August 15, 2025

Radio-Canada reports that a review of 2024 data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has identified the universities in Manitoba with the highest proportion of “ghost students.” A “ghost student,” Radio Canada explains, is a student who is enrolled at a postsecondary institution but does not attend. In MB, there are 188 ghost students in addition to 1,354 students who have been declared potentially non-complaint. The institutions identified as having ghost students were the Université de Saint-Boniface (38 students), Canadian Mennonite University (5), Assiniboine College (32), the University of Winnipeg (39), the University of Manitoba (72), and the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (2). UManitoba Vice-Provost of Academic Planning and Programs Greg Smith explained that international student absenteeism can be attributed to factors such as study permit delays or changes in personal circumstances.

A recent report on housing projects in 2024—published by the Government of Ontario—shows that 2,807 postsecondary student beds were added across the province. Global News reports that the province ultimately created just over 73,000 housing units—nearly 95,000 with long-term care beds, student housing, and other housing categories included— in 2024, which falls short of the goal of 125,000. This is reportedly the first time ON has included retirement homes and student residences in its statistics.

The Institut national de la recherche scientifique has joined the ORCID Canada Consortium, a national initiative that enables institutions to stay up to date with researcher outputs, reduce administrative burden, and improve the discoverability of their researchers’ work. INRS intends to integrate ORCID services across campus in order to better recognize and promote the achievements of its faculty members, and to enhance institutional visibility. INRS says it is the first institution in the Université du Québec network to join the initiative.

Fleming College has launched a new Indigenous Environmental Sciences Pathway Program for Indigenous learners who wish to pursue a career in the environmental and natural resource sciences. Indigenous students will not require a high school diploma to be admitted and will not pay any tuition fees. Throughout the program, students will receive dedicated academic and personal support. Upon completion, they will be able to transfer into a Fleming diploma or certificate program with up to five credits.

The Saskatoon StarPhoenix recently interviewed Dr Vince Bruni-Bossio, who will begin in his role as president of the University of Saskatchewan in January. When asked about the challenges facing USask, Bruni-Bossio pointed to both the financial realities facing universities and the broader demand from the public for universities to demonstrate their value. On this latter point, he emphasized the importance of the university’s relationships with communities, industries, and government across Saskatchewan. “I definitely believe we’re going to be in a positive space and we’ll get through the challenging times the university is going through,” said Bruni-Bossio.

Durham College is set to offer its AI Governance, Utilization, Innovation, Development & Ethics (AI GUIDE) Program to a new cohort in the fall, as well as a dedicated oil and gas-focused version. Delivered virtually over six weeks, the program gives working professionals an understanding of issues surrounding AI adoption and governance. “This is not a technical course—it’s a leadership course for the AI era,” said Natalie Arthurs, Senior Manager for Durham’s AI Hub. Durham is collaborating with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology on the new oil and gas-focused version of the AI GUIDE program this fall. Learners will explore topics such as how AI is reshaping the energy industry and earn a co-branded digital badge upon completion.

A team of nine students from the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Digital Integration Centre of Excellence has partnered with deep technology firm mPowered Technologies to improve the security of aerial drones through the use of encryption. The patent-pending encryption technology secures the drone communication protocol to defend against cyberattacks. Students worked on implementing mPowered’s encryption, which they then tested by applying ethical hacking techniques. They developed their confidence and skills through the project’s weekly presentations and collaborative approach, and “some students who were hesitant to speak at the start are now presenting at conferences,” said Sask Polytech DICE director Terry Peckham. mPowered is currently exploring the commercial applications of the technology.

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Université de Montréal Carabins coach Isabelle Leclaire discusses the launch of new women’s hockey teams at universities. Québec is reportedly one of the strongest regions for women’s hockey, but the league that many universities play in—Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec—experienced a decline to four teams for the 2024-25 season. Some experts expressed the need to increase the number of teams in the league to ensure its sustainability and celebrated the launch of new teams at Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke. However, Leclaire expressed concern about how rapidly the number of teams was increasing, given the low number of student-athletes currently available.

Acadia University and the Acadia University Faculty Association have reached a tentative agreement, effective July 1, 2025. In its release, AcadiaU celebrated the fact that the agreement—which resulted in significant revisions to the Collective Bargaining Agreement—was reached without external intervention. “Maintaining an amicable, fair, and collaborative process was a top priority during this negotiation,” said AcadiaU President Jeff Hennessy. “I am delighted to see these two groups have achieved this shared goal.”

In a conversation with Radio-Canada, Université de Hearst liaison officer Danielle Lauzon discusses the factors that have fostered growth in the university’s international student population. Over the last 10 years, UdeHearst’s international student count has risen from four students in 2015 to 300 in 2025. Lauzon explained that the university appeals to French-speaking international students who wish to study in a French-language environment. Further, the university benefited from a federal pilot program for students in Francophone minority communities. However, Lauzon noted that housing remains a challenge as the institution works to ensure all students have accommodations.