In a landmark step for international academic collaboration, leaders from Haiti’s State University of Haiti (UEH) and Canada’s University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières (UQTR) formalized a new scientific cooperation and academic mobility agreement during an official signing ceremony held on April 29, 2026. Dieuseul Prédélus, Rector of UEH, put pen to paper alongside Sébastien Charles, UQTR’s Vice-Rector of Research and Development, to launch what both institutions frame as a transformative, reciprocal partnership.
Designed as a foundational framework to deepen academic exchange, collaborative research and cross-border knowledge sharing between the two post-secondary institutions, the agreement carries outsized meaning for UEH, which has advanced a sustained internationalization agenda for Haitian higher education despite the nation’s current period of global isolation. For Prédélus, the new pact is far more than a bureaucratic document: he called it a “promising gesture for the future,” one that reflects a shared commitment to building mutually beneficial ties between peer institutions rooted in reciprocity, mutual respect, and the core belief that knowledge is a universal public good. This framing is particularly significant against the backdrop of severe structural challenges that have long constrained the growth of Haiti’s higher education sector.
The agreement outlines a broad suite of collaborative initiatives to bring the partnership to life. Key provisions include the launch of new bilateral student exchange programs, expanded access to international scholarship and internship opportunities, support for joint research projects across disciplines, and mobility pathways for both faculty and administrative staff. Under the exchange framework, Haitian students will have the opportunity to complete a portion of their degree requirements at UQTR’s campus in Canada, while Quebec-based students will be hosted at UEH’s facilities in Haiti. The overarching goal of these exchanges is to drive mutual academic and cultural enrichment for all participants from both institutions.
The initial term of the agreement is set for five years, with built-in governance mechanisms to address core operational details including intellectual property rights, project funding, and dispute resolution processes. At the end of the initial term, the agreement can be renewed by mutual decision of both institutions to support the continuity of ongoing collaborative projects and expand new initiatives.
For UEH’s Executive Council, this new agreement marks another milestone in its longstanding push to internationalize Haiti’s higher education system. Even amid the country’s extended period of global isolation, the institution has steadily built out an increasingly connected network of international academic partners, positioning Haitian scholars and students to engage with the global research community.