Université Sherbrooke

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Université de Sherbrooke
Motto	Veritatem in charitate (Truth in charity)
Established	1954
Type	Public
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Rector	Luce Samoisette
Staff	6400 including 3200 instructors
Students	35,000 students
Undergraduates	46 undergraduate programs available
Postgraduates	48 master and 27 doctoral programs available
Location	Sherbrooke and Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
Campus	Urban/Suburban
Sports teams	Sherbrooke Vert-et-Or
Colours	gold & Green
Affiliations	AUCC, CBIE, IAU, CUSID, QSSF,
Website	usherbrooke.ca

The Université de Sherbrooke is a large university with three distinct campuses, two of which are located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, and another, located in Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal approximately 130 km west of Sherbrooke. It is one of two universities, and the only French language university, in the Estrie region of Quebec. In 2006, the university opened a branch of its medical facility on the campus of UQAC, where its students enroll for non-medical courses.

In 2007, the Université de Sherbrooke was home to 35,000 students and a teaching staff of 3200. In all, it employs 6,400 people. The Université has over 100,000 graduates and offers 46 undergraduate, 48 Master's and 27 doctoral programs. It holds a total of 61 research chairs, among which are the pharmacology, microelectronics and environment research chairs.

Campus

The Université de Sherbrooke has six campuses:

• The Main Sherbrooke Campus
• The Sherbrooke Health Campus
• The Downtown Sherbrooke Campus
• The Longueuil Campus
• The Joint Campus in Saguenay (on the site of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi)
• The Joint Campus in Moncton (on the site of the Université de Moncton, in Moncton, New Brunswick).

History

The Université de Sherbrooke was born from a desire to establish a French speaking Catholic university in a region that had been predominantly English speaking. Initially there was a religious component to the pedagogical activities, but by the end of the 1960s the number of priests working for the university had greatly diminished. In 1975, the appointment of a layman as Rector marked the end of religious activity in the institution. The Department of Theology, however, is still officially Roman Catholic, alone in Quebec in this regard.

Activities at the Université de Sherbrooke in 2007 are mainly centred on teaching and research.

Rectors

• 2009 – present: Luce Samoisette
• 2001 – 2009: Bruno-Marie Béchard
• 1993 – 2001: Pierre Reid
• 1985 – 1993: Aldée Cabana
• 1981 – 1985: Claude Hamel
• 1975 – 1981: Yves Martin
• 1965 – 1975: Mgr. Roger Maltais
• 1955 – 1965: Mgr. Irénée Pinard
• 1954 – 1955: Mgr. Maurice Vincent

Institutions

The Université de Sherbrooke is composed of the following faculties:

1. Faculty of Administration
2. Faculty of Education
3. Faculty of Engineering
4. Faculty of Law
5. Faculty of Letters and Humanities
6. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
7. Faculty of Sports and Physical Education
8. Faculty of Science
9. Faculty of Theology, Ethics and Philosophy

The Main Sherbrooke Campus includes:

• Administration
• Support services
• Most faculties
• The George-Cabana Pavilion (central pavilion)
• The Multifunctional Pavilion
• The Univestrie Pavilion (sports centre)
• The Cultural Centre and Maurice-O'Bready Theatre
• The Humanities Library
• The Law and Government Publications Library
• The Music Library
• The Science and Engineering Library
• The Documentation Centre
• The Anne-Hébert Centre
• The Pedagogical Resource Centre
• The Jean-Marie Roy Map Library
• Student residences

The Sherbrooke Health Campus includes:

• The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• The Institute of Pharmacology of Sherbrooke
• The Sherbrooke University Hospital
• The Centre for Clinical Research
• The Biotechnology Research Centre in Estrie
• The Gérald-La Salle Pavilion
• The Health Sciences Library
• A sports centre
• Student residences

The Longueuil Campus was founded in 1989. Today it offers more than 90 educational programs, primarily at the master’s level, in eight of the nine faculties of the university (Administration; Education; Engineering; Law; Letters and Humanities; Medicine and Health Sciences; Science; Theology, Ethics and Philosophy). Whether at the undergraduate or graduate level, most programs are offered on a part-time basis on evenings and weekends, or in various intensive formats to allow professionals to remain in the work force.

Besides its educational activities, the Longueuil Campus hosts the applied research projects of its faculties along with others conducted in collaboration with Charles LeMoyne Hospital, an affiliated regional and university centre located in the Montérégie region, where it contributes actively to social and community development. Located on Montreal’s South Shore across from the Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke subway station, the Longueuil Campus has a dynamic teaching staff and relevant educational progams that draw several thousand students per year.

The Joint Campus in Saguenay opened its doors in 1996 to medical students.

Also opening in 1996, the Joint Campus in Moncton, New Brunswick, offers medical training to French-speaking students.

Programs

The Université de Sherbrooke is located in the Appalachian Mountains and two rivers meet in the city. The main campus is adjacent to the Mont-Bellevue, Quebec. The university offers a variety of bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral programs as well as various certificates and microprograms. It is the only university in Quebec and one of the few in the world that offers a Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) combined with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

The Faculty of Theology, Ethics and Philosophy offers Undergraduate level certificate, diploma, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctor's degrees in Theology/Theological Studies; Doctorate Theology and Religious Vocations; and Undergraduate level certificate/diploma/Graduate level certificate/diploma Pastoral Studies/Counselling.

Students can choose to specialize in the following engineering disciplines: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Biological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Sports

Sports teams representing the Université de Sherbrooke are called Le Vert & Or (The Green and Gold).

Media

The university publishes a newspaper primarily addressed to people on campus, UdeS. With a circulation of 8500 copies, UdeS is delivered free by internal mail to 2600 members of staff: professors, professionals, managers, administrators and support personnel. It is also sent by mail to some 600 retired staff.

Nearly 3500 copies of UdeS are distributed free in displays located in the faculties and services of the university’s three Sherbrooke campuses. About 1000 copies are sent to the media, government departments and educational institutions in Quebec. The remainder are distributed in a number of locations in Sherbrooke, including bookstores and certain teaching establishments.

Starting September 10th, UdeS is replaced by USherbrooke.ca/nouvelles. The end of the newspaper is explained by the sustainable development policy of the university, the changes in readers habits with the Internet and the diminution in ads revenues.

The university also publishes the magazine UdeS, which has a circulation of 85,000 copies. Published three times a year by the Communications Service, this magazine is distributed free to everyone in the central graduate database and to staff as well as friends of the institution. Copies are also distributed in a number of locations in Sherbrooke.

In addition, the university’s student community puts out a student newspaper, the Collectif, and operates an FM radio station, CFAK-FM.

Canadian Ranking

A wide-ranging survey of Canadian university students revealed that in 2006, for the third time, the Université de Sherbrooke was rated best in Canada.

A study published in November 2006 in the Toronto daily newspaper, The Globe and Mail, showed that the Université de Sherbrooke gets top ranking for its excellent reputation (A+), quality of life on campus (A+), technological resources offered to students (A), career preparation (A-), the quality of education it provides (A-), and student services (A-). The number of students attending the Université de Sherbrooke continues to rise and the university has worked with the City of Sherbrooke to respond to the increase.

The Université de Sherbrooke had also ranked first in The Globe’s November 2005 study, for its reputation (A+), quality of life on campus (A+), technological resources (A), career preparation (A), quality of education (A-), student services (A-), etc.

A wide national survey was also conducted across Canada in by the Global and Mail and Macleans'magazine in order to determine which university has the highest average of satisfaction of the students. According two those two sources, the Université de Sherbrooke shows again the highest average of satisfaction by its student in 2008 .

Beyond this excellent ranking in terms of education and campus life, the Université de Sherbrooke is doing much to improve off-campus life for students. In particular, it offers the university community free transportation at all times on the public transit system, in partnership with the STS (Sherbrooke transportation corporation). Since its introduction in 2004, this measure has gained increasing popularity.