Bavaria-Quebec

The cooperation between Bavaria and Quebec

The cooperation between Bavaria and Quebec is based on a number of similarities between the two regions, such as their regional identity, their rich cultural heritage and their striving for innovation.

Both Bavaria and Quebec are each the second-strongest province in terms of economic power and population within their federal state.

Both regions were rather Catholic and rural until the recent past and have now developed into important technology locations where great importance is given to renewable energies.

Bavaria-Quebec: A Multi-faceted Collaboration

Politics

After several years of informal relations, Bavarian Premier Max Streibl and Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa sign the first bilateral cooperation agreement in Munich on January 18, 1989.

Bavaria and Quebec declare their intention to exchange and cooperate in the fields of trade, science, technology and culture.

Once every two years, the Bavaria-Quebec Task Force brings the involved partners together, alternating between the province and the Free State. Its goal is to coordinate the joint projects and to provide an overview of the current status of collaborations.

Economy

A major focus of our work is to promote economic relations between companies from Bavaria and Quebec.

We provide Quebec companies with information about the Bavarian economy and arrange contacts with Bavarian companies. The Externer Link: Mit Klick auf diesen Link verlassen Sie die Webseite www.bayern.de Key to Bavaria database by Externer Link: Mit Klick auf diesen Link verlassen Sie die Webseite www.bayern.de Bayern International, affiliated with the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, provides information on Bavarian products, services and technology partners.

In close cooperation with Externer Link: Mit Klick auf diesen Link verlassen Sie die Webseite www.bayern.de Invest in Bavaria, we help potential investors establishing a presence in Bavaria, for example by organizing meetings with local authorities, professional associations and chambers of commerce.

We also provide information and advice to Bavarian companies wishing to establish business relations in Quebec. Together with the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, we organize delegation trips to Quebec for the business, science and technology sectors.

Research Projects

Through our close collaboration with the Scientific Coordination Unit of the Bavarian Research Alliance (Externer Link: Mit Klick auf diesen Link verlassen Sie die Webseite www.bayern.de BayFOR), we provide support to Bavarian scientists interested in international projects.

Florence Gauzy and her team connect Bavarian and Canadian research partners and help them with the application process and multilateral expansion of research projects. BayFOR also offers counselling on how to apply for funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG), the European Union and other international sources.

Applications can be submitted at any time. Decisions on cooperation projects are made at bilateral meetings held every two years.

Student Mobility and Exchanges

The Bavaria-Quebec cooperation has seen several exchange programs and funding opportunities set up during its existence. These programs are most often managed by third parties directly involved in the local education system on both sides, whether universities or dedicated student exchange bureaus.  

Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program 

As part of its cooperation with the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (German Teaching Exchange Services Office), the Quebec Ministry of Education offers a Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program (second or third language) to Quebec students who wish to work in Germany, where they can support French classes. 

German schools wishing to host a French Teaching Assistant from Quebec through this program can apply here. German students can also take advantage of the reciprocal program to become Teaching Assistants in Quebec. 

Bavaria-Quebec School Exchange Program 

In collaboration with the Bayerischer Jugendring (BJR – Association for Bavarian Youth), the Quebec Ministry of Education offers 9th and 10th grade students the opportunity to spend three months as an exchange partner in Germany, while 9th and 10th grade students have the opportunity to spend two months in Germany. The program is managed by the BJR in Bavaria and Éducation internationale in Québec (Échanges Azimut) and spans over 6 months.  

Quebec pupils interested in this opportunity should contact Échanges Azimut. For German students interested in the spending time in Quebec, the contact is the BJR. 

Premier’s Scholarships 

In order to strengthen and promote links and exchanges between universities and students of Bavaria and of Quebec, the Quebec Ministry of International Relations offers 2 scholarships Bourse du premier ministre Québec-Bavière. The grants are 5000$ each and are awarded for short-term stays in Bavaria (4-12 weeks) to Quebec undergraduate and graduate students who wish to carry on their studies or conduct research. More detailed information can be found on the website of the Education Ministry. 

For their part, Bavarian students may apply for a Stipendium des Ministerpräsidenten. Awarded yearly to between 3 and 5 students, they support with a total amount of 1500 euros each, for students to spend 4 to 12 weeks in Quebec in order to write their thesis on a Quebec-specific issue. More information should be requested with Dr. Sabine Schwarze, Chair of the Romanic Languages Department at Universität Augsburg (tel. +49 (0) 821 598 2740). The Institut für Kanada Studien website also lists further scholarship opportunities for Canada. 

Mobility opportunities for young professionals 

Since 2013, a cooperation agreement between the Bavarian State Chancellery and LOJIQ facilitates young professionals’ exchanges. Through this agreement, Bavaria became one of LOJIQ’s target regions, where students or young professionals can apply for internships in Bavaria or financial support to complete a professional project there. This is aimed at 18 to 35 year-olds. More information can be requested with LOJIQ. 

Culture

We help institutions from Quebec to find Bavarian partners as well as contacts in Bavarian organizations or ministries for their binational cultural project.

Two examples for long-standing cultural cooperations between Bavaria and Quebec are the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques music competition organized by Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20 and the Portraits croisés exchange program between the Academy of Film and Television (HFF) in Munich and the Institut national de l’image et du son (L’inis) in Montreal.

Bavarian institutions seeking a Quebec partner can contact the Externer Link: Mit Klick auf diesen Link verlassen Sie die Webseite www.bayern.de Quebec government office in Munich.

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Creative Cities as Innovation Ecosystems: a research project of the University of Passau, in cooperation with the business school HEC Montreal (video in German with French subtitles)
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Portraits croisés: An exchange of the film schools HFF Munich and L'inis Montreal (video in French)