Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi is a French-language university in Saguenay, north of Quebec City, founded 1969 as part of the Université du Québec network. Its distinctive strength is aluminium. The Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region is one of the world's major aluminium-producing areas, and the university's research centre in aluminium processing is tied directly to that industry. Engineering, earth sciences and forestry follow the same pattern of regional industrial connection. Kazakhstan's metals and mining sector makes that connection more relevant here than it would be for a student from elsewhere. The counterweight is location and language. Saguenay is a small northern city, strongly francophone, several hours from Quebec City, with a severe winter climate and a small international community.