A note of thanks

Dear Concordians,

As we close 2025, it certainly feels like we’ve reached an inflection point in our history as an institution and as a society. 

The first quarter of the 21st century will soon be behind us. The world is in many ways unrecognizable from what it was in 2000, a date when most of our students weren’t even born yet. 

Concordia is also a very different place, and we’re on the cusp of passing from one chapter to the next. 

This year, we closed out our 50th anniversary and celebrated our most successful fundraising campaign ever. We’ve never had better rankings, achieved greater research results, or earned more prizes and awards. Our students launched a rocket into space! While back on Earth, Concordia’s global recognition and standing is at an all-time high. 

And yet, both on campus and off, we’re facing urgent, complex and sometimes daunting challenges that are forcing us to make painful choices. Unfair as many of the policies and circumstances we’re experiencing may seem, we can’t allow them to undermine our achievements or become insurmountable barriers to future success. 

What lies ahead will not be straightforward or easy. We’ll need to dramatically reset some of what we do to sustain our mission and position Concordia to thrive in 2030 and beyond. 

The past few years of pandemic, financial hardships and geopolitical disruption have been a difficult run, causing no small share of disappointment, frustration, anxiety, anger, even disillusionment. Still, I take heart from the drive, resourcefulness, determination, pride and belief in our university that so many in our community show. 

Thank you to everyone — staff, faculty, students, alumni, donors and friends — who make Concordia one of the world’s top young universities, a beacon for Montreal, Quebec and Canada. Now more than ever, we need to come together, be resourceful, be creative, and move forever forward.  

The holiday break is just around the corner. Our community richly deserves it, and no doubt, for many, it can’t come soon enough. 

In that spirit, on behalf of my executive team, I want to announce that the university will be closed Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December 23 to give everyone additional time off to recharge and prepare for what’s ahead. More details about the closure will follow shortly from Human Resources.

I hope you stay healthy, take a bit of distance from work and enjoy yourselves to the fullest. And when we start the new year, let’s be inspired by Concordia’s accomplishments as we chart an even more intrepid path for the next 25 years. 

Have a wonderful holiday season, and please join me in wishing one another all the best in 2026!

Graham Carr
President and Vice-Chancellor