> New funds for French at SFU

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Contact:
Claire Trépanier, 778.782.6981; trepanie@sfu.ca
Don MacLachlan, PAMR, 778.782.3929; donmac@sfu.ca

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Simon Fraser University’s French-language education programs have won new life thanks to federal and provincial funding for SFU’s Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs (OFFA).

The university gets $6.8 million—$4.8 million from Ottawa and $2 million from Victoria—to maintain French-language programs and courses that have been developed since 2004.

Two examples of unique programs:

• In SFU’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the French Cohort Program offers students the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree in both official languages. It requires students to do an exchange program in a francophone university (Quebec, France or Belgium). It prepares students for bilingual positions in the federal government, among other options. (http://at.sfu.ca/dlAunM)
• In the Faculty of Education, SFU offers a doctorate in educational leadership that is completely taught in French. Among other things, it aims to meets the needs of B.C. schools in dealing with new francophone immigration to B.C. (http://at.sfu.ca/XdLZGe)

The funding was announced by James Moore, minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, on the signing of an agreement with B.C. on minority language in education and second official language instruction. It runs through 2013.

Claire Trépanier, acting director of OFFA, said:
“SFU offers French-language programs that are unique in Canada. It also provides access to exchange programs and practicums in a francophone environment. These opportunities strengthen and enrich SFU Francophone and Francophile students’ educational experience.”

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