April 28, 2026

Alberta is introducing four new expedited teaching certificates to meet the increased demand for teachers in the province. These new programs will allow individuals in four categories—final year BEd students, internationally trained teachers, tradespeople, and skilled professionals—a way to expedite entering the classroom. These certificates will vary depending on who is applying, with final-year BEd students able to teach under a developmental teacher certificate and internationally-educated teachers able to teach under a conditional teacher certificate while finishing a degree or coursework. Tradespeople and other skilled professionals will need to complete teacher preparation training before applying for certification, and will be able to teach while completing additional courses.

Toronto Metropolitan University announced the receipt of two gifts last week. An anonymous gift of $12.5M was provided to the Ted Rogers School of Management. These funds will expand the school’s Changemakers co-op program, create a new experiential learning fund, and support student entrepreneurs. The funding also creates the Loretta Rogers Global Research Impact fund, designed to support business research. Meanwhile, The Edward and Suzanne Rogers Foundation donated $1.5M to further fashion work done at The Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute (SRFI). Suzanne Rogers explained that the Fellows of the SRFI “represent the future of fashion.” SRFI Director Robert Ott explained that the institute intends to expand its programming, with announcements planned in the coming year.

Royal Roads University and the Canadian Armed Forces signed an agreement last week to launch a new Regular Officer Training Program stream for CAF members. Graduates of the program will earn a bachelor’s degree in one of four areas while also obtaining military-focused training in areas including leadership, ethics, and fitness. Royal Roads and the CAF will create a joint committee to oversee the program’s planning, delivery, and evaluation. Canadian Defence Academy Commander Major-General Jeannot Boucher explained that the program’s combination of academic and military training, “[equips] our officers to think critically, lead with integrity, and meet the evolving security challenges facing Canada.”

In the struggle between investing in AI and holding on to legacy systems, “investing in both is investing in neither,” according to AI strategist Robert Clougherty. Clougherty says that the two systems are optimized for different things: AI systems for emergence and legacy systems for repetition. Institutions, writes the author, do not have the resources to support both. As examples, he explains how AI can be used to inform decisions related to website redesign and report writing to avoid having to recreate these projects. Clougherty suggests that institutions align AI adoption with their mission, give IT a seat at the table, encourage data literacy, and create clear AI governance policies. Doing this, he says, will turn institutions from observers to participants in the future era of learning.

SAIT recently signed two new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with two institutions in Ireland. The agreement with the Atlantic Technological University will focus on collaboration in areas such as applied research, industry engagement, and student and faculty exchange. SAIT’s partnership with the National College of Ireland will enhance student experience and foster innovation in teaching and learning. “This is a dynamic, global partnership designed to support student success today and a future workforce driven by innovation and applied education,” said Dean of SAIT’s School for Advanced Digital Technology Cherie Bowker. Both pathways will support study abroad opportunities, work-integrated learning, and research projects.

A recent Canadian Press article discusses how many academics working in the US are interested in moving to Canada even though Canadian institutions cannot match salaries offered at high-profile US institutions. U of T Professor Jason Stanley explained that academics are coming to Canada for academic freedom. American Association of Colleges and Universities President Lynn Pasquerella told the Canadian Press that the “surge” of interest is because academics are feeling pressured by state and federal governments to change what they teach and study. Universities Canada President Gabriel Miller said the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program, which focuses on attracting global talent, has seen “strong interest from American researchers and Canadian researchers looking to repatriate.”

The University of Alberta will be removing a historic pipe organ from its Convocation Hall during upcoming renovations, a move that has drawn concern from the broader community. UAlberta cited accessibility and increasing capacity as reasons for removing the organ. Some community members shared that they regard the university organ as a memorial, as the current pipe organ is a replacement for an instrument that was listed in Veterans Affairs Canada’s national inventory of Canadian war memorials. UAlberta contends that this status was tied to the original instrument, but stated that it remains committed to treating the instrument with dignity after its removal.

Cégep de Drummondville’s COMPAS project, which supports digital competencies among those 65 and older, has received $600K in funding from the Government of Québec. The project aims to support seniors interested in further education by preparing them for postsecondary with digital skills. COMPAS will include a placement test to measure participant skills, as well as relevant personalized training. The COMPAS team plans to design the placement test and modules within the next two years, with full deployment at colleges and universities in 2028–2029.

Failure is a part of science, and treating it as a taboo ultimately harms the scientific community, according to a recent Nature editorial. As an example, the editors point to the European Research Council’s recent decision to discourage unsuccessful applicants from reapplying for grant funding, which they say amounts to a message of: “don’t bother learning from failure, because second chances will be limited.” While several initiatives exist to support failures in addition to successes, these initiatives are not yet common. To encourage learning and growth from failure, the article encourages academia to introduce methods of assessing failure and encourage early-career colleagues to “think beyond the idea of ‘standing on the shoulders of giants.’”

St Jerome’s University at the University of Waterloo has launched the Pope Francis Institute, a hub for learning, dialogue, and leadership dedicated to Pope Francis’s legacy. The new institute is guided by the core themes of Francis’ pontificate, reflecting his legacy of creating a space for marginalized groups and advocating for Indigenous groups. St Jerome’s President Peter Meehan explained that the institute will include both a physical and virtual space that may provide public lectures, workshops, micro-credentials, professional development opportunities, and graduate programs. “What we’re looking to do… is to help form society, to embrace values that we think are universal,” said Meehan.