News and events

Keep up to date with most recent news and events of the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Featured news

Elena Valenzuela

Elena Valenzuela to continue as OLBI Director

OLBI is pleased to announce that Elena Valenzuela’s term as Director has been renewed and her term will run July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029.

“It’s a privilege to pursue our mission with such a dedicated team. Bilingualism is central to our sense of being Canadian. Like multilingualism, it brings communities together, opens doors and enriches our collective identity. I am deeply committed to supporting these values through OLBI, and this renewal of my mandate is part of a common effort. I am really looking forward to everything we’ll accomplish together in the coming years.”
— Elena Valenzuela, OLBI Director, and Associate Dean, uOttawa Faculty of Arts

Featured articles

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Students at convocation

Convocation 2026 | Persistence, resilience and determination: Frandley Paul, Master of Arts graduate in Bilingualism Studies

Frandley Paul often wondered about the gap between the discourse on bilingualism in Canada and the lived reality in some workplaces. He was particularly interested in identity, inclusion, access to French-language services, equality of opportunity and application of the Official Languages Act. When he discovered the Master of Arts (MA) in Bilingualism Studies, he saw it as an opportunity to delve …
Frandley Paul often wondered about the gap between the discourse on bilingualism in Canada and the lived reality in some workplaces. He was particularly interested in identity, inclusion, access to French-language services, equality of opportunity and application of the Official Languages Act. When he discovered the Master of Arts (MA) in Bilingualism Studies, he saw it as an opportunity to delve …

June 3, 2026
Students walking outside

uOttawa English Experience program | Summer Language Immersion

The Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) is excited to present the uOttawa English Experience program this August!
The Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) is excited to present the uOttawa English Experience program this August!

May 29, 2026
Family eating breakfast together

New OLBI Family Language Advice Service (FLAS)

Are you raising a bilingual or multilingual child? Do you have questions about your child’s language development, socialization, or school language? Are you looking to achieve bilingual harmony and linguistic well-being at home?
Are you raising a bilingual or multilingual child? Do you have questions about your child’s language development, socialization, or school language? Are you looking to achieve bilingual harmony and linguistic well-being at home?

May 21, 2026
CCERBAL Research forum presenters

CCERBAL Research Forum: Special showcase

Discover the interesting projects of three young researchers completing their Master of Arts in Bilingualism Studies at OLBI.
Discover the interesting projects of three young researchers completing their Master of Arts in Bilingualism Studies at OLBI.

May 1, 2026
Two students looking at a laptop

A Francophone Bridge Between Canada and Mexico

A meaningful linguistic, cultural, and virtual exchange has recently concluded between students in Professor Martine Rhéaume’s French as a second language (FLS) course and those of Professor Evelyne Charland at PrepaTec Eugenio Garza Lagüera, in the Monterrey region of Mexico. Martine Rhéaume is also the Coordinator of Technological Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Language Education at O…
A meaningful linguistic, cultural, and virtual exchange has recently concluded between students in Professor Martine Rhéaume’s French as a second language (FLS) course and those of Professor Evelyne Charland at PrepaTec Eugenio Garza Lagüera, in the Monterrey region of Mexico. Martine Rhéaume is also the Coordinator of Technological Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Language Education at O…

April 14, 2026

Upcoming events

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Professors Nicolas Guichon and Marie-Josée Hamel
Jun 16

A Conversation with Nicolas Guichon and Marie-Josée Hamel: The Trajectory of an International Collaboration

The Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) is pleased to invite you to its next event titled A Conversation with Nicolas Guichon and Mar…

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