Canada Border Services Agency President Named Deputy

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC--(Marketwire - Nov. 16, 2011) - The President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University, Dr. Frederick Lowy, together with Mr. Luc Portelance, the President of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), today co-signed a memorandum of understanding that connects the university to the Public Service of Canada through a collaboration that supports education, research and professional training.

Last April, Mr. Portelance was appointed Concordia's Champion under the Deputy Minister University Champion Program. Created in 2002, the program provides a framework for collaboration between public servants and university researchers. The program is also intended to open pathways into the public service for students interested in pursuing work within the federal government.

"I am proud of the role the CBSA will play in strengthening the relationship between Concordia's research community and Canada's federal departments and agencies," says Mr. Portelance. "As Concordia's Champion, my objective is to support and enhance these partnerships in the coming years."

One example of these partnerships is the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), which has shared with CBSA the expertise of its research laboratories working on computer security, telecommunications service engineering and design. Plans are also underway to involve students from the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) in the operations management of agencies such as the CBSA.

"Concordia's research excellence extends across its four faculties and School of Graduate Studies," says Dr. Lowy. "This new agreement provides us with the opportunity to share the innovative thinking and discoveries of our researchers with Canada's top policy advisors."

Concordia is one of 43 universities across Canada currently involved in the Deputy Minister University Champion Program.

Canada Border Services Agency President Named Deputy Minister Champion for Concordia University

Partners sign memorandum of understanding