Merger to Serve French Students Better

Legislation was introduced today, Nov. 12, to secure the future of French-language post-secondary education. The integration of Université Sainte-Anne and Collège de l'Acadie means more students will have greater access to French post-secondary courses and programs in Nova Scotia.

The two boards of governors have agreed on a plan for merging their operations within a year. Once legislation has been proclaimed, the new, merged institution will be known as Université Sainte-Anne-Collège de l'Acadie.

"We need to ensure that French-speaking Nova Scotians have access to high-quality post-secondary education through a viable, sustainable institution," said Education Minister Jane Purves."By merging, the college and the university will pool their resources and offer quality programs more efficiently."

The university and the college have developed a five-year business plan to guide them through the merger and help the newly formed Université Sainte-Anne-Collège de l'Acadie achieve its goals of increased enrolment, more programs and expanding distance education services abroad.

"We're going to build on the strengths that both institutions have now," said Allister Surette, president of Collège de l'Acadie. "We'll also be able to use savings from reduced administration costs to reinvest in programs and technology."

Université Sainte-Anne is strong in undergraduate degree programs. Collège de l'Acadie has expertise in using technology for distance education.

"The college has the network and the technology to offer distance education," said André Roberge, president of Université Sainte- Anne. "Together, we can offer both university and college credits at sites across the province."

Increased enrolment will be a priority of Université Sainte-Anne- Collège de l'Acadie. Currently, the college and university collectively have about 500 students. The business plan aims to increase enrolment by 200 in the next five years, with an emphasis on teacher education programs and online courses.

The former boards will be dissolved and a transitional board of governors will come into effect. Mr. Roberge will be the new president and Mr. Surette will be vice-president of development and partnerships.

The new institution will receive almost $6.5 million in provincial funding each year for five years. Canadian Heritage has been funding both institutions through an agreement that will expire in 2003. Negotiations on how that federal funding will continue are nearing completion.

The merger is part of government's commitment to ensuring that Nova Scotia's education system reflects the diverse nature of the province's communities.