TVA Nouvelles has learned for the first time that the Quebec government will introduce a new “equilibrium policy” regarding the funding of Quebec universities, to tackle labor shortages and the decline of Quebec diplomas. No new money, but the planned $4.2 billion in funding for universities has been completely reworked. Graduates from priority programs will be rewarded.
“We have to respond to the challenges of workers in Quebec right now. It’s a balanced policy,” commented Higher Education Minister Pascal Tery.
Unconditional funding at Quebec universities will increase by $8.5 million per institution.
“By significantly increasing the unconditional envelope, it gives them better predictability and better stability. We are also able to predict the variability of customers,” continued the minister.
Scholarships awarded to students have had limited impact in priority areas. “We want to provide incentives to enroll” and “incentives to graduate,” he explained. “We’re going to follow students and fellows because we want them to have a diploma to respond to workforce challenges.”
Universities will receive $700 per enrolled student, $5,000 for Diploma in Special Higher Education (DESS), $9,000 and $10,000 for bachelor’s or master’s degrees in priority fields such as teaching, engineering, information technology, health and social services. For Ph.D.
With the current economic climate, the funding will “encourage students to stay in school”.
Remember that last October, Quebec imposed exorbitant prices on non-Quebec students, which caused strong reactions from the university community.
“I believe that my colleague’s actions will ultimately help us to reorganize the university network, but also to restore the broken linguistic balance in Montreal,” Jean-François Roberge, the minister responsible for the French language, pointed out at last. October 13.
Although McGill University and Concordia University challenged the new policy in court, the minister still signed on.
“We came to shake the pillars of the temple. These are difficult steps, but necessary,” explained the minister responsible for higher education.
Therefore, the tuition fee for Canadian students will be $12,000 and $20,000 for international students.
“We need to fix the financial disparity between the French-speaking network and the English-speaking network,” he concluded.
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