University Education

Montréal’s universities are focal points for research, discovery and innovation activities. With its international calibre of researchers, its 11 universities − four of which are major universities and seven are affiliated schools − and its partnerships with governments and the private sector, Greater Montréal is a leader in innovation. Moreover, the Montréal region is Canada’s university capital, as it ranks first place for the number of university diplomas awarded at the ubdergraduate and graduate levels. In 2007, more than 170,000 students were enrolled in universities in Greater Montréal, of whom nearly 42,000 students graduated, with more than 6,500 graduates in  the high technology sectors. In the future, innovative companies will be able to count on a large pool of university graduates to meet their needs for a qualified workforce.

For more information on higher education institutions in Greater Montréal, see below, or consult the sections concerning Research and Innovation for each of these establishments.

Université de Montréal
Founded in 1878, Université de Montréal is one of the largest Francophone universities in the world. It includes 13 faculties and two affiliated schools. Combined, these institutions form the first higher education and research teaching centre in Quebec, the second in Canada, and one of the foremost in North America. The Université de Montréal offers the most complete medicine and health sciences teaching program in Canada. Its staff includes 2,500 professors and researchers, welcoming more than 56,000 students in more than 650 programs at all cycles of study, and awards some 3,000 master’s and doctoral degrees annually.

McGill University
McGill University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in Canada, and the country’s top research university. The language of instruction is English, and McGill holds first place in Canada for research work, enjoying world recognition for its work and scientific discoveries. Founded in 1821, McGill University now counts 11 faculties and professional schools that offer over 300 programs, from undergraduate to the doctoral levels, to some 34,000 students.

Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
A member of the Université du Québec network, this Francophone university has built a solid reputation in new fields of study, such as environmental sciences, tourism management and communications. Founded in 1969, UQAM has seven faculties and offers some 300 innovative programs in computer science, mathematics and biology. Its École des sciences de la gestion (ESG), the largest in North America, offers an MBA program for managers in 18 countries on four continents. In November 2001 the ESG received the prestigious EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) accreditation, awarded by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) based in Brussels. UQAM welcomes more than 39,000 students.

Concordia University
Created in 1974 following the merger of Sir George Williams University and Loyola College, Concordia University includes four faculties–Arts and Science, Engineering and Computer Science, Fine Arts and the John Molson School of Business–as well as the School of Graduate Studies and the School of Extended Learning. It offers more than 500 programs to some 43,500 students coming from 150 countries, and favours interdisciplinarity in all its spheres of activity. Concordia is recognized as a leader in cybersecurity and digital media. As well, its Centre for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology has an envious international reputation. For the second consecutive year, a study by the École des Mines de Paris ranked Concordia as the Canadian university that has the largest number of graduates holding the position of president at a Global Fortune 500-listed company.

Major Affiliated Schools

HEC Montréal is the oldest school of management in Canada. It offers its 12,000 students 35 programs of managerial studies, from undergraduate to doctoral levels, including the MBA program available in French and English, and certified by the United Kingdom’s Association of MBAs. On the strength of its partnership with 88 universities and major management schools in 32 countries, HEC Montréal is also reputed for its extensive international exchange program. Its market trading room, fed by real-time financial data from the Bloomberg and Reuters agencies, is one of the best equipped in university circles. HEC Montréal has now become one of the ten best international schools offering an MBA, according to Business Week, which revealed its 2004 ranking of the best management schools. HEC Montréal is affiliated with Université de Montréal.

École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP)
Created in 1969 and present in Québec City, Montréal, Gatineau, Saguenay and Trois-Rivières, ENAP offers a wide range of graduate and doctoral credit training programs. Teaching is enhanced by the work of several very dynamic in-house research groups. ENAP also organizes brainstorming sessions and seminars, and offers its students study internships in Québec and abroad. It is also very active in continued training and consulting services among public organizations. Nearly 2,000 students attend ENAP.

The largest engineering school in Canada, the École Polytechnique has been a leader in science and technology for more than 125 years. It offers high quality training programs tailored to industry needs at all university levels.

École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)
Industry-focussed, the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) offers university programs in engineering that meet companies’ needs. All undergraduate programs offer a rotation between course semesters and paid internships in the industry. Moreover, a high percentage of the master’s and doctoral projects are conducted within the framework of collaboration. The amount set aside for research exceeds $13M annually, and some 40% comes from contracts in the industrial sector. Affiliated with the Université du Québec, ÉTS ranks among the five best engineering schools or faculties in Canada, and has 4,800 students.

Other affiliated schools

• The Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), affiliated with the Université du Québec
Devoted to top quality research and training, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) makes its presence felt wherever societal risks warrant. Dynamic and innovative, the INRS remodeled its organization to meet the challenges of the 21st century, by consolidating its scientific teams working in complementary fields. Downsizing from eight to four research centres, the Institute optimized its research and training activities while increasing its ability to intervene in four strategic sectors for Québec’s future: Water, Land and Environment; Energy, Materials and Telecommunications; Human, Animal and Environmental Health; Urbanization, Culture and Society.

• Télé-université (TELUQ), affiliated with the Université du Québec à Montréal
Since its creation in 1972, Télé-université (TÉLUQ) sets itself apart from the network of schools of higher learning and universities that make up Université du Québec by its exclusive distance education program. A leader in French distance education in North America, TÉLUQ’s recognized field of jurisdiction is in distance education, learning technologies, communications and technology management. These streams are at the heart of the research work performed by several professor-researcher teams. In addition, many of these professors also conduct work in their disciplines, such as management, entrepreneurship, economics, psychology, health, linguistics, history, literature, industrial relations or sociology.

• The campus of the Université de Sherbrooke in Longueuil
Located on Montréal’s South Shore, the Campus of the Université-de-Sherbrooke in Longueuil welcomes several thousand students annually. It currently offers more than a hundred programs at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles in its eight faculties, in the following streams: administration, arts and literature, law, education, environment, engineering, health, human sciences, information technology, theology, ethics and philosophy.