resources as well as classes and working spaces of graduate students. The university's geography department uses the classes located on the 5th floor, directly under the fire-damaged part of the building, and the offices located directly under the collapsed belfry are occupied by researchers. Many graduate students are also working on the 5th floor. The damage was estimated at the time to be at least $3 million. The Rimouski campus today The administrative capital of the Lower St. Lawrence region and a bustling maritime community, Rimouski is also a genuine “student city” that hums with the activities of over 15,000 students every year (all levels considered). Students represent nearly one in three people living in this town of 50,000. The Rimouski campus now has 11 pavilions, in addition to student residences. The Rimouski campus also houses the Rimouski Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMER) and the Centre for Support for Innovation through Research (CAIR) Lévis campus The university opened a second campus in Lévis, in Québec's capital region in 1980. The Lévis campus of UQAR has become a major pole for the institution. In 2019-2020, the Lévis campus was attended by about 3,000 students. UQAR offers academic training throughout eastern Quebec, including the Chaudière-Appalaches, Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Haute-Côte-Nord, and Manicouagan. It also has permanent offices in Gaspé and Rivière-du-Loup. Programs of study UQAR offers over 160 undergraduate to doctoral-level training programs in the fields of administration, biology, environmental and bioresource chemistry, regional development, education, ethics, engineering, geography, history, computer science, literature and creative writing, oceanography, psychosociology, accounting, nursing, and social work. Owing to its privileged geographic location, UQAR enables students to explore and study natural environments that are near the campuses. While maintaining a primary focus on academic achievement, the training programs offered by UQAR stand out for their excellence and distinctive nature. Foreign students UQAR has established more than 70 cooperation and exchange programs with about 15 countries around the world. Each year, UQAR welcomes about 550 foreign students. Research From the onset, UQAR has faced up to the challenges of its natural setting by concentrating on its strengths, namely its environmental resources. This is why marine science, regional development, and nordicity are the three major areas of research at UQAR. These fields are integrated to meet the challenges of the territory covered by the university. These areas of research bring together a mass of researchers. In addition, research in engineering, education,