Quebec English universities promise to offer more French if tuition hike is scrapped

 Quebec’s English-language universities say they will ensure that more out-of-province students graduate with a knowledge of French if the government doesn’t double their tuition.

The heads of McGill, Concordia and Bishop’s universities made the proposal to Premier François Legault and Higher Education Minister Pascale Dery during a private meeting in Montreal today.

They were convened to the meeting after the government recently announced it would increase tuition for out-of-province students to $17,000 from around $9,000 as a way to protect French.

Concordia University president Graham Carr described today’s meeting as “constructive” and said he and his colleagues were told the government would respond soon.

In an email to university staff, Concordia University said the plan would include a compulsory French course for out-of-province students, as well as other programs intended to help them integrate into Quebec’s culture and labour market.

Legault’s office said the meeting was private and declined to comment.

“For Bishop’s University, its very survival is at stake. As for Concordia and McGill universities, the combined losses are estimated at over $100 million a year according to conservative scenarios, not to mention the devastating consequences for the Quebec economy,” said the three universities in a press release on Monday afternoon.

They say that the claim that the government makes that this tuition hike will help strengthen French-language higher education by transferring funds from English-language to French-language universities “is based on flawed calculations.”

“Instead of adequately funding Quebec universities, the government is setting up a system whereby funding for French-language universities becomes somehow dependent on the ability of English-language universities to recruit Canadian and international students. In fact, as the government has announced its intention to reduce this recruitment, it is actually taking away the English-language universities’ ability to do so.”

They believe that English-language universities can contribute further to strengthening French in Montreal and Quebec, “while maintaining the international influence and attractiveness of our province.”

The schools proposed improvements to the new pricing model. “Quebec’s English-language universities are committed to increasing the linguistic and cultural integration of their students who do not speak French. As part of this commitment, they will deploy a full range of new initiatives to promote the French language and a better understanding of Quebec society.”

• Concordia and McGill universities are committed to introducing mandatory French-as-a-second-language courses and activities within three years, with a view to effectively supporting the professional integration of students within the city;

• In collaboration with the government of Quebec, English-language universities committed to substantially increasing the offering of French-as-a-second-language courses for Canadian students from outside Quebec and international students who do not speak French, and to creating new incentives for learning French.

These initiatives the universities say are designed to strengthen the mastery of the French language through various strategic axes, including:

• Increasing the number of French-as-a-second-language courses on offer, adapted to the different levels of language proficiency and professionalization pathways of students, enabling coherent and effective progression in their learning;
• more opportunities for internships and co-op placements in French, offering professional experience and immersion in the Quebec workplace;
• The provision of targeted services and activities that accelerate the development of language skills and facilitate professional integration in French;
• The development of specific initiatives to prepare students to pass professional exams, thus ensuring a smooth transition to professional life;
• The organization of activities to promote Québec culture, including an enhanced course offering, for an enriched understanding of the realities of our society.

“While the goal is ambitious, it reflects a firm resolve: to ensure that at least 40 per cent of non-French-speaking students enrolled in undergraduate programs reach level 6 of the Échelle québécoise, equivalent to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, by the time they graduate.”

To help achieve this goal, English-language universities, with the collaboration of the Quebec government, say they’ll introduce considerable incentives, such as scholarships to reward students who succeed in officially certifying this level of French proficiency.

In order to make these initiatives a reality, they propose that the pricing model be modified as follows:

• Canadian students from outside Quebec (CNRQ): tuition is maintained at current levels (basic fee of $2,881 and forfaitaire of $6,111, subject to indexation for 2024-2025).

• International students: as this measure has a negative impact on all universities, regardless of the language in which they conduct their activities, they propose that the implementation of alternative solutions to balance university funding be discussed in collaboration with the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire and the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur, to ensure that these solutions are sustainable and equitable for the entire network.

“We firmly believe that universities have a fundamental responsibility to contribute to the dynamism and vitality of the communities in which they operate. English-language universities are particularly recognized for their contribution to Quebec’s social fabric, as well as to its reputation nationally and internationally.”

-With files from The Canadian Press