May 7, 2025

The University of Alberta has launched the Centre for Hydrogen Innovation, Workforce Development and Outreach (CHIWDO) to strengthen Alberta’s position as a leader in hydrogen research and deployment. As global demand for hydrogen fuel and expertise grows, the centre will support hydrogen energy development by advancing technologies across the hydrogen value chain. The centre will focus on research, public outreach, and workforce development, including co-op placements and the development of educational materials for schools and institutions. “We want to develop technologies to help Alberta’s and Canada’s resources become much more environmentally friendly and economically attractive for the world,” said UAlberta CHIWDO Director Amit Kumar.

The College of the North Atlantic has launched the CNA Foundation to expand student supports and foster deeper donor and industry engagement. Guided by principles of equity, collaboration, and innovation, the Foundation will remove barriers to education and create opportunities for students by supporting scholarships, wellness programs, emergency funding, and infrastructure that enhances learning. It will also offer custom giving options and engage industry partners to strengthen educational outcomes and workforce readiness. “Through the Foundation, we will be creating even more ways to empower students, enrich learning environments and transform futures,” said CNA Associate VP of Public Affairs and Advancement Heidi Staeben-Simmons.

York University’s School of Continuing Studies has announced four new programs in digital construction management, cybersecurity, clinical trials, and ethical hacking. Developed with industry input, the programs address growing workforce needs in the tech and health sectors. Continuing studies is also expanding its Integrated Year One initiative—which supports international students with English language development—to include students from the faculties of Science and Environmental & Urban Change. The launch and expansion coincide with the school’s 10-year anniversary. “We set out to build a school—but we built so much more,” said YorkU Assistant VP of Continuing Studies Christine Brooks-Cappadocia. “What we ended up building was a community.”

Academic freedom and open science are under threat as equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives face growing opposition, argues Ndeye Dieynaba Ndiaye (Université du Québec à Montréal). Ndiaye explores the tension between EDI criteria and research independence, particularly in light of halted projects and the focus on ties between Canadian researchers and the US. She argues that open science—championed in UNESCO’s 2021 recommendation as a tool for democratizing knowledge—is also under pressure due to rising political interference. Ultimately, Ndiaye calls for science diplomacy to protect academic freedom and ensure that diverse voices and inclusive, ethical research remains central to the postsecondary sector.

The City of Fredericton is proposing changes that could encourage the construction of more student housing. The changes would enable developers to construct taller apartment buildings in the College Hill neighbourhood. Given that the city’s vacancy rate is less than 1%, Fredericton Mayor explained that “anyone looking for rental units is impacted, but [especially] the student population that wants to be close to campus.” Fredericton City Planner Frederick Van Rooye added that the current planning document for the region has hampered the city’s ability to accommodate the 18% growth in the neighbourhood’s population to date.

Western University has released an updated edition of its campus activity policies, which it says facilitates a balance between safety and freedom of expression. Special events and demonstrations have become more frequent on campus, so Western ultimately reviewed its administrative policies and engaged in six months of community consultations to update the policy to meet today’s needs. The revised policy expressly prohibits camping on campus and includes a clause related to university protest which encourages demonstration organizers to consult with the campus safety department before events; those who do not are responsible for ensuring the safety of their events.

Crandall University has filed a statement of defence against a lawsuit from a former professor, who has reportedly claimed wrongful dismissal, defamation, and privacy breaches against the institution. The Canadian Press reports that the former professor’s statement of claim alleges that the university conducted a “fundamentally flawed” investigation that ultimately damaged his and his wife’s reputations and that his he “did not engage in any behaviour that constitutes just cause” for dismissal. Crandall’s statement of defence maintains that the university did not publish any statements that were untrue and argues that it had “just and sufficient cause” to terminate the professor’s employment. None of the allegations in these statements have been tested in court.

Aurora College has launched an Internal Grants and Awards Program to support applied research capacity in the Northwest Territories. The program includes four funding streams: Start-up grants for new researchers, strategic grants for collaborative research projects, research assistant grants for engaging students and community members in research, and student research awards for outstanding student participation. As part of this launch, the college is also investing in its Research Services Office to ensure that the growing research capacity at the college has adequate support. Aurora VP of Research Chris Paci said that growing northern research capacity will directly benefit northern students, Indigenous and northern communities, and the wider Canadian science community.

Holland College has suspended a staff member from its Holland College Canes Camp —a youth camp run by the college’s athletics team, the Holland Hurricanes— following a complaint. The college circulated a message to parents and guardians on the day that it learned of the complaint, informing them that the Charlottetown Police Services are now investigating the situation. “I was glad that it was actually told to us, and that the police were contacted immediately and they dealt with it right away,” parent Kim Steele-Gallant told CBC.

A growing disconnect between employer expectations and graduate preparedness is putting pressure on postsecondary institutions to strengthen soft skills development, writes Nathan Iverson (California Baptist University). Iverson explains that many employers report difficulty finding candidates who excel in areas such as adaptability, communication, ethical judgment, and teamwork—skills that, Iverson argues, cannot be taught through lectures or textbooks alone. To help graduates develop and demonstrate these skills, he outlines four strategies: embedding these skills into curriculum design, expanding experiential learning and internships, leveraging co-curricular and campus life programming, and fostering sustained partnerships with employers and alumni. “Bridging the soft skills gap for graduates is a shared responsibility,” writes Iverson, pointing to faculty, employers, and student affairs leaders as key partners in preparing students with the transferable skills they need to thrive after graduation.