A Shared Vision for Francophone Postsecondary Education in the North

From October 12 to 17, 2025, Patrick Arsenault, Executive Director of Collège Nordique, Lucas Beaudre, Project Manager, and Aleksandar Kovacevic, Chair of the Board of Directors, took part in a week of collaborative work in Iqaluit alongside the Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) and the Association des francophones du Nunavut (AFN).

Guided by consultants Sophie-Emmanuelle Chebin (Arsenal) and Éric Vignola (Vignola Business Strategies – Marketing), the three organizations joined forces to lay the groundwork for a sustainable collaboration model in French-language postsecondary education across the three territories.

A Week of Dialogue and Development

From October 14 to 16, strategic meetings and a visit to the Nunavut Arctic College provided opportunities to better understand local realities and identify tangible avenues for collaboration. The week concluded on October 17 with a collective debriefing, marking the end of an insightful and forward-looking mission for the Northern Francophonie.

A Foundational Project for the Northern Francophonie

This mission aimed to strengthen ties between partners in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, while co-creating a shared vision for Francophone postsecondary education tailored to Northern realities. Discussions focused on strategic planning, knowledge sharing, and the identification of common priorities to ensure that training opportunities are relevant, inclusive, and deeply rooted in Northern communities.

“To build a truly unifying project, we must first understand the specific realities of each of the three territories. My first visit to Nunavut was essential to truly grasp that context — the infrastructure, community life, and key players. This experience left a deep impression on me. It enriched our collective reflection, and at the end of this week, I feel we now share a strong and promising vision that will continue to take shape in the years ahead.”
— Patrick Arsenault, Executive Director, Collège Nordique

A Human and Inspiring Experience

Beyond the strategic work, the mission also provided an enriching cultural and human experience. Conversations with Francophone and Inuit community members in Iqaluit offered valuable insight into the region’s linguistic diversity, community vitality, and the unique challenges of the Northern context.

For Lucas Beaudre, this mission highlighted the importance of inter-territorial collaboration among Northern Francophone organizations:

“These meetings demonstrate the strength of collective work and the richness of territorial approaches. Together, we are laying the foundation for a Francophone postsecondary offering that meets the unique needs of the North and builds lasting bridges between our communities.”

A Collaboration Driven by Collective Commitment

Collège Nordique wishes to acknowledge the contribution of Isabelle Salesse, Executive Director of AFY, whose engagement and preparation ahead of the mission greatly supported the initiative, even though she was unable to attend in person.

Back row, left to right: Souâad Larfi (Director of Training, AFY), Goump Djalogue (Chair of the Board, AFN), Aleksandar Kovacevic (Chair of the Board, Collège Nordique), Sophie-Emmanuelle Chebin (Arsenal), Éric Vignola (Vignola Business Strategies), Christian Ouaka (Executive Director, AFN), and Lucas Beaudre (Project Manager, Collège Nordique).
Front row: Marie-France Talbot (Head of Training, Qaujimaniq Training Centre), Sophie Jacques (Training Manager, AFY), Stéphanie Chevalier (Board Member, AFY), Patrick Arsenault (Executive Director, Collège Nordique), and Marick Romedenne (Trainer and Early Childhood Manager, AFN).

Collège Nordique warmly thanks AFY, AFN, and the consultants involved for their hospitality, openness, and commitment to accessible, sustainable, and Northern-anchored postsecondary education.

This initiative is fully aligned with Collège Nordique’s mission: to offer professional, linguistic, and continuing education that contributes to the labour market and supports lifelong learning.

Published on October 24th 2025