April 10, 2026

Concordia University has received a combined $6M from the Wilson Foundation and a group of alumni donors to establish the Henry Habib Diplomacy Accelerator. The accelerator—named for Professor Henry Habib—will provide hands-on learning, mentorship, and research opportunities to diplomacy program students. The endowment will provide support in perpetuity for the accelerator, an undergraduate scholarship, fellowships, the Public-Servant-in-Residence and Diplomat-in-Residence positions, and a speaker series and the Summer Institute. “The Henry Habib Diplomacy Accelerator provides students with structured pathways to apply their academic knowledge in real-world contexts,” said Concordia Faculty of Arts and Science Dean Pascale Sicotte.

Institutional leaders from Huntington University, Thorneloe University, and Université de Sudbury shared how they have developed since their federation with Laurentian University concluded in 2021. Huntington has formed partnerships and created institutes, which Board of Regents Chair Scott Darling explained could lead to new programming. Thorneloe currently has 50 students taking online theology courses. Thorneloe President Rev Jason Tripp said the university is considering its future from “a place of stability,” thanks to the revenue generated by its residence and space rentals. USudbury is working towards becoming a standalone Francophone university. The institution welcomed students back to campus this year, and USudbury President Serge Miville expressed hope that enrolment will grow to 100 students in the future.

The University of Regina has released its 10-year Strategic Plan, Together, We Serve. The plan is built around five strategic priorities: learning, discovery, community, Truth and Reconciliation, and ethical innovation. Each strategic priority is outlined with an explanation of what achieving it would entail and the associated goals. In his comments to 650 CKOM, URegina President Jeff Keshen shared the context of the strategy, which included the challenges posed by generative AI and the impact of the sharp international enrolment decline, as well as the opportunities posed by growing research areas and the institution’s responsibilities with regard to Truth and Reconciliation.

Red River College Polytechnic has announced that it will absorb all 19 of the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology’s college-level programs, after the institute closes. Nine of these programs will be new to RRC Polytech, such as the electronics technician and hairstyling programs, while the others are equivalent to programs RRC Polytech already offers. RRC Polytech will offer the programs through a new South Winnipeg campus, using two former MITT buildings. CBC reports that the will also continue to offer MITT’s high school vocational programming, which is offered in partnership with school divisions.

Alberta University of the Arts, Confederation College, and Saint Mary’s University have announced new programs starting this Fall. AUArts’ Bachelor of Creative Industries program will cover creative and entrepreneurial skills through a studio-based learning approach. AUArts says this is the only such program in Western Canada. In Ontario, Confederation will offer Level 1 Plumbing apprenticeship training, which Confederation Associate Dean, Trades and Apprenticeships Andrew Phillips explained will respond to the high demand for plumbers in Northern Ontario. SMU will launch a Bachelor of Engineering in Resource Engineering program. Students will specialize in either mining or renewable energy engineering and complete a 16–month integrated co-op component.

Institutions should proactively identify ways to translate non-credit courses to credit, argue Christine Billings (University of Nebraska at Omaha) and April Paschall (UNebraska at Omaha). The authors note that students who request recognition of their non-credit learning are often treated like an “exception” to the norm, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis. As a solution to this, the authors propose creating a translation framework that transparently outlines when non-credit learning can be recognized for credit. They encourage institutions to ask what competencies define the learning, how mastery is assessed, and how demonstrated achievement matches academic credit standards. This would enable institutions to develop a framework that would guide the creation of for-credit and non-credit offerings simultaneously, with the credit-bearing course acting as a “quality anchor.”

Former University of Manitoba Faculty of Law Dean Jonathan Black-Branch has been disbarred in the United Kingdom and a Canada-wide warrant has been issued in relation to fraud committed at UManitoba. The university reportedly terminated Black-Branch in 2020 and was later granted a default judgment in 2026 for nearly $700K against the former dean; CTV News states that efforts to recover the funds are ongoing. The Winnipeg Free Press reports that the UK Bar Standards Board cited the Law Society of Manitoba’s investigation into Black-Branch’s actions at UManitoba as part of the reason for disbarment. The university has since implemented additional measures to prevent fraud and financial irregularities, which include a policy and a course on financial stewardship and ethical conduct.

George Brown Polytechnic has partnered with Parkside Student Residence to expand its housing options. The partnership will introduce additional housing options for George Brown students by recognizing Parkside as an affiliated residence. Parkside will have a dedicated George Brown cohort, which will receive support from George Brown’s Student Success department and campus partners to help students stay connected to the polytechnic. “Finding a safe, welcoming place to live is foundational to student success,” said George Brown AVP, Student Success Ian Wigglesworth. “This partnership is about meeting students where they are—offering more choice, more support, and a clear path to housing so they can focus on learning, belonging, and thriving at George Brown.”

The University of King’s College and the University of King’s College Teaching Association (UKCTA) have reached an agreement, avoiding potential labour unrest at the institution. After the two sides failed to reach a deal on Tuesday, UKCTA indicated that some teaching staff would begin their strike on Thursday at noon. However, a collective agreement was reached and ratified on both sides Thursday morning, averting the strike. “We recognize the important contribution Faculty Fellows and Senior Fellows make to the Foundation Year Program and thank the King’s community for its patience during this period of uncertainty,” said U of King’s College VP Tim Currie.

When postsecondary music programs in Canada are cut, this comes at a cost to the cultural landscape of their respective cities, writes Western University PhD Candidate Duncan McCallum. McCallum explains how the local music scene in a city is strengthened by locally offered music programming. Colleges and universities, writes the author, offer performance spaces, networking opportunities, and new musicians. When programs close, musicians leave and consolidate in larger urban centres. “Music scenes do not simply survive on talent; they depend on the institutions that sustain them,” writes McCallum.