Free-university project focuses on positive future of French education

A group of academics, artists and community members affected by the financial crisis at Laurentian University is aiming to do something positive amid a difficult situation and hopes to help pave the way for a francophone university in the north.

This week marked the launch of the Universit libre du Nouvel-Ontarioor Free University of New Ontario.

It's not a traditional university, but rather a two-month long project that will include free classes taught by laid-off Laurentian faculty, arts projects and performances, as well as a conference at the end of June.

Laurentian University historyprofessor, Serge Miville, started the project. Until May 15,he's a professor, Franco-Ontarian History Research Chair and director of the Franco-Ontarian Institute at Laurentian University.

His job was one of about 100 cut when Laurentian axed dozens of programs last month.

When his jobends, Miville says he wantsto do something positiveto bring the community together.

"This is really a love letter to Sudbury, to the Sudbury community, to the francophone community, who are absolutely unanimous around the need for a French language, and an autonomous French-language university institution," he told Up North CBC host Jonathan Pinto.

"So I think we're working towardthat, doing a proof-of-concept with the Universit-libre. Just showingwe can do this, we're able to. We're actually doing it right now."

The University of Sudbury has said it will continue its efforts to become a standalone francophone university, after Laurentian unilaterally severed ties with it, and two other federated universities.

"What happens after [the two-month project] depends on what the population wants," Miville said.

"What we really want to do is just pave the way for the real university, which will be the University of Sudbury. We want to be in solidarity as well with Indigenous nations, should they choose to have their own autonomous institution as well."

Listen to the interview.