Community Report

1 / 9

A deep dive into virtual reality

How can virtual reality support learning? Through experimentation, a group of students managed to find answers to this question in a living laboratory set up in the Library. This pilot project explored the design and development of immersive learning experiences in the metaverse. Access to the laboratory will open up to more people in the coming year.

2 / 9

Teaming up for philanthropy

The entire Université Laval Foundation team has joined forces with University staff to share best practices and increase collaboration to enhance the experience of graduates and donors. This collaborative effort reflects the University’s growing culture of philanthropy and will help us do more to support it.

3 / 9

EDI policy adopted

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are values near and dear to Université Laval. And now they are enshrined in a policy where the University recognizes its responsibility to provide an academic, research, work, and service environment that is free from discrimination and prejudice, where every person is entitled to respect and equal opportunities for success. While the policy is not an end in itself, it sets the tone for how we can do more.

4 / 9

Doctorate and employment: a winning combination

Université Laval is the only Québec university to offer an internship in all its doctoral programs. This 3-credit paid internship helps boost students’ confidence and employability by developing skills such as creativity, analytical thinking, and problem solving. Most doctoral students have received a job offer after their internship.

5 / 9

Let’s talk entrepreneurship

At Université Laval, we have a very extensive ecosystem to help responsible businesses hatch and grow. The first-ever Talk-show entrepreneurial ULaval helped give people a better understanding of this ecosystem and the value it provides. The seven-part series shined a spotlight on the people who are truly committed to the success of all the unique and different entrepreneurial projects underway.

6 / 9

Two new buildings in Lévis and Rimouski

Two initial cohorts of 18 medical students began their training in two brand new buildings next to the Hôpital régional de Rimouski and Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis hospitals. This is the culmination of the Aventure Médecine project, which brought together the strengths of four partners looking to offer medical training on a human scale in hopes of fostering the recruitment and retention of doctors in the regions.

7 / 9

3D sensory learning experience

Faculty members Sylvie Daniel and Willian Ney Cassol set up the REPER 3D experiential laboratory, which makes it possible to represent and perceive a physical environment in three dimensions based on miniaturized models of urban settings. Using the model, drones, and sensors, the 3D lab is able to recreate real-world conditions—including everything from roads and intersections to signs and traffic signals—based on training and research needs.

8 / 9

Medications and diet, research synergy

We held a theme day on the synergies between pharmaceutical and food sciences to give graduate students a chance to learn about the compatibility and complementarity of research in these areas. One of the main topics discussed was the interactions between drugs, food, and natural health products. The event also highlighted the importance of promoting cross-sectoral research.

9 / 9

Learning how to manage mental health

Over 800 members of the student body took part in a free online course on how to manage your own mental health. The goal is to help people sustain their mental health and well-being in their personal and professional life. The training, which is also available to anyone looking to support the mental health of a loved one or colleague, ties in with the adoption of the student mental health policy.

1 / 9

Recognizing traditional Indigenous knowledge

Professor Marie-Ève Bradette holds the new Chaire de leadership en enseignement sur les littératures autochtones au Québec (Maurice-Lemire) established to rethink how Indigenous literatures are studied and taught in Québec. The Chair is an example of Université Laval’s commitment to recognizing the importance of traditional and contemporary Indigenous knowledge and the need to include it in educational and scientific approaches.

2 / 9

Diversifying boards of directors

Various initiatives with Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerce du Québec, Junior Chamber of Commerce of Montreal, Secrétariat à la jeunesse, and Ministère du Conseil exécutif have helped Université Laval’s Collège des Administrateurs de sociétés foster greater diversity and inclusion on boards of directors. The college has trained more than 160 young people age 35 and under, an exclusive initial cohort of First Peoples youth, as well as people from visible and ethnic minorities.

3 / 9

Exploring the regions

ExploRÉA is an innovative project to encourage rehabilitation interns to practise in regions grappling with labour shortages and insufficient healthcare services. Students on internships in Eastern Québec receive financial assistance and take part in activities to ease their integration and help them better understand the realities of regional practice.

4 / 9

Helping young people manage their finances

The RBC Chair in Financial Innovation’s “Money Matters: Take Charge!” project helps youth age 15 to 19 get a better handle on their personal finances. An online survey revealed more about their relationship with money and their goals. The program also included videos, a detailed glossary, and personalized feedback to help young people broaden their knowledge and pursue their financial goals.

5 / 9

Promoting active mobility

Claude Durocher and Guy Labrecque founded the group Mobilité active ULaval, a community that embraces and promotes active modes of transportation. Its some 460 members help create a healthy, sustainable living environment on campus. In the spring, the group launched MAI-toi en action!, a contest to encourage the university community to take up walking, biking, and other active modes of transport.

6 / 9

Haïti in her heart

Cynthia Laura Petit-Maître is an international master’s student in social work and a woman on a mission. She channels her rich Haitian culture into her academic career. Her goal is to build up the confidence, self-esteem, and independence of women and children in her community who experience gender-based violence. Her actions have already earned her the Citizens of the World Commitment Scholarship.

7 / 9

Learning through music

University of Youth Music Play(ers) (UJM) is a living lab that carries out educational, social, scientific, and cultural missions with young people from different backgrounds. Professor Francis Dubé and his team’s “learning through music” approach incorporates analog and digital educational music games and fun learning activities. UJM’s scientific activities help assess young people’s creativity, their engagement with music, and their ability to learn various skills deemed essential today.

8 / 9

The skinny on skin health

In this volunteer initiative led by student Naïla Bouadi, some 50 medical students helped combat misinformation and raise awareness of skin health with more than 1,000 elementary and secondary students. The “Dans ma peau” (comfortable in your own skin) project was even nominated for a Canadian Dermatology Association Public Education Award.

9 / 9

Discovering health science

Students from some 40 high schools came out for a day of talks, workshops, and roundtables to learn more about health sciences—and maybe even find their calling. This event hosted by health science experts from the community touched on everything from infectiology to kinesiology, nutrition, and many other fields of study.

1 / 9

Historic performance in student competitions

Student delegations led by instructor Martin Dubé made a clean sweep, taking top honours in last year’s inter-university administration competitions. They took first place in the Jeux du Commerce, Financial Open, Happening Marketing, and Relève communication, and came in second at the GRH Symposium. It is a tremendous achievement that attests to the unparalleled quality of our learning experiences.

2 / 9

First one-stop-shop aerial photos

The Géophoto project is run by information resources architecture consultant Ammar Ben Yahia and research and map librarian Stéfano Biondo. It is the first one-stop-shop for aerial photographs and will ultimately house 2.3 million printed and digitized photographs from nine university libraries, Québec’s Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts, and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. The fact that Université Laval was selected for such an ambitious project demonstrates the wealth of its expertise.

3 / 9

Research leader in Canada

Thanks to the vitality of our research teams and the relevance of their work, Université Laval has climbed to number 6 on Research Inforsource’s list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities for 2023. This ranking, based on the amount of research funding invested at each institution, shows how capable Université Laval’s research teams are to respond to major societal issues.

4 / 9

Setting the table for resilient, sustainable food

Pôle de recherche et d’innovation en bioalimentaire is a biofood research and innovation centre created to accelerate the transition to more resilient, sustainable food systems. This ambitious initiative, headed up by Alain Doyen and Renée Michaud, will facilitate research into sustainable food solutions. It will foster networking, cross-disciplinary action, and an unprecedented level of collaboration. The targeted themes are aligned with the economic, social, cultural, and environmental challenges facing Québec’s biofood sector.

5 / 9

Mapping extreme heat waves

An interactive map that tracks Canadians’ vulnerability and exposure to extreme heat waves helps inform public health decisions. Co-lead researchers Yves Brousseau and Nathalie Barrette are at the helm of the team that created this valuable tool, which makes it easier to identify areas at risk in terms of frequency and intensity.

6 / 9

Wood in all its forms

The new Consortium on Wood-based Composite Panels (CorePAN-Wood) will make it possible to reclaim wood residues, optimize panel manufacturing processes, and develop new products. The work by this team, directed by lead researcher Professor Alain Cloutier, and a number of partners will help Canadian industry innovate to stay ahead in this highly competitive field, where Québec leads the country in terms of productivity.

7 / 9

Adapting to agricultural challenges

A team led by Professor Guillaume Grégoire has updated the Bachelor of Agronomy program. The new future-focused curriculum puts more emphasis on agroecology, world agriculture, digital agriculture, and farm business management. The University welcomed the first cohort of students in the updated program in the fall 2023 semester.

8 / 9

A community that looks to the future

Many community members took part in Université Laval’s 2023–2028 institutional planning process, with some 700 individuals and working groups answering the online questionnaires. The result: more than twice as many ideas and comments were submitted than in the previous strategic plan. Over 600 community members and partners took part in the discussion forums and consultations held on campus.

9 / 9

Doing more to foster academic success

Professor Nancy Gaudreau heads the Synergia joint research unit dedicated to the well-being of students having trouble adjusting and the staff who support them. She has been committed to promoting academic success since her early days as a special education teacher. This project lets her do more with research on professional development, intervention practices and approaches, and the relationships between school, family, and community.