MONTREAL/December 5, 2006—
Concordia University welcomes the Quebec government's plan, Un Quèbec innovant et prospère, which was unveiled yesterday. It will increase funding by $888 million for research and innovation in the province over the next three years, which will contribute to reinforcing the Quebec research and innovation infrastructure in a significant way. The announcement was made by Premier Jean Charest and his Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, Raymond Bachand.
Concordia is especially pleased that the government has targeted areas of research that our university is already highly involved in: aerospace, information technologies, genomics and nanotechnology. ìThese are strategic areas of research where Quebec is already a leader and Concordia is an engaged partner,î said Concordia President, Claude Lajeunesse. ìBut there is fierce competition from around the world and without this additional financing, it would be difficult to stay on top.î
This investment will also provide urgently needed funding for graduate students. Some $32 million dollars have been marked for student researchers and will allow for 900 new bursaries from the master's to post-doctorate levels. ìIt's imperative that universities, like Concordia, be able to attract the brightest students at the graduate level,î added Louise Dandurand, Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies. ìAn enhanced research environment will also help us attract and retain the best students, new scholars and renowned researchers in our institutionsî.
Concordia applauds the government's leadership in accelerating research to boost technological innovation and we hope that this strategy will also enable the entire Quebec innovation system to flourish.
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Source :
Tanya Churchmuch
Senior Media Relations Advisor
Concordia University
