Located in the heart of the university’s downtown campus, this accessible, ground-level venue provides coworking desks, meeting rooms, kitchen and dining area, creating opportunities for intentional and spontaneous collaborations.
“Socially transformative, community-engaged work has been a part of Concordia’s DNA for as long as the university has existed,” says Susan Edey, MA 12, Concordia’s interim senior director of community engagement and social impact.
“We hope to bring people together for more cross-pollination between projects, departments, the university and the community.”
40-plus projects for societal change
SHIFT offers ongoing funding, training and paid student internships to community groups — vital resources Edey says are not often available through traditional academic pathways. While this support benefits social initiatives throughout Montreal, these partnerships also provide Concordia with rich experiential learning and research opportunities.
“This fantastic new location provides an incredibly welcoming, inclusive physical space for the Concordia community that is equally important for partners external to the university,” said Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr at the public opening of the SHIFT collaborative space on October 31.
“One of the critical aspects of Concordia’s approach to higher education is the humility to know that we do not have a monopoly on knowledge.”
Since launching in 2019, SHIFT has awarded more than $500,000 to over 40 projects that tackle societal challenges within and beyond Concordia, supported by five full-time coordinators, three part-time staff, and one shared administrative assistant. It has also facilitated approximately 100 paid internships across all four faculties.
SHIFT’s social mission is reflected in an innovative governance structure that lets both university staff and community members make significant decisions about the centre’s future.
“Having our own collaborative space always seemed like a pipe dream until the Saputo foundations brought their support,” says Edey, adding that when SHIFT eventually secures financing beyond the Saputo foundations’ gift, the space will be a lasting legacy of their generosity.
“The donation has been truly transformative,” she says.
Learn about some of the projects funded by SHIFT: