Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec

The CNCS, a body dedicated to graduate student issues

Graduate students, namely those enrolled in a master's, doctoral or a graduate studies diploma, have a different student experience than their undergraduate counterparts. Many graduate students are enrolled in research-oriented programs, with routine repetitive work, as opposed to lectures and coursework, and a student-supervisor relationship that isn't found at the undergraduate level.

Because graduate students have unique needs and interests, the FEUQ has an internal body dedicated entirely to issues relating to graduate studies and university research: the Quebec Council for Graduate Studies (CNCS).

Membership in the CNCS is reserved to the FEUQ's member associations who represent graduate students. In total, the 12 member associations of the CNCS represent 30,000 graduate students. A portion of the FEUQ's budget is reserved for, and exclusively managed by, the CNCS and its member associations.

In regard to its membership, the CNCS is made up of all the member associations of the FEUQ that represent graduate students, namely twelve out of fifteen. In total, these represent 30,000 students. They are the only ones to benefit from the right to vote during meetings of the CNCS, which confers on the latter a different character than the three commissions of the FEUQ (CAI, CAU, CASP). A portion of the budgetary envelope of the FEUQ is reserved for the work of the CNCS and is exclusively managed by it.

The President of the CNCS is a member of the FEUQ's executive committee who is responsible for, and the official spokesperson of, the CNCS. A permanent employee dedicated to the CNCS assists the President in their duties. Together, they work full-time on matters related to graduate studies and university research.