Collège Boréal and Laurentian University host the annual general meeting of the Consortium national de formation en santé

2010-05-25

Sudbury – To mark their respective 15th and 50th anniversaries, Collège Boréal and Laurentian University hosted the annual general meeting of the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS), held today, for the first time in Sudbury, at Collège Boréal. During the event, Collège Boréal and Laurentian University reported excellent results for the CNFS’ Phase III, which will wrap up in 2013.

Funded by Health Canada, the CNFS brings together 11 learning institutions (colleges and universities) offering French-language programs in the various health disciplines. This strategic alliance heightens the presence and contributions of Francophone health professionals and researchers and allows them, in French, to fully meet the needs of minority Francophone communities.

President of Laurentian University and CNFS national co-president, Dominic Giroux, attests to this initiative’s success: “Seeing the probing results obtained through the CNFS, we must applaud Health Canada for founding this project. Because of our partnership with the CNFS, Laurentian was able to increase the number and quality of health programs offered. We are proud of our accomplishments with the consortium.”

Among these accomplishments is the agreement between Laurentian University and Sainte-Anne University (Nova Scotia) for the bachelor of social work. Since September 2006, students from Sainte-Anne’s can earn a B.S.S. (baccalauréat en service social) from Laurentian by taking courses on their campus as well as distance education courses and performing clinical placements in Acadian communities. In light of this articulation agreement between the two institutions, this degree is now available in French in Nova Scotia, providing for the needs of these minority Francophone communities.
 
In addition, 2009 nursing graduates took part in the international nursing conference held last June in Marrakech, Morocco. During the conference, Laurentian students presented 12 research projects in various nursing fields.
 
Since 2005, the CNFS at Laurentian University also offers scholarships to students enrolled in French-language health programs supported by the consortium. More than 200 students have benefitted from these entrance, undergraduate and graduate awards.

Collège Boréal President Denis Hubert emphasizes the success of the concerted efforts between these two postsecondary institutions: “This approach promotes the mixing of ideas and the sharing of resources and allows Collège Boréal and Laurentian University to better meet the health needs of the Franco-Ontarian population by offering among other things a joint bachelor of nursing, surpassing their objectives and optimally using funds granted by Health Canada.”

At the end of Phase II (2003-2008) of this training and research project, Collège Boréal noted a 61% increase in enrolments due to the CNFS along with a 35% increase in graduates, also attributable to the CNFS.

Because of the consortium, Collège Boréal now offers a total of 15 health programs. Since the start of Phase II, some 750 enrolments at Boréal have been identified as a result of the CNFS. In addition to strengthening current training programs, the CNFS will also support the development of six new health programs at Collège Boréal through its Phase III.

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Information:
Chris Mercer
Chief of Staff
Laurentian University
(705) 675-1151, ext. 3408
cmercer@laurentian.ca

Benoît Clément
Manager, Strategic Communications
Collège Boréal
(705) 560-6673, ext. 1235
benoit.clement@borealc.on.ca