Universities belong to us all: a national action to bring public university funding into the election campaign debate

IN BRIEF :

• Simultaneous mobilization at sixteen universities. This noon, members of university communities from across Quebec unfurl the banner "Universities belong to us all," at the call of the Table des partenaires universitaires (TPU).
• Deteriorating working and studying conditions. Overwork, unfilled positions, precarious employment, reduced services and weakened programs: the financial difficulties facing universities have very concrete consequences on campus.
• University funding is a collective responsibility. The TPU is calling on political parties to publicly announce, by October 5, their vision for Quebec's universities and the resources they intend to allocate fulfilling that mission.

MONTRÉAL, Sept. 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- At noon today, in sixteen institutions across Quebec, members of university communities gather to unfurl the same banner: "Universities belong to us all: Investing in universities is an investment for everyone in Quebec." Coordinated by the Table des partenaires universitaires (TPU), this mobilization--led by unions and student associations--aims to remind everyone that the future of universities does not concern only those who work or study there. It concerns all of Quebec.

On September 22, university communities at 16 institutions across Quebec are coming together to affirm that universities belong to us all.

Professors, course lecturers, students, student employees, practical training coordinators, professional staff, research professionals, support staff and technical staff all take part in the action. Despite differing work and study realities, all these communities are feeling the effects of the financial difficulties facing universities. It is important to emphasize that these effects extend far beyond the campus walls.

Universities belong to us all

Universities are a source of wealth and contribute significantly to the development of our society. They train nurses, teachers, social workers, and many other professionals that Quebec needs. They generate knowledge that informs public policy and fosters innovation. They provide the communities they serve with essential spaces for debate, research and free thought. They allow generations of citizens to develop critical thinking and take an active part in community life.

In many regions, their role is decisive. Universities there contribute to economic and social development, train a skilled workforce, and help attract and retain the next generation of professionals.

Ensuring the long-term viability of our universities is therefore a collective responsibility. And it is, essentially, a matter of political choice.

University communities under pressure

For several years now, the conditions under which universities carry out their mission have been deteriorating. On campuses, the same problems keep recurring: excessive workloads, unfilled positions, precarious employment, reduced services, stifled research and weakened programs.

The consequences of this situation are immediate and tangible. When a professor or course lecturer must cope with a persistent heavy workload, the quality of teaching and the time that can be devoted to research suffer. A vacant professional or support staff position leads to reduction of services for students. When a program closes in a region, an entire community may lose access to a university education. And rising tuition fees – introduced to offset our universities' financial difficulties – hit the most disadvantaged individuals and families the hardest.

Predictable and Recurring Public Funding

The TPU reaffirms this: to ensure that universities can fulfill their mission and truly remain at the service of the entire population, their funding must be a collective effort.

Quebec has chosen to build a widely accessible, publicly funded university system. This choice has played a major role in the province's social, economic, scientific, and cultural development. Today, it remains essential to reaffirm the government's commitment and increase the share of public funding to keep universities accessible in all regions, without shifting an ever-greater portion of their funding onto students. We must reverse the trend of the government's disengagement from these institutions, which are central to our society. The election campaign must serve as an opportunity for a debate on the future of the university system. The TPU therefore calls on all political parties to publicly announce, by October 5, their answers to the following questions:

• Do they commit to reinvesting public funds to support the mission of universities?
• What role do they assign to universities in their vision for Quebec, and what public resources do they intend to allocate to their missions of teaching, research, and community service across all regions?
• How do they intend to preserve access to university education for the entire population?
• What measures do they propose to ensure working and learning conditions that allow university communities to fully carry out their mission?

Sixteen universities, one banner

University communities of the following institutions take part in the simultaneous unfurling of the banner: Bishop's University, Concordia University, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université Laval, McGill University, Université de Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), Université de Sherbrooke and Université TÉLUQ.

At each institution, the rally was jointly organized jointly by local unions and student associations.

About the Table des partenaires universitaires

The Table des partenaires universitaires (TPU) brings together national organizations representing Quebec's various university communities: professors, lecturers, students, working students, practical training coordinators, professional staff, support staff, and technical staff.

As a forum for inter-union and inter-association dialogue, the TPU acts collectively to defend the public mission of Quebec's universities and the conditions necessary for its fulfillment.

Note to the Media

Photos of the rallies organized at participating institutions will be available upon request. Spokespersons from the TPU and its member organizations are also available for interviews.

SOURCE Table des partenaires universitaires

For more information or to request an interview: Martin Robert, Communications Advisor, FNEEQ-CSN (on behalf of the Table des partenaires universitaires), 514-377-6985, [email protected]; Émile Bordeleau-Pitre, Strategic Communications Advisor, FQPPU (on behalf of the Table des partenaires universitaires), 514-692-3643, [email protected]