Media

OTTAWA, January 25, 2010  —  The University of Ottawa will receive an additional $4 million from the Ontario government in order to increase its course offerings and provide more services in French. A portion of the funding will be used to expand the University’s French Immersion Studies program and provide more scholarships and bursaries for Francophone students.

“We are pleased that the provincial government recognizes the particular character of the University of Ottawa and the unique challenges of its bilingual mission,” said Allan Rock, president of the University of Ottawa. “Bilingualism is one of uOttawa’s strengths, and we are encouraged to see there’s a political will to support it.”

At the heart of the University of Ottawa’s mission is a commitment to developing high quality training programs and research activities that reflect Canada’s two major cultural and linguistic traditions. The University plays a key role in educating French-speaking Canadians from Ontario and elsewhere in the country and, in 2009, boasted more than 11,600 Francophones among its student population.

The additional funding will be used to:

Improve access to university studies in French
As part of implementation of the 31 recommendations put forth by the Task Force on Programs and Services in French, which were passed by the Senate in 2008, the University’s has set the goal of offering all mandatory undergraduate courses in French and expanding the range of electives available in French.

Increase retention rates in Ontario’s French-language school system
Thanks to its innovative high school networking activities, uOttawa continues to contribute to greater student retention rates in the French school system and maintains its recruitment efforts aimed at Franco-Ontarians and French-speaking candidates across the country. The University of Ottawa, with one of the most generous scholarship programs in the country, also strives to improve access to university studies in French and recognize excellence among French-speaking students who choose to study in French.

Revitalize French immersion programs
The University has introduced a number of initiatives to promote its French Immersion Studies program—new scholarships, an increased number of immersion courses as well as mentoring and support services to encourage academic success. Established in 2006, the University’s innovative immersion program encourages English-speaking students from the various high school immersion programs in Ontario and across Canada to do their university studies in French.

Increase the number of qualified teachers
Training French-speaking teachers is critical to student retention in Ontario’s French-language school system and in the various Francophone communities in minority situations. The University hopes to attract more students interested in pursuing a teaching career at the elementary and secondary levels and to help them understand the importance of their role as ambassador of Francophone culture.