After the rector of the University of Montreal, other senior officials of the university and college network express reservations about the attractiveness and relevance of scholarships Perspective Québec studies. emergencies.jpg” media=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 1023px)”>
Bernard Tremblay, president -general director of the Fédération des cégeps
When we see that a priori there is no effect that sets these programs apart from others, we have to ask ourselves questions.
A quote from Bernard Tremblay, CEO of the Fédération des cégeps
blockquote>
What are the motivating factors for choosing a degree program? What is the impact of a financial incentive? Should we review the conditions associated with the payment of this incentive? These are all questions that the government must address, according to Mr. Tremblay.
The latter is not ready to say at this point that the scholarships are useless, but he is of the opinion that adjustments are certainly to be made, the light of the figures which betray a particular lack of interest among students for programs rewarded with generous scholarships.
At the University of Sherbrooke, for the last two years, admission applications have been declining, both in the programs targeted by the scholarships and in all baccalaureate programs. Between 2023 and 2024, the declines were slightly greater in the targeted programs (-9%) than in all baccalaureate degrees (-7%).
The statistics are weighed down by a significant drop in applications for programs such as bachelor's degrees in preschool-primary education, secondary education, social work and even psychoeducation.
Variation between Fall 2022 and Fall 2024
< th class="p-0 border-gray300 light:border-gray300 dark:border-gray700 border-b border-r border-solid text-left align-top relative bg-inherit">Variation between Fall 2023 and Fall 2024
Programs eligible for Perspective Québec scholarships
-10%
-9%
All baccalaureate programs
-11%
-7%
Only applications from people likely to be eligible for the Perspective Québec scholarships are counted (people who do not have Canadian citizenship or permanent residence have been excluded). Data for 2024 updated on March 21, 2024
Source: University of Sherbrooke
Beyond these data, vice -rector Christine Hudon draws attention to another crucial issue: the reception capacity of targeted programs which has not changed with the arrival of the scholarships.
One thing is certain, there are programs where the number of places has not increased. Although we may give scholarships, that does not mean that at the end of this scholarship program we will have trained more psychologists, for example, she illustrates, while insisting on the fact that the Perspective scholarships are everything as well as welcome financial support for eligible students, especially in the current context of inflation.
Open in full screen mode
Christine Hudon assures that students ask questions about the Perspective Québec scholarships during open days at the University of Sherbrooke, but she does not know if this translates into applications for admission or if these scholarships are a determining factor in students’ choice of programs.
If students choose a program with limited admission capacity and if we cannot increase this intake capacity, ultimately there will not be more students enrolled and graduating.
A quote from Christine Hudon, vice-rector of studies and international relations at the University of Sherbrooke
Several factors ensure that the ability to reception is limited: a lack of space, limited internship places or even the difficulty of hiring additional staff, she explains.
These are points that have been worked on for years and which require major financial resources, especially the question of infrastructure development, explains the woman who nevertheless claims to have the ear of the Ministry of Higher Education on this subject.
The figures concerning applications for admission to UQAM are very fragmented, since admissions to the main programs in teaching and information technology are open until mid-April, or even early May.
However, we note a slight increase in applications to 2021 levels in programs such as the bachelor's and master's degrees in social work and the doctorate in psychology, with the exception of the bachelor's degree in sexology, which is experiencing its most significant drop in the last five years. .
In teaching, we note a stagnation in requests for baccalaureate degrees which lead to the teaching of dramatic arts, dance or even music as well as an increase in those in physical activity intervention. Admission applications and registrations in major programs, in preschool-primary education, secondary education and special education, experienced a significant plunge between 2022 and 2023.
Open in full screen mode
UQAM offers programs leading to jobs in three priority sectors identified by the government to counter the labor shortage work, namely education, information technologies as well as health and social services.
Jean Bélanger, the dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at UQAM, thinks that the Perspective scholarships will have a limited effect as long as the issue of working conditions has not clearly improved. Is this what will solve the shortage problem and double the number of students in our programs? No. Not if the profession isn't attractive, he says.
The government attacked several factors that did not directly concern it when it should have looked in its backyard first.
A quote from Jean Bélanger, dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at UQAM
Mr. Bélanger still believes that these scholarships are a good thing for the students who benefit from them, because they represent a form of free education for them. And he is not ready to assert that they have no effect on attractiveness. The decrease [in applications for admission and registrations] could have been worse if we had not had these scholarships.
The director of UQAM's communications department also indicates that the beneficial impact of the program for scholarship holders is indisputable and demonstrates great recognition of our [eligible] programs.
However, Jean Bélanger recognizes that the findings so far are disappointing, especially since he also doubts the effect of scholarships on perseverance or student success. The stock market is a means that has a relatively limited scope, he says. It has been shown that scholarships are not a predictor of success. Having a doctoral scholarship, for example, is not at all a factor that determines whether a student will complete their doctorate or not.
At Laval University, the Perspective scholarships are viewed very favorably. There is no doubt that these scholarships help to publicize eligible programs and that they seem to favor full-time study paths, we wrote to the communications department. They particularly seem to have a positive effect in engineering and information technologies.
If we look at the data shared with Radio-Canada, we still observe greater drops in the number of admission applications in programs eligible for scholarships than in bachelor's degrees not eligible for them.
Programs eligible for Perspective Québec scholarships
-12%
– 6%
Baccalaureates not eligible for Perspective Québec scholarships
-9%
-3%
Only applications from people likely to be eligible for Perspective Québec scholarships (having expressed the intention to study full-time and having Canadian citizenship or permanent residence) are counted.
Source: Laval University
The Perspective Québec scholarships may partly explain increases or decreases in registrations, but it is difficult to confirm to what extent.
A quote from Direction des communications de l'Université Laval
Laval University adds that it is continuing its collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, in particular to explore the addition of eligible programs.
Since the launch of the program, several groups of students, notably those in technical fields excluded from scholarships and part-time students, have mobilized to also be eligible for this financial support.
Called to comment on the content of this report, the office of the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, responded that the Perspective Québec scholarships are part of a set of actions by our government to counter the labor shortage, particularly in health and education.
He adds that the program is recent and that the ministry is analyzing the first data compiled for all establishments.
Open in full screen mode
The Minister of Higher Education Pascale Déry will provide a preliminary assessment of the Perspectives Québec scholarships this spring.< /p>
The minister will present a preliminary assessment this spring and whether there are any adjustments to do, we will do them.
A quote from The office of the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry
Note that several factors can influence the choice of training program, such as the dynamics of the labor market or the attractiveness of professions. We also believe that improving working conditions in the public sector will have the effect of making jobs in our networks more attractive, concludes the minister's office.
Natasha Kumar has been a reporter on the news desk since 2018. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Times Hub, Natasha Kumar worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my natasha@thetimeshub.in 1-800-268-7116