Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney: An $80 million major fundraising campaign

Québec City, October 26, 2022 – Université Laval and its Foundation have officially launched the Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney major fundraising campaign, which has a target of $80 million. The campaign, which spans five years, will be chaired by the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, assisted by two honorary co-chairs, Olga Farman, managing partner at Norton Rose Fulbright’s Québec City office, and Jean Raby, partner at Astorg in London.

The main goal of this ambitious campaign is to help fund the construction of Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney, which will house the Graduate School of International Studies (ESEI) and bring Université Laval researchers and scholars in international studies together under one roof. The project will position the University as a leader and consolidate its reputation as an innovation hub for teaching and research on international issues in various disciplines. 

The campaign will help fund the creation of new research chairs and the recruitment of leading experts that round out ESEI’s existing expertise. Funds raised will also be used to endow academic scholarships and provide the next generation with greater access to stimulating careers.

The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney’s involvement in the campaign is a logical extension of his career and his vision of Quebec and Canada’s international leadership. “I am proud to support my alma mater in chairing a campaign that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations as they work together to find solutions to international challenges,” said the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney. 

Université Laval rector Sophie D’Amours is honoured that this project is being driven and supported by one of Canada’s great leaders. “This major fundraising campaign is an important milestone for Université Laval, as it marks the launch of a transformational project for our institution.”

“In partnership with the public and private sectors, Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney will play a leading role as a francophone centre of excellence in international studies and help shape a new, globally minded generation of students,” added François Gélineau, Vice Rector, International Affairs and Sustainable Development. At the heart of this promising initiative is the Graduate School of International Studies, a flagship Québec institution made up of more than 70 faculty members from a dozen different disciplines. Through their expertise, ESEI faculty contribute to research on major contemporary global challenges in areas such as international security, international trade, democracy, sustainable development, and the environment. 

The campaign’s two honorary co-chairs, Olga Farman and Jean Raby, believe that “The Campaign will enrich the academic careers of students interested in international studies, as well as the development and influence of the Graduate School of International Studies. The Carrefour will thus become a hub for debate and research on international issues within Université Laval.”

Some $40 million has already been raised through contributions from the Government of Québec and a number of donors, including the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Sandra and Alain Bouchard Foundation, Alimentation Couche-Tard, the Choquette Family Foundation, Sylvan Adams, Jean Raby, Claude Dussault, Fondation Ariane Riou & Réal Plourde, Norton Rose Fulbright, J. A. DeSève Foundation, Éric Dupont, Hubert Laforge and his wife Florence Laforge.

“The Université Laval Foundation would like to thank the Government of Québec and the donors and businesses who have pledged to contribute to this major campaign. Their support for students, research, and infrastructure reflects a shared vision of Quebec’s position on the international stage,” said Alain Gilbert, president and CEO of the Université Laval Foundation–Development and Alumni Relations.

As a university with impact, Université Laval will significantly enhance the international role that Quebec and the Canadian Francophonie play and help prepare new generations of Quebecers to follow in the footsteps of our great leaders. 

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