The University of Ottawa and France Universités join forces to strengthen academic and scientific cooperation between Canada and France

This agreement sets the stage for the creation of a France-Canada campus at the University of Ottawa.

The University of Ottawa, which is the largest French-English bilingual university in the world, has partnered with France Universités, an association of French universities and institutions of higher learning, to announce a joint initiative aimed at strengthening university and scientific ties between France and Canada. 

The two partners signed a letter of intent following a day of productive exchanges during which representatives from over 25 Canadian and French universities met on the main campus of the University of Ottawa for an event entitled France–Canada University Dialogue: Issues and Challenges for 21st-Century Universities. 

This event was in keeping with an agreement signed in September 2024 between France Universités and Universities Canada that aims to build bridges between the institutions of higher learning of both countries and to encourage new forms of academic and scientific collaboration. 

This agreement will help build the foundation for a France-Canada campus at the University of Ottawa. 

The mission of the France-Canada campus will be to: 

• Strengthen academic and scientific cooperation in teaching, research and innovation between institutions of higher learning in France and Canada; 
• Maintain a visible and structuring French presence in Canada’s capital, as it relates to France Universités member institutions and France’s institutional stakeholders in Canada; 
• Strengthen the visibility and participation of Canadian post-secondary institutions in their collaborations with French partners; 
• Serve as an academic and scientific incubator to facilitate the development of joint programs, dual degrees and collaborative research projects; 
• Promote the movement of students, professors and administrative staff between institutions of higher learning in both countries; 
• Help build networks between university communities in France and Canada in a spirit of openness, bilingualism and innovation. 

The University of Ottawa, which has a long history of partnering with France in the field of higher education and research, has managed the France-Canada Research Fund (FCRF) for the past 25 years. This fund is the main bilateral support program for joint research projects. The University of Ottawa also manages the in2novation platform in Canada and houses the offices of the French National Centre for Scientific Research in Canada, all of which testifies to the University of Ottawa’s long-standing commitment to scientific cooperation between France and Canada. 

Quotations 

University of Ottawa President and Vice-Chancellor Marie-Eve Sylvestre : “As a bilingual university located in the heart of Canada’s capital, the University of Ottawa has always maintained a special connection with France. Given its reputation as a leader in teaching and research in French, the University of Ottawa has many priorities in common with institutions in France, including support to Francophone communities in minority language settings and the development of a dynamic and inclusive research community. The France-Canada campus will consolidate these historic ties by providing space for collaboration and innovation, opening the door to French and Canadian institutions that wish to strengthen their joint initiatives.” 

France Universités President Lamri Adoui : “Cooperation and partnership efforts between universities in our two countries are many and varied. Even so, relations between universities are built not only  on mobility, cotutelle and joint publication efforts, but also on trust in common values and a shared commitment to promoting academic excellence and social progress. Given the current geopolitical instability, high-level academic dialogue between our two countries has become indispensable, which is what France Universités supports through its significant involvement in this day of dialogue.” 

Universities Canada’s President and CEO, Gabe Miller : “This new partnership is an exciting step forward in strengthening academic and scientific collaboration between Canada and France. Today’s announcement demonstrates how our shared commitment to innovation, mobility and bilingual education can translate into meaningful, lasting connections that benefit students, researchers and communities in both countries.”