For over 50 years, the destinies of the University of Ottawa and Saint Paul University have been intertwined. The two institutions are independent but federated under a provincial law passed in 1965 that established our university.
Born out of Bytown College in 1848, the sister universities offer their students the chance to capitalize on the unique fields of specialization and expertise developed by the two, in addition to allowing for the exchange of professors and knowledge.
Jacques Frémont, uOttawa president, and Chantal Beauvais, Saint Paul rector, have continued this long tradition by signing a renewal of this inter-university partnership. They took the opportunity to announce the creation of a joint committee with a mandate to simplify collaboration while respecting the needs and unique qualities of each institution. The committee will be co-chaired by David Graham, provost and vice-president, academic affairs, at uOttawa, and Jean-Marc Barrette, vice-rector academic and research at Saint Paul.
During the signing ceremony, Frémont said,
“The city of Ottawa would not be what it is today were it not for our collective past, and our vital present. I am confident that in the years to come, we will continue to bring a rich diversity of spirit to our city and to Franco-Ontarian culture in particular, and that our shared passion for scholarship, for wisdom and for social justice will continue to benefit not just our local communities but the world around us, with which we are increasingly interconnected.”