During a teaching and research stay at Laval University in Quebec (Canada), Mr. Pascal Kapagama, Coordinator of Cooperation and International Relations at the University of Kinshasa, and on the recommendation of the Rector of the University of Kinshasa, Professor Jean-Marie Kayembe, who was unable to travel from Canada for professional reasons; had working sessions respectively with the Vice-Rectorate for International Affairs and Sustainable Development, the International Office, the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Faculty of Forestry and Wood, Geography and Geomatics, and the Shared Information Resources Center. With Mr. François Gélineau, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Sustainable Development, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, the discussions focused on the internationalization strategy of Laval University, oriented towards Africa. On this subject, and drawing on his experience, Mr. Pascal Kapagama proposed a more institutional inter-university strategy with a reduced number of African universities. He offered the University of Kinshasa's willingness to participate in this important institutional collaboration. The Vice-Rector expressed the wish to continue the discussion before Mr. Pascal Kapagama's return to Kinshasa.
This discussion continued on Monday, April 15, 2024, with the Director of the International Office, Mr. Nadir Belkhiter, accompanied by Ms. Virginie Pesant, International Relations Advisor. With them, we discussed the issue of financing mobility through programs that require further reflection. It should be noted that Ms. Virginie accompanied us to all the other meetings.
At the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Mr. Pascal Kapagama met with Ms. Carole Lalonde, Vice-Dean, and Mr. Koassi D'Almeida, Research and Planning Officer.
This Faculty is the structure whose mission is to regulate 2nd and 3rd cycle (doctoral) and postdoctoral training at Laval University. The faculties and departments have full autonomy in the organization and management of doctoral and postdoctoral training. Being
a cross-functional structure of the Faculties, the missions of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (equivalent to the Doctoral College at UNIKIN) are limited to regulation, dispute management, verification of compliance with the texts in force on graduate studies, as well as validation of the procedure for authorizing graduation. In short, it is a support structure for the Faculties and departments, taking into account all the regulations on graduate studies as included in the University statutes and the study regulations at Laval University. And this, while respecting the full autonomy of the Faculties.
At Laval University, as in all Quebec and even Canadian universities, there is no concept of a doctoral school, but rather that of doctoral programs organized by each Faculty.
Then, Mr. Pascal Kapagama had a working session at the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics, with the following people: Ms. Nancy Gélineau, Dean; Mr. Jean Michel Beaudoin, Associate Professor and Chair of Leadership in Indigenous Forestry Education; Mr. Damase Khasa, Full Professor at the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics; Ms. Nathalie Carisey, Research Development Advisor, and Ms. Orane Wells, Activity Coordinator – RIFM CLIMAT International Project – African Model Forest Network.
This Faculty has experienced an important partnership that has resulted in the interdisciplinary training of 8 young doctors who are all currently professors at the University of Kinshasa, in a first project linking it to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of UNIKIN. The exchanges
focused on new opportunities for collaboration. This was an opportunity for the Faculty to confirm the implementation of the African Model Forest Network (AMFN) – ULAVAL Project, thanks to the financial support of Natural Resources Canada under the Program
global leadership on Canada's forests. This partnership project between Université Laval and the University of Kinshasa has just offered two (2) scholarships to students enrolled in the Master's program at the Regional School of Water at UNIKIN.
Finally, the last meeting took place at the Shared Services Center for Information Resources with Mr. David Samson, head of the center. With the latter, discussions focused on the academic digital environment of Laval University with a view to supporting the latter in modernizing an academic digital environment at the University of Kinshasa. This meeting will continue with Mr. Nicolas Gagnon, Deputy Vice-Rector and Director of Information, on the practical modalities of this support.