Join the conversation!
Organized collaboratively by the Consortium of English-language CEGEPs, Colleges and Universities of Quebec, and Concordia University’s Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovation in Teaching and Learning, this PSE Skills Symposium will:
- Foster stronger relationships among the nine English-language CEGEPs, colleges and universities within the Consortium network;
- Highlight initiatives happening within Consortium-member institutions that have proven successful in supporting students to develop their Skills for Success;
- Identify best practices, opportunities, gaps, areas for collaboration, and resource sharing.
Funding for this event is provided by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise.
Event information
Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023
Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Location: Concordia University Conference Centre, 9th Floor, John Molson Building (MB), 1450 Guy St., Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8
The Symposium will be in-person, with dedicated time for sharing, presentations, discussions, networking and action planning. Breakfast, lunch and refreshments provided. There is no cost to participating.
Who should participate?
The Skills Symposium will bring together individuals working in Quebec’s English-language CEGEPs, colleges and universities whose work focuses on:
- Experiential and/or work integrated learning
- Internship and mentorship coordination
- Career planning and transition services
- Future skills development
Each Consortium member institution is invited to send up to 8 delegates (max.) to this free, all-day event.
Call for submissions
Share your Skills for Success initiatives! We are inviting each Consortium member institution to submit initiatives that speak to one or more of the following five (5) themes:
- French-second-language Learning/French language training for the workforce in Quebec
- Innovative cross-sectoral, inter-institutional, and /or inter-regional collaborations
- Strengthening the “Post-Secondary Education to Career” transition for English-speaking graduates in Quebec
- Improving remote learning opportunities and regional access to skills development and employment services
- Impactful mentorship programs
We’re particularly interested in future-facing initiatives that could be scaled up/replicated across one or more of the PSE institutions in the Consortium network.
Submissions will be reviewed and compiled into a Skills for Success booklet, which will be distributed in the weeks leading up to the Symposium.
One submission from each institution will be chosen to be delivered as a Lightning Talk at the event.
What are Lightning Talks?
Lightning Talks are short, thought-provoking presentations designed to spark conversations, foster collaboration, and share insight and impact of a given initiative in a focused manner.
Format for Lightning Talks
- Five (5) minute presentation
- One (1) PowerPoint slide may be used (optional)
SUBMIT your Skills For Success initiative(s) by clicking HERE.
For each submission, you will be asked to share the following:
- Your institution
- Contact information
- Name of your Skills for Success initiative
- 100-200 word abstract or description of the initiative
- Corresponding theme(s), selected from the five above
- Target audience
- Associated partners, if applicable
- Potential of initiative to be scaled/replicated through the Consortium’s network
- Web/social media links, if available
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: OCTOBER 16, 2023
REGISTER for the Skills Symposium by clicking HERE.
What will the day look like?
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE
| Time | Activity |
| 8:00AM – 9:00AM | Registration/Breakfast |
| 9:00AM- 9:15AM | Words of Welcome Dr. Sandra Gabriele, Vice-Provost, Innovation in Teaching & Learning, Concordia University Dr. Andrew Webster, Vice Principal, Academic & Research, Bishop’s University / Consortium Steering Committee Member |
| 9:15AM-9:45AM | Overview of the Consortium & Skills for Success Project – Celine Cooper, Managing Director, Consortium of English-language CEGEPs, Colleges, and Universities of Quebec Unlocking Potential 2023: Summary of PSE Breakout Discussion – Megan Marcoux, Skills Innovation Lead, Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovation in Teaching & Learning, Concordia University |
| 9:45AM-11:00AM | Lightning Talks Round #1 + Reflection Activity THEME 1 | Strengthening the “Post-Secondary Education to Career” transition for English-speaking graduates in Quebec 1. Doctoral Internship Program (McGill) – Lilia Eskildsen 2. FutureBound (Concordia) – Andrea Taylor 3. Micro-Exp (McGill) – Darlene Hnatchuk 4. Student Success Committee (John Abbott) – Andrea Cooperberg THEME 2 | French-second-language learning/French language training for the workforce in Quebec 1. Français au travail (McGill) – Marion Vergues & Darlene Hnatchuk 2. Micro-certificates in French as a Second Language + Model for Liberal Education EL (Bishop’s) – Sarah Thérberge & Bassam Chiblak 3. Nous travaillons en français (Concordia) – Mathilde Noirot |
| 11:00AM-11:15 AM | Coffee Break |
| 11:15AM – 12:30PM | Lightning Talks Round #2 + Reflection Activity THEME 3 | Impactful mentorship initiatives 1. Art Volt (Concordia) – Fannie Gadouas 2. Beat the Odds (Concordia) – Samantha Larocque THEME 4 | Innovative cross-sectoral, inter-institutional, and /or inter-regional collaborations 1. Developing Transversal Competencies for all Quebec Students (Vanier & John Abbott) – Avery Rueb 2. FUSION Skill-Development Curriculum (Concordia) – Megan Marcoux THEME 5 | Improving remote learning opportunities and regional access to skills development and employment services 1. Dialogue McGill Regional Internships Project; OQLF French-language Internship Prep Workshops (John Abbott) – Douglas Brown 2. Set Yourself Up for Success (Concordia) – Stefanie Corona & Natalie Roper 3. Take the Leap! (Concordia) – Sonia Di Maulo |
| 12:30PM – 2:00PM | LUNCH |
| 2:00PM – 4:15PM | Facilitated Conversation & Action Planning |
| 4:15PM-4:30PM | Closing Remarks William Floch, Sous-ministre adjoint, Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise |
| 4:30PM – 6:00PM | Networking Cocktail |
REFLECTION ACTIVITY
Of the Skills for Success initiatives you’ve been introduced to today:
- Which initiative(s) most energize, inspire, and excite you? Why?
- What connections are you making in relation to these initiatives and the context of your own institution? What possibilities/ideas have been sparked for you?
- What’s one action you may wish to take, in relation to these possibilities/ideas?
FACILITATED CONVERSATION & ACTION PLANNING
- Of everything you’ve seen, heard, and learned so far, what’s left the biggest impression? Why?
- What collaborative opportunities within and among Consortium member institutions do you see stemming from this Skills Symposium?
- What challenges do you foresee?
- As a collective focused on supporting Skills for Success in Quebec’s English-language post-secondary education sector, what kinds of goals and action items can we commit to today?
We look forward to seeing you at Concordia University on November 9th, 2023!
