines. These were formative experiences that taught them to perform under various conditions.

4 / 9

Sun-kissed Summer Campus

The success of the Northern Campus inspired the creation of a Summer Campus . A variety of culinary, sporting, cultural, and wellness activities take place on the campus’s grassy fields and wooded areas during the summer months. Colleagues, family, and classmates quickly adopted these meeting places to quite simply enjoy the sunshine.

5 / 9

On the road to wellness

All across campus, mental health outreach workers provide students with timely, confidential psychosocial support and offer counselling for staff members, all free of charge. These agile mental health squads also help the University more quickly identify students who are struggling.

6 / 9

Flexibility and ingenuity

How do you respond when multiple COVID-19 cases jeopardize hands-on learning activities at partner pharmacies? With flexibility and ingenuity. Which is exactly how our internship team tackled the challenge. They were able to reassure students and offer them a rich and stimulating internship experience, all without delaying their graduation.

7 / 9

Riverside dialogue

In the spirit of sharing and openness, a “Rivers and Relationships” seminar was held at Mushuau-Nipi, on the banks of Rivière George. Nearly 20 people camped there for six days to launch a dialogue on respect for the land and the importance of rivers as elements of Indigenous cultural and natural heritage.

8 / 9

Stepping up to the plate

The labour shortage had a huge impact on the faculty and unit's teams providing front-line student services. But with student needs exacerbated by changing public health guidelines, they rolled up their sleeves and maintained the same high level of service. Even while short-staffed, they worked hard, kept smiling, and stuck together.

9 / 9

Going the distance to celebrate success

After many months of waiting, 2020 and 2021 graduates had their convocation ceremonies, a daunting logistical challenge with the pandemic still underway. Over six days, 13,000 vaccine passports were digitized and 4,600 gowns were donned at 11 in-person ceremonies that were also webcast live from the Québec City Convention Centre.

1 / 9

All ears on health

The Santé sans rendez-vous podcast series covers current topics in health, from depressive disorders to sports injuries to culinary medicine. It’s a varied lineup aimed at helping people improve their health by adopting healthy lifestyles. In this age of overexposure to screens, podcasts are a great way to learn while you exercise.

2 / 9

Stronger community roots

Every year, non-profit organizations turn to Université Laval for expertise that’s hard or expensive to access. The Accès Savoir program makes their work easier by facilitating community internships and providing free advice. The program has been improved to better meet the needs and realities of these organizations as well as the University’s commitment to social engagement.

3 / 9

No-holds-barred webcasts

A series of no-holds-barred webcasts on hot-button topics examines societal issues such as surrogacy, gun violence, and what it’s like to work at Amazon. It’s a great way to get people thinking about current issues and help them understand our world and the people who live in it.

4 / 9

In solidarity with First Peoples

Community members joined the movement for the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021. They paid a heartfelt tribute to residential school survivors and the children who went missing. Staff members even made and distributed 1,000 Truth and Reconciliation pins with the orange shirt symbol.

5 / 9

Health central to climate issues

The Climate, health, action! campaign seeks to raise awareness in the health community about the effects that climate change can have on physical and mental well-being. The student-led initiative makes health central to the fight against global warming and aims to engage the entire university community.

6 / 9

Celebrating diversity and inclusion

The first Diversity Days were held on April 6 and 7, 2022. The initiative promotes diversity and inclusion—two values that are dear to Université Laval. The activities featured people from diverse backgrounds speaking on work-, teaching-, and research-related issues and raised public awareness of different aspects of diversity.

7 / 9

Sharing books

A reciprocal agreement allows members of the Université Laval Library to get their Bibliothèque de Québec library card for free, and vice versa. This agreement strengthens the University Library’s unifying role in Québec City’s cultural life. The partnership improves access to services for residents and the university community.

8 / 9

An app for improving mobility

The MobiliSIG web app will make it easier for people with reduced mobility to use a wheelchair and will improve their social participation and quality of life. The research being done by geomatics professor Mir Abolfazl Mostafavi and his collaborators from various fields is a good example of Université Laval’s mission to deliver innovations that benefit society.

9 / 9

Embracing Indigenous legal realities

A new education leadership chair provides students with a better understanding of Indigenous legal traditions in a spirit of openness. The chair’s objectives are consistent with those of Université Laval to maintain strong, lasting partnerships with First Peoples and develop courses and programs for them with a view to reconciliation.

1 / 9

Inspiring the leaders of tomorrow

Inspirational people. A captivated audience. The second Leaders Circle with Lucien Bouchard, Robert Lepage, and Joanne Liu focused on leadership in times of uncertainty. Their ideas and outstanding achievements are helping to shape the leaders of tomorrow, particularly those enrolled in Initiatives for the Future, a series of customized courses designed to address complex societal challenges.

2 / 9

A unique transatlantic agreement

Université Laval and Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer (IFREMER) signed an agreement on oceanographic research in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. French scientists will be able to conduct research on the Amundsen, with Canadian researchers doing the same on board the French fleet. This partnership has the power to accelerate oceanographic research, much of which concerns climate challenges.

3 / 9

A rousing success, online and in person

The 89th ACFAS Congress was a great success. Papers presented remotely gave 6,500 French-speaking researchers the chance to share their work. Public events held on the campus of Université Laval and elsewhere in Québec City built bridges with the community. Science entrepreneurship was a hot topic in the Science, Innovation, and Societies category.

4 / 9

Prolific writing

From 2019 to 2021, faculty members wrote 15 books on various philosophical themes. Their productivity speaks to Université Laval’s strength as a research university, as the books are written in parallel with scientific papers. Most of these works have been published by European publishers, a noteworthy mark of international recognition.

5 / 9

A successful department merger

Two departments came together to create the Professional Development Department, a successful merger that is all the more remarkable for having been completed remotely. The move came in response to the changing labour market and the need to upgrade one’s skills at every age. It proves that it’s better to work in networks than in silos.

6 / 9

Record amount for the Rouge et Or

The Rouge et Or program runs on excellence, as do the 12 partners and 8 donors united for student-athlete success. In April 2022, the Rouge et Or awarded a record $144,000 to 76 scholarship recipients thanks to the commitment of people who believe in supporting the growth and success of future leaders from the world of university sports.

7 / 9

Banding together in the name of cybersecurity

The University’s many cybersecurity experts pooled their skills and efforts to enhance the security of Université Laval’s assets in the face of growing cyber threats, which are increasingly complex and varied. This cooperation resulted in the creation of a cyber defence network and has raised awareness in the university community about adopting responsible online behaviour.

8 / 9

Brio off to a brilliant start

The continuing education platform used by Université Laval and partner institutions has become an essential tool since launching in May 2021. After one year of operation, Brioeducation.ca had logged over 365,000 registrations for more than 580 different training activities. This easy-to-use platform offers flexible learning options to better balance work, education, and personal life.

9 / 9

Lessons from the pandemic

The pandemic profoundly changed the way we learn and teach. New educational practices emerged, while others changed. Université Laval is proactively seeking to learn from this period of change and adaptation. It surveyed its community and identified courses of action for the future in an eye-opening report. This is the starting point of an ongoing discussion.