April 1, 2026

A recently published study explored academics’ attempts at humour during research conferences. The study—based on 531 talks at 14 biology conferences—found that 58% of all talks included at least one attempt at humour. However, 66% of attempts were determined to have low effectiveness as they were met with reactions such as “polite chuckles.” The study authors noted that the mild reactions may have stemmed from the social dynamics and environment of conferences, as well as the fact that many jokes were made during glitches or technical issues. The study authors noted that humour is a skill worth developing for scientists, as well-delivered humour “can turn a forgettable talk into one people actually remember—and perhaps even enjoy.”

The Government of Ontario Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn recently stated that he is aware of and monitoring top executive pay. The news follows the release of the 2025 Sunshine List, which is an annual list of the names, positions, salaries, and taxable benefits of ON public sector employees whose salaries topped $100K in 2025. Quinn explained that the ministry is looking to see if any top executive earners are “out of line with the sector average” and intends to ensure that the $6.4B investment made by the province goes to services for students.

The University of Alberta is offering a new 12-week training program to help family doctors provide better care for individuals with psychiatric illness. The program—called the Alberta Network for Community Health Outreach and Rural Mental Health—is intended to help family doctors develop the knowledge and skills they need to support individuals with psychiatric illness. Learners receive access to interactive educational sessions, collaborative case conferences, and ongoing supports such as access to tools and experts from the university. “The vast majority of individuals with psychiatric illness are going to be seen in primary care before they ever get to a psychiatrist, if they ever get to the psychiatrist,” explained UAlberta Chair of Psychiatry David Ross, who co-leads the program.

Northern College broke ground on a sports dome in Timmins last week. Once complete, the 130,000 square-foot building will be open to the public and contain facilities for a variety of sports and fitness activities including a full-size soccer field, basketball courts, and a fitness area. “We know that our role as a regional partner is to help foster the kind of communities that people want to visit, to study in, and to build a life for themselves,” said Northern College President Mitch Dumas. Funding for the dome has been provided by the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, the City of Timmins, and Caise Alliance. Northern College expects the facility to be fully open in late 2026 to early 2027.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and the Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación (Sechiti) in Mexico have entered into a formal partnership focused on research cooperation and joint interdisciplinary projects. The memorandum of understanding signed by the partners outlines their intent to engage in projects focused on areas such as AI, health technologies, and Indigenous research leadership. “This memorandum of understanding represents a new stage in the scientific relationship between Mexico and Canada,” said Sechiti Secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation representative Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez. “It reflects our shared conviction that international cooperation in science, humanities, technology and innovation is essential to address the major challenges of our time and to generate knowledge that contributes to the well-being of our societies.”

Okanagan College has announced that Kelowna Secondary School (KSS) students will no longer be permitted on Okanagan’s Kelowna campus. Okanagan highlighted several issues that have arisen over the years from KSS students gathering on campus grounds, including vandalism, smoking, vaping, violence, and harassment. The ban commenced March 30th with the stipulation that only KSS students enrolled in Okanagan programming will be permitted on campus. Okanagan clarified that it would “continue to partner with local schools, including KSS […] to invite students onto campus where they can learn about the College and programs.”

AP News reporter Jocelyn Gecker recently highlighted how university instructors are turning toward oral assessments in the era of AI. University of Pennsylvania Associate Professor Emily Hammer said that her method of using both oral and paper exams is focused more on strengthening students’ skills than on preventing cheating. “[S]tudents are actually losing skills, losing cognitive capacity and creativity,” said Hammer. Cornell University Professor Chris Schaffer told Gecker that this loss of skills is why he opts to use Socratic-style questioning on students’ submitted problem sets, forgoing the grading of the problem sets entirely. Students reacting to Schaffer’s method said that they prefer the oral exam, with one student explaining that the check-in, “holds you accountable.”

While Algonquin College is concluding its Academic Assistance for Students with Developmental Disabilities (AAADD) program on April 30, local community organization Horizons Behaviour Consulting will be stepping in to offer a new option for students with developmental disabilities. Horizons Behaviour Consulting will lease space at Algonquin’s campus and will offer a Living Independence, Functional Skills and Employment Readiness (LIFE) program. In the LIFE program, students with developmental disabilities will cultivate their daily living skills and pursue job placements. Students who were previously taking the AAADD program can now complete their studies through the LIFE program. Horizons Behaviour Consulting Director Matt Derkach added that he believes the program could be “a great opportunity” for Algonquin students in developmental services and behavioural sciences programs

The Comité consultatif sur les changements climatiques du Québec (CCCCQ)—an advisory committee for QC’s environment minister—has joined the International Climate Council Network (ICCN). As a member of the ICCN, the advisory committee will have access to shared expertise and best practices in climate governance, which will allow it to improve the quality of its analyses in Canada. CCCQ Chair and Université de Sherbrooke Professor Alain Webster emphasized the importance of joining the international council, given the global nature of climate change and the need to draw on best practices from the international scientific community.

In the University Affairs Career Advice column, Frédéric Deschenaux (Université du Québec à Rimouski) and Stéphane Allaire (Université du Québec à Chicoutimi) share their thoughts on how to prioritize attending conferences. They ask readers to question why they attend colloquiums, conferences, and symposiums. The authors encourage academics to “exercise moderation” with events, evaluating the opportunities and benefits of each one against the costs and challenges they may bring. As part of this, they suggest considering which events will best support professional goals in terms of networking, publication opportunities, and impact. “Some are certainly worth your while, but our advice is to choose wisely,” the authors write.