Université de l'Ontario français (UOF), in collaboration with Université Laval and Collège La Cité, is pleased to recognize the first cohort of 18 graduates from its new graduate-level certificate program in the pedagogy of higher education.
In the spring of 2019, Université de l'Ontario français announced the creation of a 16-credit graduate certificate program offered in partnership with Université Laval and Collège La Cité. Over the 2019-2020 academic year, the curriculum was developed by representatives of the three academic institutions.
Launched in the fall of 2019, this professional training program was offered to teaching faculty and academic advisers at Collège La Cité who wished to further strengthen their teaching skills. With a mindset of "starting from their lived experience to sustainably enrich their future experience," the students enrolled in the certificate program came from different academic disciplines, discussed and dissected their teaching practices, came to know each other better, and developed common benchmarks related to the educational project of Collège La Cité. The original design of the course and the certificate program were adapted in response to the context of the pandemic, and to support students in their professional development.
"We are proud of this certificate program, which is the result of a reflexive experiential pedagogical approach that supports the professional development of educators," said the program's main instructor Professor Didier Paquelin, Chair in Leadership in higher education pedagogy at Université Laval, Québec.
The certificate program drew 22 students and ended this past January with a first cohort of 18 graduates, nine of whom are moving on to pursue a master's degree at Université Laval.
"I am delighted that such a sizeable number of participants, all members of La Cité staff, were able to develop professionally and successfully complete this graduate certificate," said Lise Bourgeois, President, Collège La Cité. "They worked hard and I congratulate them. In the end, all our educational areas will benefit from this professional training program, these participants have already begun sharing their new knowledge and experiential learning with their colleagues."
"This program is part of UOF's commitment to respond in a concrete way to labour markets needs and to the necessity of introducing teachers and faculty to the university's pedagogic vision as well as facilitating their professional development," added Professor Denis Berthiaume, Interim Co-President and Vice-President Studies and Research, Université de l'Ontario français.
A Showcase of Collaboration
The implementation of this first program offered by UOF demonstrates the spirit of collaboration with Université Laval and Collège La Cité, and our shared common values of which pedagogy is fundamental. This professional training program fits into the new realities of higher education, and it aims to promote student success. A partnership like this provides even more people with access to higher education.
UOF intends to continue in this direction and, in collaboration with various partners, will soon offer programs that already exist in other universities.
At the moment, just months before its official opening in September, UOF continues to work tirelessly to make itself known more broadly and to promote the quality of its programs, including its first four undergraduate honours bachelor's programs approved last October by the Minister of Colleges and Universities.
Université de l'Ontario français offers all francophones and francophiles an innovative pedagogy based on learning, experience and discovery that together facilitate socio-professional integration.
