Education that meets the needs of Saskatchewan people

8 juin 2022

In the Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan, the government identified 20 Actions for the 2020s with key priorities:

• to grow Saskatchewan’s population by increasing immigration and keeping more young people in the province;
• to deliver on the purpose of growth by ensuring growth builds a better quality of life for Saskatchewan families and communities; and,
• to develop Saskatchewan’s labour force.

These priorities are further emphasized in the government’s 30 Goals for 2030, which include increasing the Saskatchewan population to 1.4 million people and creating 100,000 new jobs.

Achieving these priorities ― creating strong communities, economy and people ― requires strategic partnerships between governments, industry, agencies, educational sector partners, communities, and organizations. This includes the French-speaking communities of Saskatchewan, which need to increase their ability to offer services in law, nursing, management, and many other vital fields.

As a unique academic institution whose primary goal is to fulfill the university’s education needs and to improve educational opportunities for Saskatchewan minority French-speaking communities, La Cité universitaire francophone takes its role seriously in providing support toward the realisation of these Growth Plans within the Francophone minority context.

Over the years, La Cité made reasonable investments in building stronger ties and creating new services for the community. Strengthening ties with the community is vital and supports the ability to identify key areas where expertise can be created, developed, or even enhanced for community empowerment. As a result, through consultations, La Cité is developing new and targeted courses, programs, and services designed to address shortages in key strategic areas.

For example, since 2018, in partnership with the Faculty of Nursing, La Cité has helped develop the Collaborative Bilingual Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The four-year program (50 percent in French and 50 percent in English), provides students with exclusive access to scholarships, services, and resources in French. It is designed to provide expertise in healthcare delivery, by producing nurses who can work and address Saskatchewan’s health challenges in both English and French.

La Cité is happy to congratulate the first group of three bilingual nurses who will receive their degrees during the upcoming June 2022 Spring Graduation. The trained bilingual nurses will not only provide healthcare services in Canada’s official languages, but they will also be contributing to the Saskatchewan Growth Plan by delivering a better quality of life for Saskatchewan families and communities.

Similarly, in partnership with the Programme de Common law en français (PCLF) at the University of Ottawa, La Cité also launched the Integrated Pathway in French and Francophone Intercultural Studies and Law. The program allows students to obtain a combined Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor within six years. Training bilingual lawyers strengthens Saskatchewan’s ability to meet its obligation of providing equitable judicial services in Canada’s official languages.

The Government of Saskatchewan’s 30 Goals for 2030 includes increasing the Saskatchewan population to 1.4 million people through immigration. According to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (2018), of the 300 million French speaking people in the world, Africa is home to 59 percent. In Saskatchewan, there is a growing African diaspora community, a significant proportion of which is French-speaking.

In partnership with other faculties and experts within the Francophone community, La Cité launched the Bilingual Minor in African Studies. The goal is to improve students’ intercultural understanding and skills, critical thinking, and communication skills in both French and English.

La Cité is now recruiting for the Certificate Program in African studies which contributes to intercultural education at the University of Regina. Course contents are designed to help students better understand how colonization, enslavement, and anti-Black racism have shaped the experiences of the African diaspora. 

La Cité is also pursuing a bilingual training program in leadership and community management, as well as a bilingual degree program in social work. The two programs will address specific needs, support industry, and contribute to the development of Saskatchewan's labour force by training and empowering the next generation of leaders and social workers.

Dr. Emmanuel Aito, Director at La Cité, says that “A quality French-language education is necessary for the growth of the French-speaking community in Saskatchewan.” La Cité plays a vital role in identifying what areas the community will need to create, develop and strengthen its expertise and manpower, not only for the growth and vitality of the minority French-speaking community but also for building a better quality of life for Saskatchewan families and communities.

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For further information, please visit La Cité’s website or contact:

Chidi Igwe
Marketing and Communications Manager
La Cité universitaire francophone
University of Regina
Phone: 306-540-3681
Email: chidi.igwe@uregina.ca