José Vasconcelos World Award of Education 1996
Field of Work: Education Administration
Date: 23 November 1996
Place of Ceremony: Voltaire Room
Host Institution: University of Oxford
Host Country: Oxford, United Kingdom
Oxford, England, November 1996. The Word Cultural Council presented 1996 José Vasconcelos World Award of Education to Prof. Roger Gaudry, Professor of the University of Montreal, Canada. The Official Award Ceremony took place at the University of Oxford which acted as host for 1996.
The World Cultural Council granted the award to Prof. Gaudry in recognition of this more than 55 years of work and his outstanding contribution to Higher Education, with a significant influence in the advancement of University life.
Prof. Gaudry as rector of the University of Montreal (1965-1975), established academic models that transformed the authority structure of the university and allowed democratic modes of operation: The participation of the teaching staff and the students in the development of their own constitution became a reality.
Roger Gaudry was President of the first Board of the United Nations University (1974-1975). His influence in determining the nature and policies was enormous and profound.
Another important contributions of Prof. Gaudry has been made during presidency of the International Association of Universities (1975-1980). The number of participating universities approximately doubled, starting from a base of about 350. Also he managed to maintain the delicate balance within the Association and preserve what he always thought was a major of his leadership everywhere: Scientific integrity. This award is in recognition to his many important contributions to Higher Education in Canada and abroad.
Prof. Gaudry was born in Quebec, Canada in 1913. He received his B. Sc. (Chemistry) in 1937 from the University of Laval, he has been a Rhodes Scholar: two years of research in organic chemistry at Oxford University 1938-39 and he received his Ph. D. (Chemistry) from the University of Laval in 1940.
