On January 24, 2023, the new Québec Chair in Sustainable Health Research was launched. The Unité de soutien SSA Québec is proud to support this Chair which will deploy a program of scholarships, grants and mentoring to stimulate the production of knowledge in sustainable health. The two scientific co-holders of the chair, Jean-Pierre Després, professor at Université Laval and scientific director of VITAM, and Catherine Laprise, professor at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and director of the Centre intersectoriel en santé durable, will work in partnership with a citizen co-holders, Nadine Arbour and Guy Poulin. The latter are already actively involved, their participation being essential to the realization of an inclusive and intersectoral research that will lead to sustainable health for the whole population.
A chair supported by the Unité de soutien SSA Québec
The VITAM Research Center defines sustainable health as: “a healthy mind in a healthy body, in a healthy living environment and surroundings, on a healthy planet.”
As a patient partner on the steering committee of the Unité de soutien SSA Québec, Guy Poulin has unequivocally stimulated our commitment to sustainable health, an approach that improves life trajectories by taking intersectoriality into account. As a result, the Unit’s axis will put their expertise at the service of the Chair’s team over the next three years… and beyond!
Supporting research that is in tune with society and its diversity, for sustainable health
With a major investment of just over $1.9 million over three years (including indirect research costs), the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) supports research that is in tune with society and its diversity, for sustainable health, an essential resource for individual development and socio-economic prosperity.
The creation of this chair will allow :
- To foster the advancement of knowledge through the deployment of innovative sustainable health research programming that is well grounded in current needs and able to anticipate and respond to future needs;
- Establish a rewarding, diverse, and inclusive training and career development framework targeted at student and faculty succession;
- Accelerate scientific animation related to sustainable health in the scientific community and among health professionals;
- Ensure community and citizen mobilization around sustainable health issues in order to maximize the relevance of research activities and their impact and benefits;
- Ultimately, to position Québec as an example to follow in sustainable health research at the national and international levels.
An annual provincial symposium on sustainable health, a summer school and numerous citizen conversation activities will also be organized by the Chair.
Sources: Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) and Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)