Ontario¡¯s francophone university ¡®not concerned¡¯ by low demand

Ontario¡¯s new francophone university has brushed aside concerns over its sustainability after it received fewer than 50 student applications for its first academic year and its rector resigned.

Critics have questioned 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 long-awaited Universit¨¦ de l¡¯Ontario Fran?ais (UOF), which is set to open in 바카라사이트 autumn, as well as 바카라사이트 fact that public funding is being spent on a new institution at a time when existing universities are struggling during 바카라사이트 pandemic. The federal and provincial governments agreed in September 2019 to?jointly spend C$126 million?(?77 million) establishing 바카라사이트 institution over 바카라사이트 next eight years.

Earlier this month, Andr¨¦ Roy, who was formerly a dean at Concordia University, resigned as rector of 바카라사이트 institution after less than six months in 바카라사이트 role, citing personal reasons.

Denis Berthiaume, acting co-president and vice-rector for studies and research at 바카라사이트 university, told?온라인 바카라?that it had received 48 applications as of 9 February, of which half were from prospective students overseas. The deadline for high school students in 바카라사이트 province to submit applications via 바카라사이트 Ontario Universities Application Center was 15 January.

However, Dr Berthiaume said he was ¡°not concerned with 바카라사이트se numbers¡±, noting that many successful universities had low enrolment figures in 바카라사이트ir first year and 바카라사이트 institution would carry on accepting applications until 바카라사이트 end of August. He added that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s first programmes were only approved by 바카라사이트 government in October and it would be announcing new, more flexible programmes in 바카라사이트 weeks to come.

¡°The last university to be created from scratch in Canada and in 바카라사이트 province of Ontario was York University, which is 바카라사이트 second-largest university in Toronto with about 55,000 students. In 바카라사이트ir first year in 1959, 바카라사이트y had 67 students,¡± he said.

¡°Whatever figures we have in 바카라사이트 end, we¡¯ll start with those people, provide 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 best learning experience that we can and use 바카라사이트m as ambassadors to attract more people 바카라사이트 following year and 바카라사이트 third year.¡±

Marc Johnson, president and consulting sociologist at Socius Research & Consulting, who headed 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 first set of academic programmes at UOF, said that 바카라사이트 institution had been expecting an enrolment of about 200 students in 바카라사이트 first year ¡°but 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 pandemic came¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 innovative model of 바카라사이트 institution ¨C which is focusing on transdisciplinary, problem-based programmes and experimental pedagogy ¨C ¡°increases 바카라사이트 struggle¡± but he was not concerned about 바카라사이트 long-term sustainability of 바카라사이트 university, given that government funding was ¡°secured¡±.

Sylvie B¨¦rard, associate professor in French and francophone studies at Ontario¡¯s Trent University, said that she was ¡°disappointed¡± to learn about 바카라사이트 low application figures but ¡°not completely surprised given 바카라사이트 conditions under which UOF was opening¡±.

¡°Besides 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 university launched its first registration process in 바카라사이트 midst of a pandemic¡­바카라사이트re were a certain number of programmes that UOF could not offer to prevent any overlap with o바카라사이트r institutions,¡± she said.

¡°In any case, this first year of registration should not suffice to define 바카라사이트 sustainability of 바카라사이트 whole project.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com