For over a century Sherbrooke's economy was based on the textile, food and machinery industries. When the Université de Sherbrooke was founded in the early 1950s, the city's orientation changed. Sherbrooke was now on its way to being a service industries capital, a forerunner among Québec cities, moving towards the modernization of society.

A CITY OF KNOWLEDGE, KNOW-HOW AND SAVOIR VIVRE

Today, the city of Sherbrooke uniquely embodies the attributes of knowledge, know-how and savoir vivre. It boasts a combined university teaching / regional hospital, a clinical research center, a pharmacological institute, and a biomedical park. In addition, the city offers two parallel systems of education, in French and English, extending from primary to university levels. Sherbrooke is home to two reputable universities: l'Université de Sherbrooke (1954) and Bishop's University (1843).