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University gets champion in Ottawa

Canadian Border Services Agency President named Deputy Minister Champion for Concordia
November 18, 2011
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Source: Media Relations

Version française

President and Vice-Chancellor Frederick Lowy, together with Luc Portelance, president of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), co-signed a memorandum of understanding on November 16 that connects Concordia to the Public Service of Canada through a collaboration that supports education, research and professional training. 

President and Vice-Chancellor Frederick Lowy (left) and Luc Portelance. | Photo by Concordia University
President and Vice-Chancellor Frederick Lowy (left) with Luc Portelance, president of the Canada Border Services Agency. | Photo by Concordia University

Last April, Portelance was appointed Concordia's champion under the Deputy Minister University Champion Program. Created in 2002, the program provides a framework for collaboration between public servants and university researchers. The program is also intended to open pathways into the public service for students interested in pursuing work within the federal government.

“I am proud of the role the CBSA will play in strengthening the relationship between Concordia’s research community and Canada’s federal departments and agencies,” said Portelance.  “As Concordia’s champion, my objective is to support and enhance these partnerships in the coming years.”

One example of these partnerships is the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), which has shared with CBSA the expertise of its research laboratories working on computer security, telecommunications service engineering and design. Plans are also underway to involve students from the John Molson School of Business in the operations management of agencies such as the CBSA.

“Concordia’s research excellence extends across its four faculties and School of Graduate Studies,” said Lowy. “This new agreement provides us with the opportunity to share the innovative thinking and discoveries of our researchers with Canada’s top policy advisors.”

Concordia is one of 43 universities across Canada currently involved in the Deputy Minister University Champion Program.

Related links:
•    Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering
•    List of Deputy Minister University Champions
•    Deputy Minister University Champion Program
•    Canadian Border Services Agency
•    Biography – Luc Portelance




 



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