Declaration of Student Rights and Responsibilities

Through the Declaration of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) reaffirms its commitment to providing its community with a safe and healthy learning, research, and working environment that fosters success.

As a student, your rights and responsibilities are a core part of your university experience.

1. The right to a quality university education 

In general, and within the limits of the resources available to INRS, everyone in the student community is entitled to training programs and other services that sufficiently meet the general objectives of each level of study. They are also entitled to respect for their programs of study and to fair evaluation.  

In concrete terms, this means that INRS students are entitled to a detailed course outline; to evaluation of and feedback on their work, essays, exams, theses, or dissertations within a reasonable time frame; and to the ability to express their opinions on the quality of the courses, teaching, and support they have received.  

2. The right to quality support

The quality of the support available to students is a key factor in their success and well-being during their university careers. Everyone in the student community has the right to receive support and advice from faculty in the course of their studies, to take certain leaves of absence, to receive continuous support, and to have the progress of their work assessed in a timely manner throughout their educational journey, among others.

3. The right to information and confidentiality 

INRS makes all information about normative documents, including those affecting students’ education, readily available. It also shares any changes to those documents. Students at INRS have the right to obtain information on the requirements and procedures related to their education, on the deadlines and the people who can help them, and on any changes that may affect their programs of study.

4. The right to intellectual property

Intellectual property, including copyright, is central to university life. Managing it is a matter of equity and academic integrity for everyone in the university community. 

As such, in accordance with the normative documents, students are entitled to recognition of their intellectual property rights and copyrights, as well as recognition of their contribution to a publication. 

5. The right to participate in associations

Access to associations is critical to ensuring a good academic experience and allowing students to succeed in their fields. For this reason, everyone has the right to join INRS student associations, committees, and bodies.

6. The right to a quality learning environment 

Everyone in the student community has the right to a high-quality academic environment where students are protected. This means that they have the right to respect; protection from abuse; and relationships that are free from discrimination and psychological, sexual, and professional abuse or harassment, to name but a few. 

7. The right to a university education in French

In keeping with the status of French as the official language of Quebec, and with the normative documents, teaching and research at INRS must be done in French. As such, students have the general right to receive instruction and documentation in French, or to be informed when there is an exception to this principle. The non-French-speaking community must be informed in advance that their program is given in French and be given sufficient time to perfect their knowledge of French. 

8. Student responsibilities 

All students admitted to INRS must respect the INRS normative documents and accept their associated requirements. Students are also expected to actively contribute to the success of their education and to personally perform all tasks required for their program.