Panel Discussion

In addition to a PhD in History from McGill University, Jean-Louis Roy also holds a BA in History from Université Laval, a BA in Modern Philosophy, and an MA in Medieval Philosophy from the Université de Montréal. Jean-Louis Roy was director of the Centre d’études canadiennes-françaises at McGill University (1975-1979), editor of the Montreal daily newspaper Le Devoir (1981-1986), the Government of Quebec’s delegate-general to Paris (1986-1990), secretary general of the Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie (now OIF) (1990 to 1998) and president of Droits et Démocratie (2002-2007). He was appointed CEO of BAnQ on June 4, 2018.

Jean-Louis Roy is the author of numerous literary works on history, political analysis, and creative writing. His works have been translated into English, Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic.

Prof. Cheikh Saad Bouh Camara has been president of the Université de Nouakchott Al Aasriya since September 2020. He is also the coordinator of the research unit: Gouvernance foncière et développement local (land governance and community development) and the focal point for research and development of the joint international laboratory – LMI Patrimoine Eau dans le delta du fleuve Sénégal (water heritage in the Delta of the Senegal River).

Prof. Camara was appointed federal minister of Water and Energy in Mauritania in 2003, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde in 2006, head of mission for the presidency of the Republic in 2007, chairman of the board of directors of the Société Nationale d’Aménagements Agricoles et de Travaux (National Society for Agricultural Development and Works [SNAAT]) in 2015 and dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Université de Nouakchott Al Aasriya in 2017.

He is the author of several studies, reports and articles on rural land tenure, community development, sustainable development, and evaluation.

Prof. Camara was born in Aioun El Atrouss in Mauritania and completed his primary and secondary education in the same city. In 1982, he obtained a BA in modern literature. From 1982 to 1986, he studied history and geography at the University of Nouakchott. In 1987, after completing his master’s degree, he obtained a scholarship from CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency). He completed his master’s degree at Université de Sherbrooke before writing a PhD thesis at Université Laval.

Magda Fusaro holds a PhD in communication and information science from the University of Paris XIII. From 2006 to 2016, she was a professor in the Department of Management and Technology at the École des sciences de la gestion (School of Management) of the Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG UQAM). She has been the holder of the UNESCO Chair in Communication and Technologies for Development since 2007. At ESG, Ms. Fusaro was in charge of programs in information technology for undergraduate and graduate students from 2008 to 2015. In 2016, she was appointed chair of the Network of UNESCO Chairs in Canada, speaking out in favor of the internationalization of universities, which she considers crucial to the development of research. She was visiting professor at Birkbeck College, University of London from January to June 2016 and became vice-rector of information systems on August 1, 2016. Recognized as a committed professor and a visionary manager, she focuses on the development and use of technology as tools for teaching, research, and creativity. Convinced of the positive relationship between the socio-economic and academic worlds, Ms. Fusaro sits on numerous boards of directors and committees. Since January 7, 2018, she has carried out all of these commitments while serving as Rector of UQAM.

Slim Khalbous, who took office as Rector of AUF on December 8, 2019, is a university professor in management science.

He was minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Tunisia between August 2016 and December 2019 while also acting as interim minister of education (primary & secondary studies) for five months in 2018.
Since 1995, he has been teaching in Tunisian universities, and as a visiting professor in several universities in France, Morocco and Lebanon. He was director general – elected dean of Hautes Études Commerciales in Tunis – University of Carthage from 2011 to 2016.

He holds a PhD in Management Science (2000), a Master of Advanced Studies in Business Management from the University of Toulouse (1994) and a Master of Advanced Studies in Political Science from the Institut d’Études Politiques in Toulouse (1996).

Professor Slim Khalbous has published several papers on intercultural management, entrepreneurship, and marketing communication. He is also an active member of several scientific associations and a civil society activist. Among other things, Slim Khalbous was the founder and editor-in-chief of the Revue Tunisienne du Marketing. He is also an entrepreneur and the founder of two companies specializing in strategic development, market research, communication, and ICT.

Adel El Zaïm is Chief Internationalization Officer at the University of Ottawa, Canada, in the office of the vice-president International and Francophonie.

Previous positions include Executive Director of the International Office, at The University of British Columbia (UBC), Director General Internationalization at Université de Sherbrooke, and Senior Programme specialist in Middle East and North Africa at Canada’s International Development Research Centre. Adel is President of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA). He holds a PhD in Linguistics from La Sorbonne, Paris.