The Quebec government has quietly approved two bilingual DEC programs at Vanier College and CEGEP de St-Laurent, after a five year pilot project.
The bilingual diplomas are offered in social sciences and general sciences, beginning officially last fall.
Students at Vanier and CEGEP de St-Laurent take three semesters at their own schools, then switch over to the other for the last semester.
The program aims to succeed where previous similar ones in the past have not worked out. Vanier and CEGEP St Laurent being next door neighbours is one advantage, said Vanier Academic Dean Annie-Claude Banville.
"Students are prepared to attend university in both French or English," said Banville in an interview with CJAD 800.
"There are many anglophone students that are attracted to good programs in French universities and this is a way to access them."
An average of 40 students have signed up per year during the pilot project but Banville said they're hoping more will enrol now that it's permanent.
Banville said she understands concerns about students whose mother tongue is French being lured away to English-language CEGEPs and universities.
"We work in a wonderful network in collaboration, not in competition, and the goals of the CEGEP network is to have bilingual students either in a French college or an English college," said Banville.
"I understand the concern but the actions we're doing promote the French language too. We're not seeing this as a way to remove anything but to add more."