Promoting studies in Quebec

Updated on: Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Out of 25,000 foreign students in Quebec, only 400 are from India. Efforts are on to strengthen educational ties between Quebec and India and establish collaborations between institutions, according to Benoit-Jean Bernard, Consul, Bureau du Quebec at Mumbai.

Quebec, one the largest provinces of Canada and second largest French-speaking region next only to France, is keen on attracting more Indian students to take up higher education in its colleges and universities.

Mr. Bernard was in Puducherry for the first International Congress of Indian Association for Quebec Studies (IAQS).

“We are offering 29 scholarships for students who want to go to Quebec universities for master's and Ph.D programmes. The Quebec government will pay the tuition fee. The fee structure in Quebec is one of the lowest in north America,” he said.

Another programme introduced by the Quebec government was 10 ‘excellence scholarships' for students who had already registered in Quebec universities for master's and Ph.D programmes. Under this, special money of Rs. 10 lakh per year would be given to the selected students.

Besides this, the Quebec government had come forward to give a selection certificate of immigration to students on completion of degree, only if they wanted it, he said.

These apart, concerted efforts were being made in India to promote francophone studies, particularly Quebec studies, over the years, mainly by the Association of Indian Teachers of French (AITF) and IAQS. “The francophone countries, which are almost 50 in number, also include Quebec. Earlier, there was no Quebec Studies in India but only French studies. Only recently was Quebec Studies introduced as a paper by French departments in various universities,” said K. Madanagobalane, president of AITF and Emeritus Professor, Banaras Hindu University.

“In India, Quebec studies will not only provide another dimension to French studies but will enrich the French language. It will not only broaden their scope, but also open up new avenues for employment, translation and higher studies,” he said.

According to R. Kichenamourty, University Grants Commission Emeritus Fellow of Pondicherry University, Quebec studies has become autonomous in some universities especially in research at the M.Phil and Ph.D levels. Many students have started to take up dissertations on Quebec studies.

But experts put forward areas of concern. “Of late, there seems to be a stagnation especially in the last six to seven years because the agencies which have the role to propagate Quebec studies have shown some kind of disaffection or indifference to Quebec studies.

They have not shown interest in developing Quebec studies in India,” he remarked.

Through the Congress, the experts have suggested that concerted efforts be taken to create an access to Quebec books. They should identify people and associations, which can promote Quebec studies in the country, he added.

With French-teaching, part of a long tradition in India, Professor Madanagobalane said, “As teachers of French, we have endeavoured to keep French in a dignified position. But at the same time, we have to consider the interests of Indian students. Students of French in India need to keep all options open as regards the opportunities for higher studies and employment. They need to look for new pastures,” he exhorted.

With the growing number of BPOs in the country, French students had plenty of opportunities. Students were definitely getting good jobs in various avenues including translation and interpretation, he said.

But he expressed concern over lack of support in developing French in the country. “The quality of French-teaching is good in some universities. But various French organisations think that teaching in French at Alliance Francaise is adequate. They feel it is enough if Indians study French in these institutions.

But Alliance Francaise cannot teach at the higher level such as French literature and comparative literature. More money should be spent for the development of French in India,” he emphasised.

Promoting studies in Quebec

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