The University of Ottawa must commit to the “second generation of internationalization policies,” says Gilles Breton, the new associate vice-president (international) and director of the University’s International Office.
The first generation concentrated its efforts on student mobility. Now, the objectives are to work towards expanding the University’s reputation throughout the world; reinforcing the international presence on campus by attracting a greater number of foreign students and; integrating international components into existing curriculum.
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Gilles Breton
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This is how Breton describes the main issues that await him in his new position that started on May 1, 2006. Breton holds a doctorate in sociology and politics from the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris. He brings to the University extensive experience as both a university administrator and a professor, particularly in the field of international relations.
Breton was a professor at Université Laval since 1981, where he established the international office in 1998 and committed himself to substantially increasing international student placements. He more than fulfilled this objective in the seven years that followed. Today, about 13 per cent of Laval students complete part of their studies at a foreign institution.
The challenge is just as daunting at the University of Ottawa. Next year, some 300 students are expected to complete part of their studies outside of Canada.
However, Breton is optimistic. “I’m arriving at the University of Ottawa during a period of expansion and significant development. There is a lot of expertise and enthusiasm in the International Office.”
The reality of globalization is that several programs will need to integrate an international component and future students may very well complete a portion of their studies in a foreign country to satisfy degree requirements. The home university must be able to provide access to quality programs in a student’s chosen discipline, regardless of geographical location. Such an approach requires programs to be networked at an international level, a process that Breton defines as “the internationalization of higher education.”
“Modesty and confidence are required in almost equal measure,” he explains. “On the one hand, modesty in accepting that another university will influence and, in some cases, enrich our students’ learning experience and on the other hand, confidence in our ability to develop new international partnership and attract the best students with our own programs.”
According to Breton, the University of Ottawa can build on any number of advantages to increase its international presence — not the least being the cultural diversity of the student body representing nearly 150 ethnic communities. “The challenge is to turn our international vision into an academic project,” he adds.
