Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Marie-Josée Fortin has a diploma in Education from Université du Québec in Montreal. In 2009, she was nominated ambassador of Université du Québec in Montreal, an honour owing to her exceptional career, her contribution to the education sector in her sphere of professional activities as well as her influence nationally and internationally. In 2016, she received a Medal of Honour in recognition of my contribution to technical and vocational education in Brazil of CONIF (Conselho Nacional das Instituições Federais) Ms. Fortin is currently the Director of International Partnerships at Colleges and Institutes Canada (previously ACCC). Ms. Fortin has 35 years of experience in the education (TVET) sector including 24 years at Colleges and Institutes Canada. She sits on the Board of the Canadian Council of Africa and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. She manages the Pan-Canadian UNESCO-UNEVOC Center in addition to having been elected by her peers as leader for UNESCO-UNEVOC North America sub-cluster. Ms. Fortin provides leadership in the design, implementation and evaluation of international cooperation projects and programs of skills for employment in Africa, South America, the Caribbean and Asia. She has a mandate to promote Canadian knowledge and expertise of our education systems internationally. She collaborates with ministries of education of many countries to support educational reforms tailored to their needs and realities. She is one of the creators of the innovative Education for Employment approach.
• Manage large-scale programs and projects in more than 40 countries based on results-based management; • Negotiate with the Canadian government the funding of projects and programs valued at more than $100 million; • Ensure the implementation of international training and applied research projects worth $150 million, including the Mulheres Mil project in Brazil. The aim of this project was to promote the social and economic integration of disadvantaged women in northeastern and northern Brazil, in order to improve their access to employment, their lives and that of their families and communities; • Negotiate and deal with political leaders, including a Head of State, in complex socio-economic realities involving political considerations; • Design, develop and plan the implementation of new programs in Education for Employment and support reforms in various developing countries while respecting the Paris Declaration where the partner is the project manager; • Develop strategies to recruit foreign students for the members as well as student and faculty mobility related to the needs of the private sector. As part of the collaborative strategy for Brazil, I negotiated the hosting of 900 students in Canada and the training of 1000 professors in applied research; • Develop, supervise and monitor processes for the selection, monitoring and evaluation of international programs and projects based on results-based management; • Create and manage the UNESCO-UNEVOC pan-Canadian centre. I was elected by my peers as the leader of UNESCO-UNEVOC centres of North America; • Manage a team of 13 people including 9 managers. Previously at CICan : Senior Program Officer and Manager (1998 to 2008)
COORDINATOR Centre International de Langues de Montréal (branch of Groupe Collège LaSalle) • Administered a language school with 110 international students, 25 teachers and support staff. External relations and special projects: • Represented Groupe Collège LaSalle and its subsidiaries during public relations events in the community and in the business world; • Met with potential partners do conduct necessary research to open a school in Tunisia; • Established program offerings tailored to Aboriginal communities. School of Tourism and Hospitality • Developed student schedules and assign teachers for programs in Hotel Management, Food Services and Restaurant Management as well as Tourism Techniques. STUDENT COUNSELOR, INFORMATION OFFICER AND ADMISSIONS ADVISOR • Recruited students, develop and maintain links with businesses related to different fields of activities of LaSalle College; • Responsible for international development in Maghreb; • Advised candidates on their choice of program, study their application and recommend acceptance or refusal for regular education and adult education.