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Submitting a Mini-Course Proposal

The annual Enrichment Mini-Course Program is a unique event in the world of Canadian education. Since it was established in 1981, over 50,000 students, from Grade 8 to 11 in Eastern Ontario and Secondary II to V in Quebec have had the opportunity to explore an area of study or a subject of personal interest in a university or college setting. The program allows participants to acquire knowledge and skills to further their academic success and stimulate their interest in postsecondary studies. It’s offered by the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.
Faculty of arts building

Course structure

The Enrichment Mini-Course Program is presented annually, during the first week of May. Participating postsecondary institutions offer around 160 mini-courses, for which over 3,000 students register. The mini-courses are very interactive, bringing together short presentations, hands-on exercises, labs, group discussions and field trips, to provide students with an unforgettable learning experience. Each mini-course is for five hours a day from Monday to Friday, for a total of 25 hours. Courses start at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., with a one-hour meal break. There are no exams or formal evaluations. At the end of the program, students receive a certificate of participation from the host institution.

Robotics mini-course

Target audience

Mini-courses are offered to Grade 8 to 11 students in Eastern Ontario and to Secondary II to V students in Quebec with a strong academic record and whose school board or private school is participating in the program.

Important dates

OCTOBER

Mid-October: Mini-Course launch.
 

NOVEMBER

On-going recruitment of mini-courses facilitators.
Recruitment period ends on Friday, November 21.

DECEMBER

Continuous: updating the website for course registration.
Early weeks of December: confirmation of chosen courses by the Faculty.
Early weeks of December: sending a confirmation email indicating the chosen facilitators.

JANUARY

Registrations open the week of January 19 and close February 17.

FEBRUARY

Email following the end of registration period will be sent to the facilitators to confirm whether the course will be offered or not; depending on the total registrations.

Please note, some courses will be canceled due to a lack of registrations.

MARCH

March 8: Mandatory training for Mini-Course facilitators (in person on campus).

March 13: Deadline to submit the Vulnerable Sector Check.

March 27: Deadline to submit the outing and/or fund request.

MAY

May 3: Orientation for parents and participants
 

Official Mini-Courses dates: May 4 to May 8.

Information for facilitators

Enrichment Mini-Course Program facilitators must submit a police record check for the vulnerable sector.

Mini-courses logo

Submitting a mini-course proposal

You must provide a title for your mini-course, a description of less than 100 words, the material you’ll need (if available) and some keywords concerning the learning topics.

Instructors’ responsibilities

campus in the summer

Those whose proposals are accepted must agree to:

  • Obtain a police record check for the vulnerable sector.
  • Attend the information session for students registered in the mini-courses and their parents (Sunday, May 3, 2026).
  • Attend the information session offered March 8 2026.
  • Supervise the students registered in their mini-course from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, which also means ensuring their well-being.
  • Find a faculty-approved replacement should you withdraw from the program due to unforeseen circumstances.
  • Take attendance twice a day, every day, during mini-course week.
  • Complete the course evaluation form and have students fill out their evaluation form.
  • Have course-related expenses approved and submit receipts.
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Mini-courses branding

Use our PowerPoint personalized template to create your Mini-course presentation or check out our new logos. Feel free to use them for all your Mini-courses related projects.
For any concerns about branding and accessibility, please refer to the uOttawa Branding webpage.

Questions?

If you have questions about the mini-course program, email Émilie Desrosiers of the Outreach Office or contact your faculty’s liaison officer.