Sainte-Anne has developed an international reputation as a leader in French and French-immersion studies after serving Nova Scotia’s Acadian and francophone populations for more than a century. Today, it educates students from across Canada and around the world. French is the official language of instruction, but Sainte-Anne also works to instill bilingualism, which helps its students stand out among other Canadian university graduates. “Our students feel like they become part of a family, which results in an excellent rate of retention, and the rate of employment for our students after graduation is very high—over 90 per cent” says rector Allister Surette.

As for graduates of the bachelor of education or the co-op bachelor of business programs, they can return to Sainte-Anne for tuition-free study if they have not found relevant work within four months of graduation. Sainte-Anne has five campuses throughout Nova Scotia. The main campus in Church Point (Pointe-de-l’Église) is located in the heart of the francophone region of Clare, near the scenic shoreline of St. Marys Bay. A network of hiking trails runs through the woods and along the seashore. Students may choose accommodation from among 10 residences, each with its own style and traditions. Meanwhile, with two biomass furnaces, two 50-kW wind turbines, 118 solar panels and a free electric-vehicle charging station, Sainte-Anne claims to be the greenest campus in Canada.