Representatives of the three educational institutions, Pierre G. Lafleur, Chief Academic and International Officer, Polytechnique Montréal; Dominique Lefebvre, Assistant Dean of Continuing Education, Université de Sherbrooke; Noel Burke, Dean, School of Extended Learning, Concordia University; and Robin Drew, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University, spoke at the event.

Left to right : Pierre G. Lafleur, Chief Academic and International Officer, Polytechnique Montréal; Noel Burke, Dean, School of Extended Learning, Concordia University; Robin Drew, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University and Dominique Lefebvre, Assistant Dean of Continuing Education, Université de Sherbrooke.

"Demand for professional development should continue to grow over time since engineers and technologists will have to be more versatile. They will also have to possess broader experience to better satisfy the growing requirements of projects at home and abroad. We considered broadening the training available by joining with institutions that are renowned in the realm of professional development. The Université de Sherbrooke and Concordia University were identified at a time when they were seeking to offer engineers better services. The partnership satisfied the mission of all of the participants," notes Pierre Lafleur of Polytechnique Montréal.

The institutions consolidated their resources and expertise in order to gradually offer services that will enable their clienteles to enrich their skills and qualifications to plan and develop their careers. The accesstoengineering.ca portal marks the first stage in their collaboration. The site proposes quick access through a single outlet to a list of courses in an array of sectors of activity specifically related to engineering. Other services relevant to engineers' needs in their professional activities will be offered in the coming months.

The new partnership has been established to satisfy needs stemming from the new regulation on the professional development of engineers, which compels members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec to accumulate at least 30 hours of professional development during a two-year reference period.

Engineers and technologists will thus be able to quickly access the foremost expertise of three major faculties of engineering in Québec and Canada through accesstoengineering.ca.

About Polytechnique Montréal

Founded in 1873, Polytechnique Montréal is one of Canada's leading engineering teaching and research institutions. It is the largest engineering university in Québec for the size of its student body and the scope of its research activities. With over 38,500 graduates, Polytechnique Montréal has graduated 25% of the current members of the l'Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Polytechnique provides training in 16 engineering specialties, has 242 professors and more than 7,100 students. It has an annual operating budget of over $200 million, including a $72-million research budget.
www.polymtl.ca
www.polymtl.ca/cfc/

About Université de Sherbrooke

Upon its founding in 1954, the Université de Sherbrooke welcomed its first cohort of engineering students in the Faculty of Science. It was only in 1966 that the engineering program became distinct from other science programs. At that point, the Faculty of Engineering offered bachelor's degrees in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. It was also in 1966 that the university's cooperative program was created, becoming a trademark of the institution. Three other bachelor's degrees were eventually added to the Faculty of Engineering: chemical engineering in 1971, computer engineering in 1994, and biotechnology engineering in 2008.
With over 11 850 graduates, 93 professors, more than 2000 students, 153 patents pending, 14 protected inventions, and 7 spin-off firms, the Faculty of Engineering enjoys an annual research budget of $27 million.
www.usherbrooke.ca
www.usherbrooke.ca/genie
www.usherbrooke.ca/genie/fc

About Concordia University

Concordia is increasingly recognized for a big thinking approach to teaching and research that examines societal issues from a broad perspective. We are an open and engaged university that encourages its 46,000 students to become active, critical and concerned citizens. Recognizing that research drives big thinking, more than one quarter of our students are enrolled in graduate studies, raising our community's intellectual temperature and elevating its ambitions. Concordia offers more than 300 undergraduate and 200 graduate programs, diplomas and certificates, and maintains formal ties with over 100 institutions in 33 countries.
www.encs.concordia.ca/
www.concordia.ca/extended-learning/

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Information:

Sylvie Forgues / Annie Touchette
Communications and Recruitment Office
Polytechnique Montréal
T. 514-340-4711, ext. 4415
C. 514-231-8133
sylvie.forgues@polymtl.ca /annie.touchette@polymtl.ca