Our participatory events seek to reinvent the idea of the ‘university’ by creating spaces for lifelong learning, critical thinking and community engagement in local neighbourhoods.
University of the Streets Café
University of the Streets Café is a program of the Office of Community Engagement at Concordia University. It organizes bilingual, public conversations in cafés and community spaces across Montreal.
University of the Streets Café is back!
This season focuses on the theme of "Community engagement in a changing world."
What does community engagement mean to us today? How has the pandemic changed the way we engage, the issues we engage in, and the way community engagement is perceived? Why does community engagement remain important? What is the role of a university like Concordia in supporting and developing community-building movements and projects?
Winter/spring 2023 season
A public conversation is much like a conversation you’d have with friends or family around a dinner table, except with more people, more points of view, and slightly more structure.
Thanks to the support of our volunteers, venues and parterning organizations, the program is free and open to participants of all ages, backgrounds and levels of education.
What language are the events in? Do I need to register? What is the cost, and answers to other important questions.
Accessibility
We strive to hold all of our public conversations in venues that are accessible to persons with limited mobility. Contact us to find out more about the accessibility details or for any accessibility-related questions and/or needs.
Past conversations
Since its inception in 2003, University of the Streets Café has hosted over 400 public conversations. As a community-driven program, the topics we explore grow, change and occasionally reappear depending on what’s happening in the world and the interests of our participants. To get an idea of what we’ve talked about during our 12+ year history, explore our list of past events.
