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ABOUT US

Accelerating the transition to sustainable and inclusive urban futures 

Two Concordia students outside

We translate knowledge into practice

We're here to develop teaching offerings that make Montréal a destination for learning how to do sustainable innovation by:

  • collaboration, to share knowledge, to give back to society
  • building strong and lasting relationships
  • acting on global crises, by being an agent of transformation
  • aligning research priorities and teaching activities to actual urban reality

Our process

Our four-step process breaks down silos between city partners, students and faculty to identify meaningful solutions to improve our communities.

Step 1
Collaboration

City staff submit project ideas in line with the greater Montreal strategic aims.

Step 2
Matching

We turn these ideas into concepts as part of teaching and learning programs at Concordia, in the middle of municipal needs and faculty expertise.

Step 3
Designing

Under the guidance of faculty, students collaborate with city staff to turn their project concepts into pilot projects for the benefit of the community. 

Step 4
Sharing

Student teams present their deliverables. Promising projects can be tested in the community.

Our history

Pioneered in Vancouver in 2011, CityStudio Global is a proven model of experiential education and civic engagement, adapted across Canada. 

From 2019 to 2023, we connected more than 600 Concordia University students to challenges in the Montreal area:

  • 83% of the students say that their participation was a unique opportunity to work on a real-life case

  • 72% of city employees report that they have changed the way they work as a result of this program

  • 27 Concordia University courses have been connected to 20 urban challenges

  • Out of these courses, nine were adapted to online formats

  • 36 Montreal city staff provided their expertise on urban challenges

City School team members are cutting a City School cake in the winter of 2023

Testimonies

Contact us

Do you have questions, want to explore potential ideas to collaborate with us or are interested in viewing the past project posters created by our students? 

We want to hear from you!

Contact us at cities@concordia.ca to discuss how we can bring you in City School!

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