Montreal, Canada, 06/14/2017 – The Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE) and the Agence unniversitaire de la francophonie (AUF) signed a collaborative framework agreement on Wednesday June 14, 2017 at the International Economic Forums of the Americas to reinforce their common actions toward the advancement of higher education. The ceremony took place in the presence of Michaëlle Jean, the Secretary General of the Francophonie and 27th Governor General of Canada, as witness.
The IOHE and the AUF entered into this strategic alliance in response to challenges facing the quality of education, research and governance, employability and the social role of universities as a driving force of development, which confront the university space throughout the Americas as well as across the French-speaking world.
This partnership develops in the context of the two organizations’ participation at a roundtable titled, “New Universities for a New World” which will be held during the 23rd edition of the International Economic Forum of the Americas conference in Montreal.
The IOHE and the AUF have as their common objective improving the quality of education, research, and governance, in institutions for higher education and research. Pursuing similar aims, they hope to reinforce their respective actions by sharing best practices.
Both organizations focus on the development and use of digital education to respond to this objective and are based on projects carried out in cooperation with actors in the realm of higher education.
In this regard, both entities are actively engaged in encouraging the participation of their respective memberships in these joint actions as well as in promoting higher education throughout the Americas. The two organizations are both associate members of the Conference of the Americans on International Education (CAIE) which will take place in Montreal in October 11-13, 2017.
With over 350 members in 29 countries and 26 years of experience, IOHE is recognized internationally for its contribution to the creation of common spaces for higher education at the continental level, as well as for stimulating the implementation of innovative strategies to reinforce its quality and relevance.
AUF is a global francophone university association that has been established for over 50 years. The AUF connects nearly 850 university establishments across five continents and in over one hundred countries. It is also the director of higher education and research for the Francophonie. AUF’s mission is to promote dynamic French-speaking universities that are engaged in the social and economic development of their respective communities. To pursue their actions, the AUF has developed partnerships with a range of organizations (UNESCO, the EU, NGOs, private sector businesses, etc…)